A/HRC/37/7 61. France welcomed the progress made by Ghana in human rights since the previous review cycle, especially its ratification of the Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture. 62. Georgia welcomed the ratification of the Optional Protocols to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the involvement of children in armed conflict and to the Convention against Torture. It commended Ghana for approving the abolition of the death penalty and encouraged the Government to hold the relevant referendum in a timely fashion. 63. Germany commended Ghana for its social and economic progress, its strengthening of civil rights and its inclusive consultations with civil society to prepare the universal periodic review. 64. Greece expressed its appreciation of the ratification of the Optional Protocols to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the involvement of children in armed conflict and to the Convention against Torture. It commended Ghana for implementing some of the recommendations made during the second review cycle. 65. Cuba commended Ghana for its efforts to combat discrimination and the fact that its current development plan and Shared Growth and Development Agenda embraced the Sustainable Development Goals. 66. Honduras welcomed the fact that Ghana had accepted many recommendations from the 2012 review cycle. 67. Hungary encouraged Ghana to identify gaps in its current legal and policy systems to protect children from violence and to strengthen monitoring of corporal punishment. 68. Iceland welcomed the progress made in protecting and promoting human rights since the second review cycle, but noted that improvements were still required. 69. India recognized the adoption of the 2015 gender policy and the approval of the Affirmative Action Bill. India welcomed the ratification of the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the involvement of children in armed conflict. 70. Indonesia commended Ghana for ratifying the Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture and welcomed its cooperation with the paralegal department to assist prison inmates with the appeal process. 71. The Islamic Republic of Iran acknowledged the measures taken to promote and protect health services, including community-based health and planning services for people living in remote areas. 72. Iraq noted the commitment of Ghana to implement a national human rights action plan, to provide universal primary education and to take affirmative action to ensure gender equality. 73. Ireland recognized the efforts to combat female genital mutilation. It welcomed its promotion and protection of the rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex persons, but was concerned about ambiguities in that regard in the Criminal Code. 74. Israel commended Ghana for its establishment of a special task force to combat human trafficking, the plan to eliminate early and forced child marriage and measures to end discrimination against persons with HIV. 75. Italy commended Ghana for ratifying the Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture and its efforts to eradicate poverty, promote access to education, reduce maternal mortality, increase birth registration and combat child labour. 76. Japan commended the activities of the Domestic Violence and Victims Support Unit, but was concerned at the persistence of harmful customs, including forced early marriage. It noted with concern that 21.8 per cent of children were reportedly engaged in child labour. 7