A/HRC/37/6 Introduction 1. The Working Group on the Universal Periodic Review, established in accordance with Human Rights Council resolution 5/1, held its twenty-eighth session from 6 to 17 November 2017. The review of Gabon was held at the 3rd meeting, on 7 November 2017. The delegation of Gabon was headed by the Minister of State, Minister of Justice and Chargé for Human Rights, Francis Nkea Ndzigue. At its 10th meeting, held on 10 November 2017, the Working Group adopted the report on Gabon. 2. On 13 February 2017, the Human Rights Council selected the following group of rapporteurs (troika) to facilitate the review of Gabon: Kyrgyzstan, Tunisia and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. 3. In accordance with paragraph 15 of the annex to Human Rights Council resolution 5/1 and paragraph 5 of the annex to Council resolution 16/21, the following documents were issued for the review of Gabon: (a) A national report submitted/written presentation made in accordance with paragraph 15 (a) (A/HRC/WG.6/28/GAB/1); (b) A compilation prepared by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) in accordance with paragraph 15 (b) (A/HRC/WG.6/28/GAB/2); (c) A summary prepared by OHCHR in accordance with paragraph 15 (c) (A/HRC/WG.6/28/GAB/3). 4. A list of questions prepared in advance by Belgium, Brazil, Germany, Liechtenstein, Portugal, Spain, the United Kingdom and Uruguay was transmitted to Gabon through the troika. These questions are available on the extranet of the universal periodic review. I. Summary of the proceedings of the review process A. Presentation by the State under review 5. Introducing its report, the delegation of Gabon underscored the spirit of cooperation that had prevailed in the country within the framework of the universal periodic review since 2008 and noted that the national report had been prepared by the National Committee for the Drafting of Human Rights Reports in collaboration with civil society and the parliamentarians responsible for human rights. Gabon regarded the review as an opportunity to take stock of its national human rights policies in order to consolidate good practices and make the necessary changes. 6. The delegation also noted that, in 2014, Gabon had ratified the Second Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, aiming at the abolition of the death penalty, and the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. Its ratification of the Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights had also taken effect. 7. The Civil and Criminal Codes had been amended to better address domestic and marital violence, including through the introduction of provisions in the Criminal Code to define and punish marital sexual assault. 8. A road map for amending the law on the establishment and organization of the National Commission on Human Rights in order to bring it into line with the principles relating to the status of national institutions for the promotion and protection of human rights (Paris Principles) was before Parliament. 9. With regard to cooperation with civil society, the Government had established mechanisms for consultation and dialogue, such as the National Network for the Protection of the Rights of the Child in Gabon, the National Network for the Promotion of the Rights of the Child in Gabon, Voix des Oubliés (Voice of the Forgotten), which worked with 2 GE.17-23556