A/HRC/39/8 of Tuvaluans to sustainable development and to survive as a people would be severely compromised. The Council must follow up its words with action. 10. The Constitution of Tuvalu, which provided for the full recognition of human rights, continued to be recognized as the supreme, and basic, law of the country. Protection and promotion of human rights and freedoms was derived from and based on the Constitution. All laws, and all acts done under a law, must be reasonably justifiable and democratic. When determining whether a law or act was reasonably justifiable and democratic, the courts could take into account: (a) traditional standards, values and practices, as well as previous laws and judicial decisions, of Tuvalu; (b) law, practices and judicial decisions of other countries that the court reasonably regarded as democratic; and (c) international conventions, declarations, recommendations and judicial decisions concerning human rights. 11. Within its limited resources, Tuvalu would continue to work towards the full realization of human rights for the people of Tuvalu, in all sectors of development and of the community. 12. A constitutional review, which involved nationwide consultations, was currently under way and set to be finalized in 2019. Proposed changes included adding gender and disability as grounds on which discrimination was prohibited. Also being considered in the review were models and structure of governance, the traditional and cultural rights of island communities, the response to climate change and the social impact of cybercrime. 13. Tuvalu was committed to achieving the targets of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. In its national strategy for sustainable development, formulated in 2015, and with a vision of a more protected, secure and prosperous Tuvalu and healthier people who were more engaged in national, regional and international forums, the Government had identified — and the people had supported — 12 areas of priority, including targets on climate change, governance, development of outer islands, social development, infrastructure development and oceans. 14. Education and health services, including the costly Tuvalu Medical Treatment Scheme for referrals, were provided for by the Government and almost 100 per cent of the population had access to electricity. Per capita income had increased greatly over the past few years. There was still an urgent need to improve infrastructure for connectivity and better nation-building. 15. Climate change was the most serious existential threat for Tuvaluans as a people and Tuvalu as a sovereign State. Concrete action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and to provide adequate funding for mitigation and adaptation actions for small island developing States was urgently needed. The seriousness of the threat had been noted in, among other documents, the SIDS Accelerated Modalities of Action (SAMOA) Pathway and the 2030 Agenda. In its statement for 2018, the Commonwealth Heads of Government Leaders had called for a new paradigm shift for responses and action by the international community. 16. The increasing frequency in which effects of climate change had been felt been well documented worldwide. Those effects threatened the full and effective enjoyment by Tuvaluans of their rights to life, water and sanitation, food, health, housing, selfdetermination, culture and development. 17. Tuvalu was currently active in the development of the guidelines for the implementation of the Paris Agreement. It had also proposed two initiatives related to climate change, including with respect to the establishment of the Pacific Islands Climate Change Insurance Facility and the adoption of a General Assembly resolution to give protection to people displaced by the impacts of climate change. 18. Tuvalu was mainstreaming climate change action into its national strategy for sustainable development and the budget. It had established the Climate Change and Disaster Survival Fund, and national strategies on its nationally determined contributions and national action plans. It had embarked on a coastal adaptation project, funded by the Green Climate Fund, to construct protective sea walls for all its islands. Education and capacity-building were extremely vital — a more educated population would cope better with the effects of climate change and sea-level rise. 3