A/HRC/14/14 encouraged by the development of a five-year plan for protecting human rights. It was pleased with the establishment of an independent human rights commission. It remained concerned about the fact that people still waited years in detention before trial, often in overcrowded prisons, and about allegations of torture. It was also concerned that Iraq maintained the death penalty and that the number of executions had increased in the last 2 years. It made recommendations. 43. Lebanon recognized Iraq’s efforts to achieve national unity, provide security for its citizens and build the human rights infrastructure, despite the enormous challenges faced by the country. It noted the programmes aimed at repatriation for Iraqis abroad and internally displaced persons, as well as programmes to ensure that all Iraqis enjoyed social and economic rights, by fighting poverty and extending social security. Lebanon made recommendations. 44. Slovenia noted that the Optional Protocols to ICCPR, CEDAW and CAT and the Refugees Convention had yet to be ratified. It highlighted the establishment of human rights offices in ministries. It noted that the Constitution still contained discriminatory wording towards women, and that armed groups persecuted minorities with impunity. NonMuslims remained under serious threat, being subject to forced conversion, kidnapping and torture. It asked what measures were envisaged to tackle that situation. It noted that numerous death sentences were being carried out. Slovenia made recommendations. 45. Egypt noted the interest in promoting respect for human rights, despite serious difficulties. The activities of terrorist groups and instability had caused and were still causing suffering. Egypt paid tribute to the human rights committees established within ministries, the spreading of a culture of human rights and training, and the establishment of the Commission for Human Rights. 46. The delegation stated that there had been many developments concerning the civil and political rights of women, including with regard to the number of women in Parliament and in decision-making positions and women’s participation in civil society. The Government was implementing a programme to combat domestic violence, and an agreement had been reached with the United Nations to organize a number of seminars to empower women and improve the enjoyment of their human rights. The Ministry of Human Rights held weekly seminars, most of which addressed the problems faced by women. There was an awareness-raising campaign on CEDAW. The report to the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women was nearly complete. 47. The Ministry was working towards the abolition of article 128 of the Penal Code, on mitigating factors for “honour crimes”. With regard to combating the trafficking in persons, a multisectoral committee that assessed the situation of victims had been established, and a bill aimed at addressing that problem was being considered by the Council of Ministers. A number of training courses had been conducted to raise the awareness of children and young people about trafficking. The Iraqi law and the proposed law imposed heavy penalties for the perpetrators of such crimes. 48. Laws in the Kurdistan region did not discriminate between men and women, and that policies ensure equality, and abolish any discriminatory provisions, in particular regarding polygamy. Laws had been amended to combat violence against women, including the abolishment of the article on mitigating factors in “honour crimes”. The government of Kurdistan had adopted policies to combat violence against women, and institutional mechanisms had been established to that end. Anyone who had incited women to commit suicide was prosecuted by the courts. The crime of female genital mutilation was dealt with under the Penal Code until the law on domestic violence had been issued. 49. Judicial and other authorities had been empowered to address the issue of torture, and visits to detention centres had been carried out by judicial, governmental and non8