A/HRC/15/12 61. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland acknowledged Grenada’s vulnerability to natural disasters and the devastating effects that these could have on infrastructure and livelihoods. It encouraged the Government, in planning for such events, to do all that it could to ensure the protection of human rights during such crises. It also encouraged the Government to abolish the death penalty under all circumstances. It inquired about Grenada’s plans to ensure effective civil society involvement in the followup to the review. The United Kingdom made recommendations. 62. China noted that Grenada had enacted a number of laws containing provisions for human rights protection and promotion and had taken measures to upgrade the housing for vulnerable groups and to increase job opportunities. It noted that Grenada had given top priority to human resources, health and the prevention and punishment of crimes. It also noted Grenada's efforts to ensure equal enjoyment of the right to education and its efforts in the area of economic, social and cultural rights. China recognized the difficulties and challenges that Grenada faced as a developing country in promoting and protecting human rights, in particular, the difficulties in improving prison facilities and reintegrating AIDS patients and disabled persons. China called on the international community to provide the necessary assistance and to support Grenada in these areas. It made one recommendation. 63. Maldives welcomed the establishment of numerous governmental and nongovernmental institutions to promote and protect human rights, including the National Organization for Women and the National Coalition on the Rights of the Child. It commended Grenada’s commitment to the education of all its citizens and the implementation of measures to ensure that formal education was free and mandatory. Maldives referred to shortcomings in the Child Protection Act. It made a recommendation. 64. Latvia noted that Grenada had established a free compulsory education system for all children between the ages of 5 and 16 and that a national school textbook programme ensured that all children were provided with the basic textbooks required to enhance their educational opportunities. Latvia made a recommendation. 65. Jamaica noted that it had a great appreciation for the sterling efforts that Grenada had made to protect and promote human rights. It noted the social programmes that the Government had introduced to improve the living standards of vulnerable groups and disadvantaged members of society, so as to enhance their socio-economic rights. Jamaica made a recommendation 66. Trinidad and Tobago noted that Grenada was a small, resource-deficient developing country facing challenges in satisfying the full range of the social, economic, environmental and other demands of its population. It stressed that there were obvious capacity issues hindering the country’s overall development and the implementation of its international human rights obligations. It referred to the hurricane of September 2004 and the magnitude of the task required to put Grenada back on its feet. It welcomed Grenada’s policy aimed at a review of the age of criminal responsibility, which was currently 7 years; the expansion of legal aid to include persons charged with a serious criminal offence; the adoption of legislation to guarantee the legal protection of children born out of wedlock; and the integration of children with disabilities into the educational system. 67. Ghana commended Grenada for the measures it had put in place to ensure the enjoyment of human rights, such as the Domestic Violence Act, programmes to ensure equitable access to quality and relevant education for all citizens, and the Necessitous Fund, which provided additional support to ensure that students remained in school. It noted the number of services aimed at alleviating poverty and improving the living standards of disabled, vulnerable and disadvantaged members of society, thus enhancing their socioeconomic rights. It commended the Government for its commitment to the principles underlying good governance and supported its request for technical support in key areas to 10