A/HRC/11/21* strengthen the national human rights infrastructure, and continue its efforts to spread a culture of human rights and to build the necessary institutions and provide the necessary training and capacity building to the concerned departments; and (b) identify and define its needs from OHCHR and international partners in the various domains of human rights, in order for them to assist the Government in its national efforts to overcome the obstacles and challenges hindering the fulfilment of the national plans. 35. The Philippines noted that Cameroon as a developing country needed the support of the international community to enhance local and national capabilities, asking Cameroon to outline its priorities for human rights capacity-building. It encouraged further measures to increase enrolment rates, especially of girls and indigenous children, in primary education. Philippines recommended that the Government continue to strengthen the health sector, paying particular attention to access to health services for children and indigenous peoples. 36. In its response, Cameroon stated that on freedom of the press, laws are firmly entrenched and the issues that are raised in this area generally refer to registration of press organs. A free hand is given in terms of what they say, what they write, but the Government has certain basic requirements in order to give a license. The same goes for human rights activists. People have the right to demonstrate and carry out investigations on human rights abuses, but there are rules in this regard. Concerning the ELECAM, an independent and autonomous body, the law states that the President should appoint people of integrity. He appointed those he thought had the necessary intellectual and moral baggage. It is up to those twelve members, who are not answerable to any institution, to effectively put in practice the rights given them by being independent. The institution has operational autonomy and a budget of its own. 37. The issue of corruption has made headlines in Cameroon, with a number of very important political personalities in jail because of corruption and institutions set up to tackle it. Cameroon has taken note of the request by many delegations to remove homosexuality from the penal code. This is an extremely sensitive issue in the cultural environment and whereas Cameroon understands the wishes of the international community, it must balance them with this sensitivity. Primary education is free in Cameroon, but in some parts of the country, because of cultural antecedents, it is not taken advantage of. The Government has to ensure that parents send their children to school. In secondary school, the payment is minimal and even waived in many cases. 38. There has been a moratorium on implementation of the death penalty for over 20 years. Cameroon noted the international community would like it to drop death penalty but it could not do so without carefully looking at all the parameters involved, particularly because of the public’s feelings towards certain offences. On cooperation with special procedures, Cameroon stated that in principle, it is open upon request to all Special Rapporteurs. On eliminating practices concerning, inter alia, women and children, such as FGM, forced marriage and other forms of discrimination, the reform of the criminal code is underway, and in particular, the forthcoming adoption of the code of the family and of the child. These codes will make it possible to address these issues and bring legislation in line with international commitments. 39. On combating impunity of law enforcement personnel, Cameroon enumerated three measures: normative, institutional and practical. On normative measures, there is inclusion of torture in the Criminal Code, consistent with the Convention against Torture and the promotion of a criminal procedure code which provides a number of guarantees for the accused. Institutional measures include strengthening of the prerogatives of the National Commission for Human Rights and Freedoms, the reattachment of the Penitentiary System to the Ministry of Justice and the creation therein of the Human Rights Department. Practical measures include judicial and disciplinary procedures for law enforcement officers and human rights training. On popular justice, a number of measures have been 10 GE.09-16396