A/HRC/41/2 non-elected bodies. Women had also been appointed to numerous high-ranking positions, including the Accountant General and the Law Commissioner. Furthermore, the position of women in the labour market had been advanced and the gender pay gap had been further reduced. At the heart of the efforts by Cyprus lied also the implementation of Security Council resolution 1325 and the adoption of a National Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security that was in the final stage of preparation. 778. In the last eighteen months, Cyprus had recorded a 70 per cent increase in arrivals of irregular migrants and asylum seekers. Some asylum seekers entered Cyprus from the areas under the effective control of the Government, but mostly, and increasingly, from the occupied areas. Cyprus provided assistance to asylum seekers, had expanded their employment options, and ensured free access to health services and education. Cyprus was working towards the implementation of the Global Compacts on Migration and Refugees. It facilitated the integration of migrants into society by providing access to public education, free language courses and vocational training. Detention of migrants was a measure of last resort. Detention for longer periods occurred only when serious matters of public order and security were involved and those detentions were reviewed on a monthly basis. 779. Addressing overcrowding in prisons, the Government had enacted legislation enlarging the possibilities for conditional release, as well as electronic monitoring. It had also undertaken extensive prison reform, aiming at the rehabilitation and reintegration of inmates. 780. In implementing the Strategic Action Plan for Gender Equality in education (20182020) and a National Strategy and an Action Plan on Combatting Sexual Abuse and Sexual Exploitation of Children and Child Pornography, Cyprus attached particular importance to the rights of children with disabilities. 781. Cyprus was also unwaveringly committed to advancing the rights of the LGBTI community and had therefore accepted all relevant recommendations. The process of establishing a national mechanism to promote multiculturalism, acceptance and respect of diversity, with LGBTI rights as an important component, was underway. As a new member of the Equal Rights Coalition and the European Governmental LGBTI Focal Points Network, Cyprus would benefit from best practices of other participating States in order to safeguard the full equality of its citizens regardless of their sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, or sex characteristics. 2. Views expressed by Member and observer States of the Council on the outcome of the review 782. During the adoption of the outcome of the review of Cyprus, 13 delegations made statements.** 783. Tunisia valued the developments achieved by Cyprus in the area of human rights and the efforts taken for the implementation of the 2030 Agenda. It welcomed the national strategies and legislation on gender equality and the empowerment of vulnerable groups of women, as well as combatting trafficking in persons. 784. The United Arab Emirates valued the achievements at the national level on human rights and the range of measures taken, in particular on economic rights. This reflected the ** The statements of the delegations that were unable to deliver them owing to time constraints which were made available are posted on the extranet of the Human Rights Council, at https://extranet.ohchr.org/sites/hrc/HRCSessions/RegularSessions/41Session/Pages/default.aspx 123

Select target paragraph3

Connect to a paragraph
Connect to an entity
Disable highlights
Add to table of contents