A/HRC/10/70 Page 12 Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers and the Special Rapporteur on violence against women, or whether the Government has considered extending a standing invitation to special procedures in general. Maldives asked how climate change and its consequences is affecting human rights in the Bahamas such as the right to adequate housing, the right to food, the right to water and the right to life. 38. China noted that a number of domestic laws include provisions improving people’s political and economic rights; at the same time, the Bahamas has actively and extensively participated in international, regional and specialized human rights treaty and cooperative mechanisms. China commended the Government for its determination in eradicating racial practices and for the progress made in promoting women’s and children’s rights. Women make up a large proportion in the Parliament and the Cabinet, and the ratings on the women’s rights index and the gender development index are among the world’s highest. Yet, in the 2002 referendum held in the Bahamas, an amendment to discriminatory provisions against women in the Constitution was not adopted. China asked for an explanation and whether the Bahamas plans to take further measures to amend the situation. It mentioned that the Bahamas has included respect for human rights in the training programmes of branches of public departments. China asked about specific implementation measures and if the Bahamas had decided to seek technical assistance in human rights training, as well as what were the ideas and requests of the country on training targets, contents and methods. 39. Australia welcomed the ruling by the Bahamas Judicial Committee of the Privy Council that the imposition of mandatory death sentences contravenes the Constitution of the Bahamas. However, it noted that the Bahamas voted against a General Assembly resolution calling for a global moratorium on executions. Australia strongly encouraged the Bahamas to abolish the death penalty and immediately declare a moratorium on all executions. It further recommended that it accede to the Second Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. Noting that the Bahamas does not have an independent national human rights institution, Australia recommended that such a body be established, in line with the Paris Principles. Australia noted that the Committee on the Rights of the Child has expressed concern at the number of children involved in prostitution and child pornography, and recommended that the Bahamas take a number of actions in this regard, including a comprehensive study on children involved in the commercial sex industry and using the data to design policies and programmes to prevent commercial sexual exploitation of children. Australia asked the Bahamas to report on what, if any, action has been taken to implement the recommendations of the Committee. 40. Latvia noted the generally good record of human rights and the steps taken by the Government to strengthen existing legislation, including the passing of the Domestic Violence (Protection Order) Act in 2007 and the strengthening of rights with regard to restraining orders. While noting that no requests have been made by special procedures mandate-holders to visit the Bahamas, Latvia recommended extending a standing invitation to all special procedures of the Council. 41. Argentina expressed concern that the Constitution does not ban discrimination on grounds of disability, that access to public transportation and buildings is difficult, and that there is a lack of inclusive policies for children, noting that all these questions were stressed by the Committee on the Rights of the Child in its concluding observations in 2005. Argentina suggested that the Bahamas consider the possibility of ratifying the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. Furthermore, it recommended the adoption of necessary measures to