A/HRC/41/2 national anti-discrimination legislation should ensure the protection of ethnic minorities, including the Māori and Pasifika communities. 551. Iraq was grateful to New Zealand for accepting two of its recommendations on combating domestic violence and improving the conditions of migrant workers and asylum seekers. Iraq hoped that New Zealand would in the future consider accepting its third recommendation to accelerate the process of acceding to the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance. 552. Lesotho noted steps taken by New Zealand relating to the representation of women in decision-making positions as well to promote gender equality. It noted the persistence of challenges, in particular, relating to the increase of the prison population. It also noted the National Plan of Action for the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights, which monitored the implementation of human rights recommendations. It encouraged New Zealand to consider ratifying human rights treaties to which it was not yet party to. 553. Madagascar welcomed the progress made by New Zealand since its last review in the protection and promotion of human rights, in particular, the implementation of measures to respect cultural diversity and establish social justice. It also commended the commitment of New Zealand to submitting a mid-term report in 2021 and the decision of the Government to review its internal processes to implement international human rights standards. Madagascar urged New Zealand to pursue the reforms it had embarked upon to give greater effect to the respect for human rights. 554. Pakistan commended New Zealand for accepting the majority of the recommendations received, including the ones it had made. It appreciated the undertaking of the Government to review the current protections against hate speech and to develop a national strategy to address racial discrimination and racism. 555. The Russian Federation noted that New Zealand had accepted one of its three recommendations related to providing Māori and Pasifika with adequate access to education and the labour market. It regretted that New Zealand had not accepted recommendations on the ratification of a wide range of international human rights instruments, as well as on the need to develop and adopt a written constitution and to ensure proper constitutional or legislative recognition of the Waitangi Treaty. It expressed the belief that their implementation would significantly enhance the ability to protect the human rights of Māori and other representatives of the indigenous peoples of small island States of the South Pacific. 556. Sri Lanka noted that New Zealand had accepted 160 out of the 194 recommendations received, including those it had made. Noting that both countries had experienced brutal acts of terrorism, it stressed the importance of combatting terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, while safeguarding human rights, the rule of law and ensuring the well-being of all communities. It noted the continued efforts of New Zealand to combat all forms of racism and discrimination and that a new Race Relations Commissioner would be appointed, along with the development of a national strategy to address racial discrimination. 557. Tunisia welcomed the acceptance by New Zealand of a great number of recommendations, including those it had made relating to continuing efforts to ensure prevention of violence against women and domestic violence through the strengthening of women’s programmes and national plans as well as efforts to combat racial discrimination and hate speech and promote diversity and tolerance. 91