A/HRC/8/41 Page 5 particular at cantonal level, with a view to reducing the number of suicides. With regard to the illtreatment of children, it was noted that corporal punishment is prohibited at schools. To the question asked on whether corporal punishment was allowed at home, Switzerland stated that the Federal Constitution specifically protects children against degrading punishment and treatment, and any physical punishment of a child is punishable and prosecutable. B. Interactive dialogue and responses by the State under review 9. During the ensuing interactive dialogue, 42 delegations made statements and praised Switzerland for its high-level representation and the quality of its presentation and national report. 10. Algeria welcomed Switzerland’s dedication to multilateralism and the promotion of humanitarian law and human rights, and the moral leadership it exercises, being the host of multilateral institutions. It asked about measures to tackle the growing phenomenon of xenophobia, and in particular Islamophobia. Algeria endorsed the recommendation of the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD) calling on Switzerland to pursue its efforts in preventing and combating xenophobia. Algeria also endorsed the recommendations made by the Committee on the Rights of the Child, in particular related to children asylum-seekers, refugees and migrants. Algeria recommended the ratification of the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families (ICRMW). It also recommended the establishment of a national human rights institution. 11. Brazil welcomed concrete efforts undertaken by Switzerland to foster human rights and democratic values. It stated that Switzerland replied positively to numerous human rights challenges, inter alia, on the rights of the child, disabilities, sexual orientation and right to education, but it would need to further focus on other challenges. Brazil enquired about steps taken to promote the rights of the child, on the main aspects of the policies on the treatment of migrants, on the promotion of the fight against racism and other forms of discrimination, and on the challenges a federative State faces in ensuring a coherent approach to the promotion of human rights. Brazil recommended the ratification of the Optional Protocol to Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women and accession to the first Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), and to foster internal analysis on the law on asylum in light of relevant international conventions. 12. Belgium underlined that the civil society revealed concern about migration policies: the revision of the Asylum Law of 2006 and popular initiatives, and referred to the referendum which will be held on 1 June 2008 on the question of naturalizations. In 2003, the Federal Tribunal ruled that voting on naturalization was illegal; naturalization is an administrative act rather than a political one, and voting also deprives candidates of the right of appeal. Belgium noted that currently, there is no legal body which can take a position on the legality of a popular initiative, and that only the Parliament, which is a political body, can handle decisions on the legality of popular initiatives. Belgium wanted to know how Switzerland will deal with popular initiatives which may be problematic or contrary to human rights law. Belgium recommended to the Federal Government to adopt legislative or other measures so that human rights are taken into account upstream by the judiciary, in particular during the elaboration of popular initiatives to ensure their compliance with international obligations. 13. India noted that in 2002, Committee on the Rights of the Child recommended that Switzerland establish a federal independent human rights institution in accordance with the Paris Principles, and that the Human Rights Committee made a similar recommendation in 2001. Therefore, India wished to recommend the speedy establishment of a Paris Principles compliant national human rights institution. Taking into account the recommendations made by the Human