A/HRC/25/8 18. Regarding the reservation to article 24, paragraph 2 (b) on education, Mauritius indicated that it has engaged in a policy of inclusive education and expects to withdraw the reservation as soon as this policy is fully implemented. As for the reservation to article 9, paragraph 2 (d), which requires the State “to provide in buildings and other facilities open to the public signage in Braille”, Mauritius explained that the reservation had been made in view of the costs involved and that the Government proposes to withdraw the reservation in due course. 19. Mauritius then stated that it is committed to the protection of children from any form of abuse and exploitation and that a National Child Protection Strategy has been initiated in this regard. 20. It also highlighted that the Government was in the process of finalizing a Children’s Bill which would be introduced in the National Assembly shortly. Furthermore, Mauritius noted that it had invited the Special Rapporteur on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography to visit Mauritius; ratified the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography (OP-CRC-SC) in 2011 and signed the Optional Protocol on a communications procedure (OP-CRC-IC) in 2012. 21. Mauritius stated that educating the population on human rights at all levels and nurturing a culture of human rights remains a priority. It noted that the Government has approached the United Nations for technical assistance in this regard. Detailed information regarding initiatives taken to promote a culture of human rights was provided. 22. The delegation indicated that the Ministry of Social Integration and Economic Empowerment has been set up with a view to eradicating absolute poverty and combating social exclusion. Moreover, the National Empowerment Foundation which falls under this Ministry is already implementing a number of programmes in this regard. 23. With regard to the elderly, Mauritius referred to the Government policy “Moving the Nation Forward: pleasant and active retirement for our elderly”. It also highlighted a number of projects and programmes launched over the past years in this connection. 24. On HIV/AIDS, Mauritius noted that the National AIDS Secretariat has formulated a National Strategic Framework 2013–2016, following wide consultations with stakeholders. The Framework aims to achieve the 10 targets of the 2011 Political Declaration on HIV/AIDS, to which Mauritius is signatory 25. Mauritius said that the report of Truth and Justice Commission was presented to the National Assembly in 2011. The Government set up an Inter-Ministerial High-Powered Committee to oversee the implementation of the recommendations in the report, and it has decided to implement a first set of 19 recommendations. In addition, a Land Research and Mediation Commission was set up to deal in depth with complaints made by persons aggrieved by dispossession or prescription of any land to which they claim to have an interest from colonial times. 26. Mauritius recalled that it had sent an update on the status of the implementation of the recommendations of the Truth and Justice Commission to the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination following its review in 2013. 27. As regards the practice of detaining suspects on the basis of provisional information, Mauritius indicated that the Police and Criminal Evidence Bill stipulates that the police shall not arrest a person on the basis of a mere allegation by a third party, unless the necessary investigations have been conducted to verify that an offence has been committed or is about to be committed. Mauritius also noted that the Police Force is already equipped with a video-recording system to record statements from suspects involved in high-profile cases. 5