A/HRC/14/16 8. Over the past few months, progress has continued in incorporating new international instruments that set out prerequisites and responsibilities in the protection of particularly vulnerable categories of the population. Thus, the Convention for the Protection of Persons with Disabilities was ratified in December 2009. Procedures for the ratification of the European Convention on Access to Official Documents and the Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights are in progress. 9. Bosnia and Herzegovina has adopted the Law on Prohibition of Discrimination, which created the legislative mechanism necessary for combating discrimination, and efforts are now under way to widely disseminate the Law with a view to its improved implementation. The already established national model for monitoring violence against children, which was implemented on the basis of standards set by the Convention on the Rights of the Child and the Optional Protocols thereto, is a good example. This national model has resulted in the establishment of information software and models, and enables the country to plan priorities for future activities by relevant institutions in combating violence against children. 10. Processes related to transitional justice and activities regarding the drafting of the Law on the Rights of Victims of Torture and Civilian Victims of War have been intensified, and a working draft of the Law has been completed. The Strategy for Transitional Justice is under preparation, which will set out the preconditions for the realization of the right to compensation of damages caused by war and the right to certain social benefits, or, rather, the right of victims to receive financial compensation. This activity is supported by the United Nations Development Programme. 11. An action plan to guarantee the rights of persons with disabilities is currently being prepared, as is the decision to appoint a Council for Persons with Disabilities. The Council will, naturally, include representatives of disabled persons’ associations. 12. The functioning of the Council for National Minorities has been secured, not only at the national level, but also at the level of the Entities, with the participation of representatives of all minorities living in Bosnia and Herzegovina. 13. There is a single Ombudsman for the State, together with two other Ombudsman institutions for the respective entities. The Entity Ombudsman has been abolished, and now the process of unifying those institutions into a single entity at the State level is in progress. 14. The Institute for Missing Persons exists in Bosnia and Herzegovina and is fully functional. It provides support for the finding of missing persons. At the same time, a solution for the establishment of a State fund to help families of missing persons in Bosnia and Herzegovina, so as to provide uniform social support for the families of missing persons, is being considered. 15. The process of harmonizing the Strategy for Social Inclusion has been intensified, leading to a comprehensive process of harmonizing social priorities in the areas of social protection for the purposes of employment, education, health care, improvement of the status of families with children, pension policy and the status of persons with disabilities. 16. In collaboration with the United Nations Development Fund for Women, the drafting of a planning document that will address the needs of the survivors of war crimes and sexual violence has been initiated. The plans also include the adoption of new strategies and other planning documents for the period 2010-2014, and planning periods are being coordinated with the National Programme implemented in collaboration with the United Nations Children’s Fund. 17. Bosnia and Herzegovina has already adopted the Code of Ethics for Investigations including Children, the Strategy for Prevention of Violence against Children and the Strategy for Combating Juvenile Delinquency. 4