A/HRC/41/53 having ratified the Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children, supplementing the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime, the Government of Eritrea has not yet put in place an adequate legal framework and a comprehensive policy to address trafficking in persons. She encourages the Government to: enhance its efforts to combat trafficking in persons by strengthening cooperation with authorities in neighbouring States; take measures to investigate and prosecute perpetrators; and develop anti-trafficking legislation that adequately protects the rights of victims. 47. The Special Rapporteur has received information about the obstacles that women and girls continue to face in gaining access to justice. She is concerned that measures are not being taken to ensure the independence and gender sensitivity of the judiciary. According to the information received, women in detention face different forms of genderbased violence and there are gaps in the regulations governing the treatment and protection of female detainees, in particular regarding access to health care, conditions of detention and humane treatment. The Special Rapporteur has received testimonies indicating that female detainees are at risk of rape, sexual abuse and humiliation, in particular from prison guards. She encourages the Government to develop a comprehensive policy to eliminate barriers to justice, ensure adequate redress and provide access to legal aid for women. She also encourages the Government to take steps to implement the United Nations Rules for the Treatment of Women Prisoners and Non-custodial Measures for Women Offenders (the Bangkok Rules).21 48. The Special Rapporteur takes note of the Government’s efforts to increase women’s participation in all aspects of public life and to promote gender parity. She notes, however, that women have been absent from the Government’s current initiatives to promote regional peace and security. Women remain underrepresented in senior cabinet positions, in the senior ranks of the military and in the judiciary. Only women aligned with the ruling People’s Front for Democracy and Justice are appointed to government positions, and women are not allowed to independently organize to advocate for their interests or to form or participate in grass-roots organizations not sanctioned by the authorities. As highlighted in paragraph 29 above, the Special Rapporteur also draws attention to the negative impact that participating in the national/military service has on the lives of women and girls, in particular regarding their access to education and dignified employment and their exposure to violence and early marriage. 49. Women’s participation in economic activities can play a key role in fostering productivity and economic growth in Eritrea. The Special Rapporteur takes note of the Government’s efforts to support women entrepreneurs to help grow and sustain their businesses. She encourages the Government to enhance women’s participation in economic activities by reducing legal barriers to their participation, such as onerous licence fees for businesses and restrictions on monthly cash withdrawals. She highlights that, while internal regulations in Eritrea22 guarantee the rights of inheritance and access to land for women, in practice women are not guaranteed equal treatment regarding inheritance and property rights in certain local communities, in particular after marriage. The Special Rapporteur recalls that supporting women’s economic empowerment can boost productivity and reduce income inequality. F. Strengthening respect for the rights of ethnic minorities 50. The Special Rapporteur continues to receive reports that ethnic minority groups in Eritrea face discrimination, exclusion and denial of basic rights, and are exposed to violence. She notes that certain minority groups, including the Afar and Kunama ethnic 21 22 General Assembly resolution 65/229, annex. Proclamation to Reform the System of Land Tenure in Eritrea, to Determine the Manner of Expropriating Land for Purposes of Development and National Reconstruction, and to Determine the Powers and Duties of the Land Commission (No. 58/1994) and the transitional civil code. 11