A/HRC/18/5 • On education: the constitution provides for compulsory and free education; other policies include: the Education Master Plan, and the Health Master Plan; • On youth: the Palau National Youth Policy has been adopted and is being implemented; • On HIV/AIDS: confidential testing and referral are conducted at the Belau National Hospital; a clinic set up in Palau Community College provides free counseling, testing and referral; condoms have been massively distributed; and a youth peer mentor program was established in 2007; • On women’s issues: Palauan women have progressed in the areas of education and employment. Women make decisions on the selection of traditional chiefs and allocation of resources; • On culture: Palau’s Constitution recognizes and protects the role of Palau’s cultures and traditions; • On human trafficking: Palau has a specific an updated legislation on human trafficking; • On environmental protection and climate change: Palau established the Protected Area Network to conserve its biodiversity; through executive orders Palau has put in place mechanisms to deal with climate change issues; • On Millennium Development Goals (MDGs): Palau expects to achieve them by 2015. 19. Palau referred to the following challenges: • Lack of recognized recruiting agencies for foreign workers, which may expose them to become victims of human trafficking; • Children born of foreign parents adopted by Palauans cannot hold Palauan citizenship; • No law has been enacted which specifically addresses domestic violence; • The Victims of Crimes Assistance Office is understaffed; • There is no legislation that specifically addresses exploitation of children via sexually explicit videos, movies, photos, and electronic images; • Youth problems mainly focus on unemployment, and substance and alcohol abuse: • 25 per cent of the population is below the national basic needs poverty line; • Domestic violence affecting specially women, lack of specific legislation relating to women’s working conditions, sexual discrimination in the workplace and land and property ownership; • Food insecurity; • International assistance is required to combating multi-jurisdictional human trafficking cases. 20. Palau referred to its national priorities and commitments as reflected in its national report. 21. Palau also referred to its request for international technical assistance mentioned in paragraph 107 of its national report. 5