A/HRC/17/15 69. Italy welcomed that Niger has signed and ratified the majority of universal and regional human rights instruments and welcomed the fact that civil society was progressively more mobilized on human rights issues. It noted that the condition of women and children needed improvements and was concerned over human trafficking. It made recommendations. 70. The Central African Republic expressed its support for Niger and congratulated it for its efforts. It encouraged Niger in the different reforms undertaken as well as the measures taken to improve the living conditions of the people of Niger. It asked for the support of the international community to accompany Niger in this dynamic and so that its initiatives could achieve the desired results. 71. The representative of Niger said that the country had promulgated in December 2010 an order concerning the combat against trafficking in persons, which penalized trafficking, slavery and related practices. Implementing legislation would be adopted and institutional structures set up. 72. With regard to the combat against food insecurity, the representative had referred to numerous measures, including the setting up of a national mechanism for the prevention and management of food crises, the recent establishment of a high authority for food security and an agricultural bank, the construction of the Kandadji dam and the guarantee of the right to food under the Constitution. A policy document on nutrition had also been drawn up for the period 2007 to 2015. 73. With regard to child labour, Niger had pledged to promote a national policy to combat child labour, to improve child labour regulation and to raise the minimum working age progressively. A unit to combat child labour had been set up to that end as had a national steering committee to combat child labour. A draft national action plan to combat the worst forms of child labour, for the period 2011 to 2015, would be adopted shortly. 74. By law, the Transition Authorities could not take part in elections. An open-ended consultative council, serving as a transition parliament, had drawn up the election schedule, which had been approved by an independent national electoral commission. Participation in the referendum on the adoption of the Constitution had been high. Local elections had been conducted in a transparent manner, and the presidential and legislative elections had begun calmly on 31 January 2011. The task of ensuring that the elections were carried out properly had been entrusted to the judiciary. Freedom of the press had been guaranteed in order to put a stop to previous practices. 75. A total of 48 women who had had excision performed on their daughters had been fined and given a suspended prison sentence in January 2010. Another trial had taken place in January 2011 for similar acts and that judgement was pending. II. Conclusions and/or recommendations 76. The recommendations formulated during the interactive dialogue listed below have been examined by Niger and enjoy the support of Niger: 76.1 Ratify the Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman, or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (Denmark); 76.2 Ratify the 1954 Convention relating to the Status of Stateless Persons (Slovakia); 76.3 In light of the current lack of normative legislation to support the consistent development and implementation of the country’s human rights GE.11-12306 11