A/HRC/8/21 Page 15 protection and to consolidate cooperation with the United Nations, in particular active cooperation and interaction with human rights special procedures and treaty bodies; consolidation of High Committee on Human Rights And Fundamental Freedoms as the national human rights institution and the adoption of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. It asked Tunisia to elaborate further on the steps taken by the Government to face the effects of globalization at the national level. 56. Nigeria congratulated Tunisia as the first African country to be reviewed in this historic process and for its remarkable national report. Nigeria also stated that the open, cooperative and positive manner in which the report was prepared is highly commendable. Nigeria commended Tunisia on its commitment to the promotion and protection of human rights and the progress it has made in advancing the rights of women, children, and indeed its poverty agenda in general. Nigeria recognized Tunisia’s successes in guaranteeing civil and political rights, media pluralism, independence of the judiciary and wide ranging economic and social rights towards the realization of the Millennium Development Goals. As a developing country, Nigeria noted with appreciation that some of the challenges faced by Tunisia in its attempt to engender development and promote and protect human rights are fully addressed. It also noted with interest the complex challenges in providing unhindered health facilities, combating HIV/AIDS and other communicable diseases, as well as matters related to law enforcement. Nigeria therefore recommended that Tunisia highlight the areas in which the Government needs technical support and assistance to achieve these laudable objectives. 57. Egypt noted the progress achieved and thanked the delegation for its hard work. It highlighted Tunisia’s efforts in women’s rights and children’s rights and sought more details on promoting human rights in these areas in order to encourage a social renaissance, and noted significant progress with regard to education free of charge and was interested in education opportunities to enhance a human rights culture in Tunisia. 58. The Republic of Korea noted statistics that indicate a high level of women’s participation in many areas of public life. It indicated that Tunisia fully deserves praise in these areas and in the social and political life in the country, and noted that Tunisia’s example serves as a good practice both nationally and regionally. However, it noted that Tunisia still retains several reservations to CEDAW and expects that Tunisia will give more thorough consideration to the withdrawal of these reservations. 59. Algeria noted that the Council should recognize challenges faced by Tunisia with regard to terrorism. It indicated that States must guarantee the right to life and stressed that yet it is a most difficult challenge to balance the protection of human rights and countering-terrorism. Algeria suggested that the Council should set up a working group to address this issue, in particular to help protect the lives of innocent people, and asked what the Tunisian Minister of Justice and Human Rights thought about this suggestion. 60. Malaysia noted that Tunisia has adopted as early as 1956 a Personal Status Code, which UNDP described as a model for promoting the principle of equality in marital relations. Malaysia also noted that Tunisia has ratified nearly all the international human rights instruments. It further stated that Tunisia, in its national report, has highlighted the international dimension of the challenges faced by the Government in consolidating progress in human rights promotion and protection, which include terrorism, extremism, and abuses by media and perverse effects of globalization. Malaysia stated that it is crucial therefore that the UPR exercise takes this dimension into due account, and proposed that this dynamic be reflected in the recommendation of the Working Group.