A/HRC/41/2 the remaining 108 banned former CNRP (Cambodia National Rescue Party) politicians, can freely engage in political activity. 897. UNPF commended the Government for integrating comprehensive sexuality education as part of the education curriculum reform and advocated for increased investments in education and services, particularly in comprehensive sexuality education to help empower women and youth to make informed reproductive health choices and trigger long-term behavioural changes towards sexuality and gender relations. It expressed readiness to support the Government to develop its first national gender policy and its fiveyear Gender Strategy (2019-23), with a focus on preventing and addressing all forms of violence against women, and enhancing women’s access to the minimum standards of healthcare and other services such as multi-sectoral coordination mechanisms to respond the needs of gender-based violence survivors. 898. The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela valued the country’s economic growth of 7 per cent per annum over the past few decades and were pleased that the poverty rate declined from 53.2 per cent in 2004 to 13.5 per cent in 2015 through the significant increase in the minimum wage for workers and the strengthening of the social security system in favour of vulnerable groups. It recommended the adoption of the report of Cambodia. 899. Viet Nam noted that the high ratio and large spectrum of accepted recommendations illustrate the strong commitment of the Cambodian Government in the promotion and protection of human rights at present and in the future. It expressed readiness to further cooperation with Cambodia, not only in exchanging national experiences on protection and promotion of human rights but also in collaboration in joint efforts at United Nations human rights mechanisms as well as in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. 900. Algeria noted with satisfaction the establishment of a national mechanism for the prevention of torture and the adoption of laws to protect the rights of persons with disabilities and children against degrading treatment, forced labour and sexual abuse. 901. Belgium welcomed the fact that Cambodia has undertaken to ratify the Second Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, aiming at the abolition of the death penalty, in line with the provisions of its Constitution which prohibits the application of the death penalty. It stressed that this important commitment strengthens the global movement towards the universal abolition of the death penalty. 902. The Plurinational State of Bolivia recognized that Cambodia is now an exporting country and one of the fastest expanding economies, with a remarkable track-record in poverty reduction and improving social indicators. It expressed its gratitude to Cambodia for having taken into account its recommendations to give continuity to initiatives that facilitate the supply of clean water as well as to strengthen land policies to ensure gender equality and equity. It recommended that the members of the Council adopt the report on Cambodia. 140

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