A/HRC/31/48 C. Strengthening the rule of law 1. Legal reforms 72. For the past several years, the country office has been supporting the Government in its efforts to reform the security and justice sectors. 73. In 2015, in cooperation with the relevant partners, the country office took part in all the sessions to review the various legal instruments, in particular the Code of Military Justice, the Criminal Code, the Code of Criminal Procedure, the Civil Code and the Children’s Code. Thus, the country office ensured that human rights, including the right to a fair trial, were taken into consideration in the law in keeping with the country’s relevant international commitments. 74. The bills to amend the Criminal Code, the Code of Criminal Procedure, the Civil Code and the Code of Military Justice were transmitted to the Ministry of Justice in May 2015, which then transferred them to the Secretariat -General of the Government in September 2015 for consideration by the Government before being put to the National Assembly. 75. The country office also provided assistance to the Ministry of the Interior and the Ministry of National Defence on formulating codes of conduct and codes of ethics for the police and civil protection force. It provided support to the M inistry of Social Action, the Advancement of Women and Children’s Affairs in drafting a bill on equality, which was transmitted to the Secretariat-General of the Government in September 2015. 76. The legal framework for the protection of human rights was s trengthened through the adoption of the following instruments between April and June 2015: a law on the reorganization of the judicial system; a law on the application of article 37 of the Constitution of 7 May 2010 and special regimes for the punishment o f offences committed by certain officials; and a law on public order. All these instruments have taken into account human rights, especially the right to a fair trial, and gender. 77. In 2015, the country office published 15,000 copies of the code of conduct of the defence and security forces and 45,000 copies of the summary of the code, in booklet form. The code of ethics, part of which is devoted to respecting the principles and values of human rights, has been used by the country office as a teachin g tool at information and awareness-raising sessions for the defence and security forces and the unit responsible for security during the presidential election. 10 2. Institutional strengthening 78. The country office continued to advocate the establishme nt of the institutions provided for in the Constitution. In 2015, three institutions, whose role is fundamental to strengthening the rule of law, were set up. 79. The establishment of the Constitutional Court was a major achievement, and its members were sworn in on 3 April 2015. 80. In addition, the Independent National Human Rights Institution became operational. Following the promulgation of the law on the organization and functioning of the Independent National Human Rights Institution (adopted in July 2011) in December 2014, its 33 members were appointed by presidential decree on 30 December 2014. In August and October 2015, the country office began a series of __________________ 10 GE.16-00828 The unit is a temporary entity composed of police officers and gendarmes responsible for security during the election campaign, on the day of the election and after the announcement of the final results. 13/15