A/HRC/WG.6/5/L.5 page 9 29. Turkey hoped that the priority attached to gender issues will result in the improvement of equality between men and women and that the recommendations by the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women should be taken into consideration in preparing the new bill for the protection of the victims of sexual violence. Turkey invited the Congo to combat discrimination affecting women and girls in the schools, taking into account the concerns expressed by the Committee on the Rights of the Child. It encouraged the Congo to take the best possible advantage of the poverty reduction strategy initiative which should help in improving the access of the poor to basic social services. 30. The Holy See noted that the death penalty has not been carried out since 1979 and recommended that the Congo (a) fully abolish the death penalty. Noting that, despite efforts, one third of Congolese are still deprived of education and women and children are the most affected, it recommended that the Congo (b) continue to invest in education, giving special attention to women and girls. While noting that maternal mortality remains high despite the progress regarding maternal health, it recommended that the Government (c) further invest in obstetrics clinics and in the information of skilled birth attendants. It noted that in prisons, however, women and men, children and adults are not always separated. Prisons are often overcrowded and healthcare is inadequate. The Holy See asked how the Congo intends to confront this problem and to improve the situation of prisoners, especially of women and children. 31. Sweden recommended that the Congo (a) continue its efforts with a view to fully tackling the problem of discrimination against minority groups. Sweden noted that the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women had expressed concern about domestic violence, rape, including marital rape, and other forms of sexual abuse of women. Sweden welcomed the information that a new law is being prepared and recommended that Congo (b) continue implementing measures to handle the problem and (c) take measures to ensure full compliance with CAT and other international standards in this regard. 32. The Democratic Republic of the Congo noted that the judicial system has suffered from weakness in terms of the principle of independence and asked about the reason for it and measures to correct it. The Democratic Republic of the Congo encouraged the Congo (a) to finalize its plan to elaborate a national law on assistance and protection of internally displaced persons and (b) to define its priorities and determine its needs in order to support its request for technical assistance in the area of human rights.