A/HRC/14/8 17. Fiji acknowledged that, although successive Governments had had a policy of ensuring at least a 30 per cent representation of women since 2003, their representation in decision-making bodies in the public sector continued to be a major challenge. 18. Fiji has implemented the Domestic Violence Decree and established Zero-Tolerance Violence-Free communities to address the issue of violence against women and children. 19. Fiji criminalized the trafficking in persons and people-smuggling through the Immigration Act 2003 and the Crimes Decree 2009. Under part 5 of the Immigration Act, a victim of trafficking or smuggling is not liable to criminal prosecution. Fiji was making every effort to strengthen prevention, protection and prosecution efforts to effectively combat the trafficking in persons. 20. Fiji noted that the Employment Relations Promulgation 2007 had introduced a framework for the conduct of employment relations, which covers such matters as the fundamental principles and rights at work, the Employment Relations Advisory Board, collective bargaining, strikes and lockouts, essential services and dispute resolution institutions. 21. Fiji has established the National Employment Centre Decree to actively engage the unemployed in meaningful economic activities and to boost employment creation and productivity in both the formal and informal sectors, locally and overseas. 22. Fiji stated that, since 1994, the Department of Social Welfare had been administering the poverty alleviation programme, designed to assist beneficiaries of the family assistance scheme. 23. Fiji noted that, under the Juvenile Act, children under the age of 17 years deemed to be at risk had been placed under the care of the Director of Social Welfare. The Department of Social Welfare administers cash grants for families and guardians supporting children other than their own. 24. Fiji further noted that the Family Assistance Scheme supports disadvantaged individuals and families through direct financial assistance. This assistance supports families who do not have sufficient money for their daily needs. 25. Fiji also indicated that a new initiative was being pursued in 2010 to provide food vouchers to families eligible under the Family Assistance Allowance and who fall under the category of chronically ill, permanently disabled or elderly. 26. Fiji further noted its determination to eliminate abuse against children and its introduction of the zero-tolerance policy concerning child abusers. Teachers implicated in such incidents had been disciplined or prosecuted. Fiji had also introduced free bus fares for children of underprivileged families and provided free textbooks to schools throughout Fiji. B. Interactive dialogue and responses by the State under review 27. During the interactive dialogue, statements were made by 31 delegations. A number of delegations welcomed Fiji’s engagement in the review, in the presentation of the national report and in its answers to advance questions. Recommendations made during the interactive dialogue are listed in chapter II of the present report. 28. As had other States concerned at the developments in the political situation of Fiji since the events of December 2006, Algeria echoed the Secretary-General’s call for the reinstatement of the legitimate authority in Fiji. Algeria welcomed the statement recently made about the return to democracy and constitutional rule. Algeria noted that Fiji had ratified three out of nine core human rights instruments and that the Fiji Human Rights Commission, accredited with “A” status in 2000, had been restructured in 2009 in 5