A/HRC/41/2 national human rights legislation; the accreditation of the National Human Rights Institution and Ombudsman’s Office with “A” status, in accordance with Paris Principles; follow up to human rights recommendations through the National Mechanism for Reporting and Follow-up of Recommendations; progress in legal, institutional and public policy measures against discrimination, in particular racial discrimination, with particular emphasis on the adoption of the Plan and establishment of the National Council for Racial Equity; the implementation of equality and non-discrimination concepts, with particular emphasis on groups in vulnerable situations; reform of the penitentiary system, and commitment to consolidate the National Mechanism for the Prevention of Torture and the institutional strengthening of the Office of the Parliamentary Commissioner, an independent body responsible for monitoring the prison system; conditions of detention of adolescents in conflict with the criminal law, highlighting that, since 2016, there had been no overcrowding in the juvenile detention system; criminalization of the crime of torture; efforts to implement the policy on truth, justice, reparation and guarantees of nonrepetition; the fight against trafficking in persons, highlighting in particular the enactment of the comprehensive law and the establishment of the National Council to Prevent and Combat Trafficking in and Exploitation of Persons, as the governing and coordination body of public policies on trafficking in persons; Uruguay’s consideration of family, in its various forms; progress made in the areas of economic, social and cultural rights; protection of the rights of children in accordance with the Convention on the Rights of the Child and concluding observations of the Committee on the Rights of the Child, while considering them as right holders and not mere objects of protection; progress in the implementation of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, highlighting in particular the provisions of article 12 of the Convention on the recognition of legal capacity; the absolute prohibition of recruitment of children under 18 years of age by the Uruguayan armed forces, in accordance with the Childhood and Adolescence Code, which established that children and adolescents could not participate in armed conflicts or receive training for that purpose. 573. The delegation stressed that, as in previous universal periodic review cycles and in line with the commitment of Uruguay to human rights, the country had accepted all recommendations it received. In doing so, Uruguay made a commitment to redouble its efforts with a view to continuing the progress achieved and improving the legal and institutional framework, as well as the plans and programmes developed to promote and protect human rights. 574. The delegation emphasized that it was renewing its commitment and claiming again that the way in which the society handled diversity, complexity and social conflicts, as well as the attention it provided to the most vulnerable and unprotected people and groups was the best indicator of the quality of development and prosperity of the society. It also stressed that there were no rights without corresponding obligations, and there were no obligations other than those corresponding to rights, and the starting and ending point of the legal system was always human rights. 575. The delegation emphasized the integrality and universality of all rights, as well as the rights of future generations, and flagged that the costs of realizing our rights could not affect those of future generations. 576. The delegation reiterated the gratitude of Uruguay to all the delegations that participated so constructively in the universal periodic review, as well as to the National Institution of Human Rights and Ombudsman’s Office and to representatives of civil society. It acknowledged the role of the civil society as fundamental to defend achievements made to protect rights. 94