A/HRC/17/15 services including Caesarean deliveries, cancer detection and care for women, prenatal care and family planning. 19. With regard to children, the representative drew attention to the law on civil status, in particular the provision on universal and free-of-charge registration at birth of children aged 0 to 15; laws relating to juvenile courts and the orientation of the Niger education system; the national child protection policy and the policy of free care for children aged 0 to 5. Other child protection measures had been integrated into the Criminal Code and in other specific texts. 20. Disabled persons were exempt from all hospital costs by virtue of legislative and regulatory provisions. 21. Niger had taken several measures to improve its citizens’ living conditions, but their impact was dependent on the State’s limited resources. Niger had many expectations. Its representative had focused solely on those relating to capacity-building for human rights stakeholders and to technical assistance, which was one way for Niger to achieve its objectives, namely, development and implementation of a human rights action plan, support for report preparation, and socio-political management of conflicts. 22. The head of the delegation thanked all Niger’s bilateral and multilateral partners, which had always supported it in its efforts to consolidate the rule of law and promote good governance. 23. Niger remained aware of the scope of the problems it was facing, the obligations arising from its human rights commitments and the related expectations and difficulties. Niger called on the international community to support it in its determination to combat poverty and impunity and to carry out the reforms needed to consolidate the rule of law. B. Interactive dialogue and responses by the State under review 24. During the interactive dialogue, 32 delegations made statements. A number of delegations welcomed the participative approach taken to the drafting of the national report and the comprehensiveness of the report, as well as the commitment shown by Niger to the universal periodic review mechanism. Recommendations made during the dialogue are to be found in section II of the present report. 25. Saudi Arabia noted that the National Observer for Human Rights operates in compliance with national legislation and international standards to which Niger is party. Saudi Arabia also noted that Niger has signed a significant number of international conventions and that its national report showed significant efforts in the field of education, in particular obligatory primary education. Additionally, Niger has stressed protection of children, preschool education, and education of girls to improve their situation. Niger has many projects on the dissemination of knowledge and information on human rights; some of which are in Arabic language. Saudi Arabia made recommendations. 26. Belgium deplored the fact that the current legislation in Niger retained the death penalty although it had not been applied since 1975. Belgium also expressed concerns at various types of discrimination against women and girls, in particular traditional practices, such as the Wahaya or female genital mutilation, which are widespread in the country in spite of their criminalization. Belgium made recommendations. 27. Canada welcomed the Transitional Government’s engagement with human rights, emphasized by the decriminalization of press offences, respect for freedom of expression, association and assembly, and certain reforms of the Criminal Code. Canada expressed concern over Niger’s food crisis that. It noted the Transitional Government has recognized the seriousness of the crisis and works together with the international community to find a GE.11-12306 5