A/HRC/32/16 ending impunity at all levels. The Government continued to implement the recommendations of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, including reparations. 7. Since the end of the war, Sierra Leone had conducted five democratic local and national government elections, and democracy continued to take firm root in governance. The recruitment of children in armed conflicts had been eradicated: under current regulations, recruits into the armed forces must be 18 years of age, in compliance with the Convention on the Rights of the Child. 8. Since taking office in 2007, President Koroma had initiated two inclusive and rightsbased development programmes: the Agenda for Change and the Agenda for Prosperity. Both programmes fully embraced the political, economic, social and cultural rights guaranteed under the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Implementation had been moving apace until the Ebola virus disease struck the country in early 2014. 9. The Ebola virus disease had wreaked havoc on the people and economy of Sierra Leone. There had been a clear threat to national cohesion and security. 10. As a consequence, in early July 2014, President Koroma had used his constitutional powers to declare a national state of emergency, entailing the curtailment of certain rights and civil liberties, particularly the right to free movement, assembly, social and cultural rights and practices. However, the state of emergency was at all times limited to what was strictly necessary to achieve an early end to the Ebola virus disease. The emergency regulations were progressively relaxed proportionately to the waning of the Ebola virus disease and, at present, President Koroma had given directives for its complete repeal by Parliament. 11. Nevertheless, Sierra Leone continued to enjoy high level of political stability, political participation, expanded opportunities for civil and political rights, empowerment of women and high levels of political and religious tolerance. Growth in gross domestic product and increased investment in infrastructure and social sectors such as health, education and roads had put Sierra Leone on a path to economic development. 12. Sierra Leone was undertaking a review of its constitution, and the Constitutional Review Committee enjoyed the full support of the Government. The constitutional review process had stalled during the Ebola virus disease crisis, yet the Committee resumed its work last year and was scheduled to submit its report in March 2016, with a referendum to be held subsequently. The review would provide significant opportunities for the advancement of human rights and to bring the basic law of Sierra Leone in line with international human rights standards. The Committee was presently considering such matters as the abolition of the death penalty, citizenship, libel laws, press freedom, gender discrimination, equal opportunities and the separation of the office of Attorney General and Minister of Justice. 13. During the period under review, Sierra Leone had undertaken a number of policy initiatives aimed at improving access to justice and human rights, including the following: • Increased support for and autonomy of the Human Rights Commission, which enjoys an ‘A’ status accreditation according to the principles relating to the status of national institutions for the promotion and protection of human rights (the Paris Principles) • Strengthening of the Office of the Ombudsman and the Anti-Corruption Commission, 90 per cent of the budgetary allocation of which comes from the Government • Establishment of the Justice Sector Coordination Office, with a mandate to improve strategic coordination for enhanced justice delivery to citizens 4