A/HRC/18/2 and fighting social problems, in particular domestic violence and juvenile delinquency. Algeria hoped that, with adequate technical and financial assistance, the Government of Samoa would soon be in a position to complete the establishment of a national human rights institution. The contribution of that institution would certainly reinforce Government actions to promote and protect human rights. 536. Cuba recalled that Samoa’s review was an opportunity to understand the challenges that it faced, including financial constraints, climate change and climate phenomena, such as hurricanes. The review also shed light on the programmes undertaken by the Government to promote and protect human rights, such as community plans and awareness programmes on health, water, sanitation, and sexual and reproductive health. Cuba commended the Government of Samoa for having accepted many of the recommendations made during the session of the Working Group, including those made by Cuba. These included calls for the maintenance of strategies and plans of socioeconomic development, and of measures to guarantee universal health and education services. 537. Morocco congratulated the Government of Samoa on its spirit of openness throughout its universal periodic review. It noted with satisfaction the significant number of recommendations accepted by Samoa, which reflected its commitment to the promotion and protection of human rights. Morocco acknowledged that four of its recommendations had been accepted by Samoa, relating to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, the establishment of a national human rights institution, the guarantee of free and mandatory primary education and the signing of the two optional protocols to the Convention on the Rights of the Child. Morocco took note with interest of the efforts of the Government to improve the human rights situation in Samoa in spite of the difficulties the country faced relating to climate change and natural disasters. Morocco therefore called for the solidarity and cooperation of the international community with Samoa to enable it to implement the recommendations it had accepted. 538. New Zealand noted with satisfaction the acceptance of all but five recommendations by Samoa. It was also pleased to learn that Samoa had started the process of drafting legislation to establish a national human rights institution and initiated the enhancement of family safety and support for victims of domestic violence. New Zealand noted the implementation of prison reforms, which included the establishment of a prison authority separate from the police. It also welcomed the policies to combat the problems of access to education and child street vendors, and to ensure that school-age children were fully engaged in compulsory education. 3. General comments made by other relevant stakeholders 539. The Canadian HIV/AIDS Legal Network welcomed the support of Samoa for the joint statement on ending acts of violence, criminal sanctions and related human rights violations based on sexual orientation and gender identity, delivered in March 2011 to the Human Rights Council. It however regretted that Samoa, in spite of such support, had rejected the recommendations to repeal laws that criminalize sexual activity between consenting adults. It therefore urged Samoa to reconsider its position to those recommendations and to bring its legislation into conformity with its international commitments to equality and non-discrimination by repealing the provisions that might be applied to criminalize sexual activity between consenting adults. It also urged Samoa to take steps to protect all persons from discrimination on all grounds, including sexual orientation and gender identity, and to apply the Yogyakarta Principles on the Application of International Human Rights Law in relation to Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity as a guide to assist in policymaking. 540. Nuanua O Le Alofa welcomed the commitment of Samoa to review the policies and legislation to ensure their consistency with the rights of persons with disabilities, and the GE.12-17756 159