A/HRC/12/2 page 10 and displaced persons, it recommended taking measures as necessary to ensure free circulation of humanitarian workers so that they may access these vulnerable populations. Canada recommended taking necessary measures to implement CEDAW, with emphasis on issues of violence and abuse based on gender. 39. Egypt commended efforts to promote human rights despite constraints. It hailed the progress and stability since the restoration of the country’s institutions with the 2004 Constitution. Egypt sought elaboration on the challenges facing furtherance of human rights. It recommended continuing efforts to promote all universally agreed human rights and fundamental freedoms; continuing resisting attempts to enforce any values or standards beyond the universally agreed ones; and continuing exercising its sovereign right of implementing its penal code in conformity with universally agreed human rights standards, including the application of the death penalty. 40. The United Kingdom recommended taking tangible and concrete steps to conduct free and fair presidential elections without undue delay. Recognizing efforts to curb abuses, it recommended implementing a thorough training and awareness programme in international humanitarian and human rights law for members of the security forces. Hoping that steps would be taken to end the culture of impunity, including by publicly and unequivocally condemning abuses at the highest level, it recommended implementing legal sanctions against those who commit human rights abuses in the security forces, in addition to administrative sanctions such as dismissal; signing CAT and its Optional Protocol in order to provide a further disincentive against torture by the security forces and police; and amending the Penal Code to decriminalize witchcraft. 41. The delegation of the Central African Republic said that it had taken due note of the various questions raised and assured the Working Group that it would report back to the Government, so that it could find appropriate solutions to the problems of human rights violations. 42. On the question of women and children, the delegation stated that the Government was taking all necessary measures to guarantee the rights of women and limit the recruitment of children in armed forces. It also stated that the regular armed forces did not recruit children but the rebel forces did. 43. The delegation indicated that the process of ratifying the Convention against Torture was under way and that the instrument of ratification was due to be deposited. Ratification of the Optional Protocol would take place after ratification of the Convention itself. 44. Concerning special procedures, the delegation declared its Government’s willingness to receive them, as it had done in recent years in the case of the Representative of the Secretary-General on human rights of internally displaced persons and the Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions. It said that it was also cooperating with non-governmental organizations, including Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International. 45. With regard to impunity, notably impunity for members of the security forces and the Presidential Guard, the delegation stated that the Military Criminal Court had been active again since 2003. At one session it had examined at least 30 cases; and those responsible for crimes of