A/HRC/44/23 Contents Page I. Introduction ................................................................................................................................... 3 II. Activities ....................................................................................................................................... 3 III. Regional developments ................................................................................................................. 4 IV. Cooperation with the Special Rapporteur and engagement with international human rights bodies ...................................................................................................................... 4 Benchmarks for progress in improving the situation of human rights .......................................... 5 V. A. Benchmark 1: improvement in the promotion of the rule of law and strengthening of national justice and law enforcement institutions ............................................................. 5 Benchmark 2: demonstrated commitment to introducing reforms to the national/military service ................................................................................................................................... 7 Benchmark 3: extended efforts to guarantee freedoms of religion, association, expression and the press, and extended efforts to end religious and ethnic discrimination .................... 9 Benchmark 4: demonstrated commitment to addressing all forms of gender-based violence and to promoting the rights of women and gender equality ................................... 12 Benchmark 5: strengthened cooperation with international and regional agencies .............. 13 Situation of Eritrean migrants and refugees .................................................................................. 14 A. Migrants and refugees on the move ...................................................................................... 14 B. Asylum policies applicable to Eritrean asylum seekers ........................................................ 16 Conclusions and recommendations ............................................................................................... 17 B. C. D. E. VI. VII. 2