A/HRC/18/2 Commission called on the Government to prioritize the implementation of the recommendations facilitating the conduct of peaceful, free and fair elections. The Commission hoped that its new status would be reflected in greater Government support and response to its recommendations and activities. 440. World Vision Sierra Leone welcomed the Government’s acceptance of several recommendations concerning maternal and child health. World Vision, while recognizing the implementation of the free health package, remained concerned that many pregnant women and children living in rural and remote areas continued to be denied access to care and medicines because of their inability to pay for services and the limited outreach of trained community-based health personnel. Health in rural communities was especially affected by insufficient water and sanitation facilities, continued lack of access to mosquito nets, an insufficient number of health workers and inadequate birth registration facilities. World Vision called on the authorities to increase their annual expenditure for health to 15 per cent of the national budget, as pledged under the Abuja Declaration, and expressed its commitment to assist the authorities in the implementation of health-related obligations. 441. Save the Children presented its statement on behalf of the Child Rights Coalition – Sierra Leone. The Child Rights Coalition commended the Government for having immediately accepted 101 recommendations made by the Working Group, and its open attitude towards collaboration with the Human Rights Commission and civil society in the implementation of the recommendations. While commending the acceptance of recommendation 81.36, it called on the Government to take effective measures to address the inadequate implementation of the 2007 Child Rights Act, as key child protection structures such as child welfare committees and departments, were yet to be established. It urged the Government to pass legislation to establish an independent and resourced national commission for children in accordance with its commitments. With regard to recommendations 80.18, 80.19 and 80.20, it commended the Government for passing the legislation on banning female genital mutilation on children under 18 years, but remained concerned that the issue still prevailed, particularly in rural communities. Children as young as 5 were still being initiated and circumcised; it therefore urged the Government to sensitize the public about the new legislation and to enforce relevant laws. 442. Amnesty International highlighted the fact that 13 States had raised the issue of the death penalty during the review, calling for a moratorium on executions, the abolition of the death penalty and the ratification of the Second Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. It congratulated Sierra Leone on having accepted the recommendations, and urged it to take immediately all steps necessary to abolish the death penalty in national law and to commute existing death sentences to terms of imprisonment. Amnesty International welcomed Sierra Leone’s commitment to address causes of maternal mortality and its review of maternity health-care policies and to improving access to confidential family planning and sexual health and reproductive services. Amnesty International referred to reports by women and girls that drugs and medical supplies were not available at health facilities, or that they were charged for medicines and care that were supposed to be free. It called on the Government to strengthen transparency and accountability by monitoring and investigating shortcomings in the national health system, and to respond robustly to allegations of corruption and systematic malpractice. It urged Sierra Leone to make a grievance mechanism available within the health system and to inform patients about their right to redress, and to promptly implement the many recommendations on the elimination, prohibition and the criminalization of female genital mutilation. 443. Rencontre africaine pour la défense des droits de l’homme recalled the atrocities committed during the war in Sierra Leone, such as the countless amputations, mass rapes and forced recruitment of thousands of teenagers and children. It underlined the fact that the GE.12-17756 143