A/HRC/27/9 7. Access to education had been increased at the pre-kindergarten, primary, secondary and tertiary levels. Almost all children had access to pre-kindergarten education, and access to primary and secondary education was universal. An unprecedented number of university scholarships had been granted to students from Dominica, including young people from the Carib Territory, to pursue studies throughout the world, especially in Venezuela. 8. The primary health-care system provided access to health services throughout the island. Additionally, access to secondary and tertiary health care continued to be subsidized by the State to ensure that everyone could benefit from health services, irrespective of their socioeconomic status. The “Yes We Care” programme provided support and free home care to the elderly. 9. With regard to the right to housing, the “Housing Revolution” initiative, implemented by the Government since 2005, had provided homes for hundreds of families, including single mothers and members of the indigenous population. Recently, the Government had announced the implementation of a new housing initiative that would make 1,000 houses available to families; that initiative would complement the national sanitation project, which aimed to provide families with modern, hygienic toilets and access to potable water. 10. The Government had appointed a special commission to implement national obligations under the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, which Dominica had ratified in 2012. The commission would begin work soon and would present recommendations on policies that would enhance the quality of life of persons with disabilities. The Government remained committed to the full inclusion of persons with disabilities. 11. Dominica had made significant strides in the protection of women and children, including by its ratification in 2013 of 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 was reviewing all legislation related to violence against women and children with a view to strengthening the relevant provisions. Resources were provided to protect women and children, in particular those who were victims of domestic violence. Since 2011, at-risk or abandoned children were provided with accommodation, care and support. 12. The national gender policy adopted in 2006 had been updated and the Government would make every effort to provide the necessary resources for its implementation. The aim of the policy was to achieve gender equality and to strengthen the implementation of the Protection against Domestic Violence Act, in order to reduce violence and discrimination against women. A national strategic plan on gender-based violence would also soon be submitted for approval, but additional resources would be necessary for its implementation. In 2011, a central registry on domestic violence had been established in the Bureau of Gender Affairs, in which a record of all reported cases of domestic violence was stored. 13. Efforts to continue to raise public awareness of gender-related issues were ongoing. Activities included “Blow the Horn”, a motorcade to end gender-based violence, and a silent protest against sexual violence, especially child sexual abuse, as well as workshops and seminars with police and community leaders on violence against women and children. 14. The Education Act (Act No. 11 of 1997) allowed for the administration of corporal punishment but it was illegal for an unauthorized teacher to administer such punishment. In cases where it was authorized, several guidelines must be followed. The Ministry of Education encouraged alternatives means of discipline, which were reducing the use of corporal punishment. 4