A/HRC/38/10 Punishment and the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and the Optional Protocol thereto. Burundi had held constructive dialogues with several treaty bodies, including the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women. 9. Concrete steps had been taken to improve the protection of children by establishing specialized juvenile chambers in regional courts. A telephone helpline that allowed children to report abuse was being piloted in Bujumbura with a view to being extended across the country and two rehabilitation centres for juveniles in conflict with the law had started activities. The National Children’s Forum had been set up to provide a framework for consultations between the Government and children, while local-level child protection committees reported all cases of violations to the Government. 10. To relieve prison overcrowding, presidential pardons were granted regularly and the courts were expected to process cases swiftly. The prison service had established women’s and girls’ quarters in places of detention in order to ensure their dignity and protection. 11. Regarding girls’ education, Burundi had made efforts to eliminate the discrimination arising from traditional attitudes, in particular by identifying girls who did not go to school or had dropped out of school and enrolling them in State schools. The duration of free primary education, which now included an introduction to entrepreneurship, had been extended to nine years in order to keep girls in school for longer and to gradually attain parity between girls and boys in secondary education. 12. Burundi was pursuing the “zero-tolerance” policy towards gender-based violence initiated by the President of the Republic. In addition to the pilot centre set up in 2012, new comprehensive care facilities had recently been established in three provinces. The current law on gender violence was bearing fruit and all actors were actively combating gender violence on the ground. 13. The Government had recently launched an extensive social safety net programme to reduce chronic poverty and was carrying out information, communication and education measures to encourage positive behaviours conducive to the improvement of nutrition, early childhood development, school attendance and financial literacy. 14. Recent steps to consolidate national human rights institutions included the establishment of the National Council for National Unity and Reconciliation and the National Observatory for the Prevention and Eradication of Genocide, War Crimes and Crimes against Humanity. The Government was currently finalizing its National Development Plan 2018–2027, a strategic guidance tool that ought to contribute effectively and constructively to increasing gross domestic product. The Government had set itself the goal of structurally transforming the economy to achieve strong, sustainable and inclusive growth. B. Interactive dialogue and responses by the State under review 15. During the interactive dialogue, 96 delegations made statements. Recommendations made during the dialogue are to be found in section II of the present report. 16. Finland noted with concern the deterioration of the human rights situation in Burundi and the authorities’ acts against human rights defenders. It emphasized the importance of full cooperation with the United Nations and the Commission of Inquiry on Burundi. 17. France, while noting positively the ratification of two conventions, expressed concern about the serious deterioration of the human rights situation since 2015. 18. Georgia called on Burundi to cooperate with the Commission of Inquiry and ensure unhindered access by United Nations entities, including OHCHR. GE.18-06283 19. Germany made recommendations. 20. Greece made recommendations. 3