A/HRC/11/L.10 page 102 411. Cuba had carefully reviewed the report of the Working Group and the recommendations made. It said it was working to put the recommendations into practice, according to its possibilities, and that the inter-institutional working group established to coordinate consultations in preparation of the national report was still active, with the objective of following up and implementing the recommendations as necessary, by carrying out consultations and guaranteeing the broad participation of civil society. 412. Cuba stated that, in the midst of the difficult conditions in the country, where the impact of the blockade had been compounded by the effects of the world financial crisis, the Government had continued to deepen its revolutionary transformation. Cuba had continued to develop and perfect its programmes in health, education, social security, protection for the elderly, persons with disabilities and the most vulnerable. Cuba had continued to promote equality, including programmes to empower women. Despite the difficulties, Cuba had continued its housing construction plan and was taking measures to increase agricultural production and ensure greater food security. 413. Cuba also stressed that it continued to offer its assistance for the realization of human rights elsewhere. It noted that, as at 5 May 2009, 50,747 professionals had provided cooperation services in 96 different countries and 4 overseas territories; of these, 75.8 per cent worked in the health sector. Cuba had recently inaugurated three new ophthalmologic centres in Latin America and the Caribbean, and the “Yes I can” literacy programme was under way in 25 countries. 414. Cuba noted it was party to 42 of the most important human rights treaties and had overcome the delays in presenting its periodic reports. It had submitted its reports to the Committee on the Rights of the Child and the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, and had established a working group to prepare the report for the Committee against Torture. It reiterated its firm commitment to continue extending an invitation to visit the country to the Council special procedures that have been established on a non-discriminatory basis. It had already extended an invitation to the Special Rapporteur on the question of torture to visit the country in 2009, and had established a national working group to organize and coordinate the visit. The Cuban people preserved their sovereign capacity to invite, as it found