A/HRC/34/11 corruption through the work of the Anti-Corruption Commission and the newly established Financial Intelligence Unit. 8. The National Parliament had recently approved a law to combat and prevent human trafficking, which set 18 years as the age of majority, a threshold that applied to Penal Code provisions on exploitation, forced marriage, begging and involvement in armed conflict or civil insurrections. The National Parliament had also approved a law to combat drug trafficking. 9. There were several challenges to achieving an independent, fair and transparent justice system that was accessible to all citizens, which had been highlighted by the mass departure of judges in 2014. The newly created Legislative Reform and Justice Sector Commission, renewed dialogue with partners and the adoption of the Strategic Plan of the Justice Sector had helped address deficiencies and promote access to justice for citizens, including those living in remote areas. Cooperation agreements with other members of the Community of Portuguese-speaking Countries were important to Timor-Leste, as was the recently approved initiative to hire foreign magistrates and technical staff to support the courts and the offices of the Attorney General, the Public Prosecutor, the Public Defender and the Chamber of Auditors. 10. To promote a new national narrative of reconciliation, development and economic recovery, and to ensure that its history of conflict was not repeated, Timor-Leste had taken initiatives to preserve collective memory and honour victims of past violence through the creation of a Memorial Institution in accordance with recommendations from the Truth, Reception and Reconciliation Commission and the Commission of Truth and Friendship. Timor-Leste had made efforts to reunite missing persons with their families through family reunification programmes established by the Ombudsman for Human Rights and Justice and the Indonesian Human Rights Commission. 11. The promotion and protection of women’s rights remained a priority, particularly in the areas of education, economics and political participation. In addition to having one of the highest rates of women serving in Parliament in the world, initiatives such as the “100 per cent Hau Prontu” (I am 100 per cent ready) had resulted in a considerable increase in women’s participation in local elections. 12. Efforts had been made to adopt a comprehensive legal framework to provide greater legal and social protection for children, including the draft tutelary and educational law for minors, which was currently under final review, the law on education, the National Education Strategic Plan and the Annual Action Plan of the Ministry of Education, which promoted non-discriminatory, inclusive and universal access to education that was compulsory and free to all children, without exception. 13. The Strategic Development Plan 2011-2030 set goals for national development, including plans to transition to a middle- to high-income country by 2030 through the construction of essential infrastructure, economic diversification and increased investment. Nevertheless, Timor-Leste acknowledged the need to continue its efforts to realize the economic, social and cultural rights of its citizens through specific initiatives to improve health and living conditions, increase access to food, water, sanitation and electricity, and reduce infant mortality. 14. As for foreign relations and international cooperation, Timor-Leste was a donor to Guinea-Bissau and Sao Tome and Principe and had assumed the rotating presidency of the Community of Portuguese-speaking Countries from 2014-2016. It had acceded early on to the Sustainable Development Goals and had played a leading role in the Group of Seven Plus in its efforts to secure the inclusion of Goal 16 in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its subsequent implementation. 4

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