A/HRC/39/3 58. The delegation of Turkmenistan, referring to cooperation with special procedure mandate holders, noted that dialogue had been held with some mandate holders in 2017 and 2018. The Government had provided required information to the Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances related to pending cases. The Special Rapporteur in the field of cultural rights had responded positively to the Government’s intention to welcome a visit to Turkmenistan in the period 2018–2019. 59. In December 2017, the Deputy Foreign Minister had met with a regional representative of OHCHR to discuss on how to intensify further the cooperation with OHCHR on promoting human rights. 60. The new Constitution had provided equal rights and opportunities to women and men. A law adopted in 2015 had established further measures to ensure gender equality. In total, 24 per cent of all decision-making posts were held by women. Women had accounted for 25 per cent of total members of Parliament elected in 2018, and the Speaker of Parliament was also a woman. 61. The strategic tasks set out in the National Plan of Action on Gender Equality for the period 2015–2020 were directly geared to the realization of the Sustainable Development Goals, especially Goal 5 to achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls. One of the goals of the Plan was to change and eradicate stereotypes leading to discrimination against women, through public awareness-raising campaigns, as well as training for and workshop discussions among various professional groups. A nationwide media campaign had been launched to raise the awareness of society of gender equality and the provisions of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women and other relevant legislation. Gender equality had been included in a training programme for civil servants, targeting mid-level officials. 62. A national action plan on the rights of the child was being developed by the Interdepartmental Commission with expert input from UNICEF. The plan had been developed based on recommendations of the Committee on the Rights of the Child and the Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. It also included measures to address child labour, in line with the recommendations of ILO. 63. The new Constitution contained a provision on the prevention of forced labour and the worst forms of child labour. The Government had not received any complaints on forced labour. It continued its cooperation with experts of ILO. The amendments to the relevant legislation had been made to raise the minimum employment age from 16 to 18. Turkmenistan envisaged developing indicators relating to target 8.7 of the Sustainable Development Goals to eradicate forced labour, end modern slavery and human trafficking and secure the prohibition and elimination of the worst forms of child labour. 64. Access to drinking water had improved as a result of the efforts made under the general programme for the supply of clean drinking water to population centres for the period up to 2020, under the close monitoring of the Ministry of Health and the medical industry. According to 2016 data, the proportion of the population living in households using improved drinking water sources was 83 per cent. Such access was almost universal in urban areas, at 98 per cent, while the proportion in rural areas was 73 per cent. The proportion of the population that had access to improved sanitation was consistently high, at 99 per cent. 65. The Ministry of Labour and Social Protection was actively implementing the programme to improve the employment of persons with disabilities. The Ministry had established a quota for the employment of persons with disabilities as well as for families with children with disabilities. In 2016, the President had adopted a decree containing a plan of action for the period 2017–2020 to ensure the full realization of the right to work for persons with disabilities. According to figures from the State pension fund, the employment of persons with disabilities had increased. 66. Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) had taken an active participation in the development and implementation of a number of national action plans, including on health, human rights and gender equality. A new law on NGOs had been adopted in 2014, under which foreign citizens or non-citizens could be founding members. The 2017 law on charity 7