A/HRC/19/15 educational, socio-economic, healthcare, legal, financial and other measures. Latvia made a recommendation. 71. Mexico noted the efforts made by Lithuania to promote and protect human rights and in particular the establishment of programmes to promote women’s rights, the enactment of the Law on Education taking into account the needs and rights of minorities, the adoption of a programme on the prevention of human trafficking, the ratification of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and its Optional Protocol as well as the programme for the prevention of violence against children. Mexico made recommendations. 72. The United States of America referred to the energetic and productive Lithuanian chairmanship of the Community of Democracies in 2009-2011. Lithuania co-founded with the United States a new working group on gender equality and women’s rights operating under Community auspices. In 2010, Lithuania also became the first Baltic nation to host a European agency, the European Institute for Gender Equality. The United States noted the adoption of the Law on Domestic Violence but indicated that much remained to be done. The United States of America made recommendations. 73. Slovakia welcomed the progress made by Lithuania in advancing its human rights record. It commended Lithuania for being party to most of the core international human rights instruments. It also praised Lithuania for its enactment of the 2005 Law on Equal Opportunities prohibiting direct or indirect discrimination on different grounds as well as the Programme on the Prevention and Control of Trafficking in Human Beings 2009-2012. Slovakia made recommendations. 74. Ukraine positively assessed Lithuania’s efforts regarding human rights protection and its openness with special procedures. Ukraine acknowledged the participation of the civil society in the elaboration of the national report and stated that the establishment of a national human rights institution in accordance with the Paris Principles would help Lithuania to address human rights issues. Ukraine encouraged Lithuania to take further measures to eliminate gender stereotyping and to reduce gender wage gap. Ukraine emphasized the importance of the three priorities of the Strategy for the Development of the National Minority Policy. 75. Romania welcomed the establishment of the Office of the Ombudsman for Equal Opportunities as well as the creation in 2009 of the first European Gender Equality Institute. It referred however to the concerns of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women regarding persistent discrimination against women. It praised Lithuania for all the initiatives taken in favour of promoting and protecting children’s rights but noted that corporal punishment was a tolerated practice, in particular within the family but also in schools and child-care institutions. Romania made recommendations. 76. Azerbaijan noted that Lithuania was party to core human rights instruments and welcomed its collaboration with special procedures. Azerbaijan noted that Lithuania did not have a national human rights institution accredited by the International Coordinating Committee. Azerbaijan noted the legal and institutional reforms undertaken to ensure gender equality, including the 2006 National Strategy for Combating Violence against Women. Azerbaijan echoed concerns raised by treaty bodies on excessive use of force by law enforcement officials. Azerbaijan made recommendations. 77. Congo noted that Lithuania established the separation of powers, ratified the main international human rights instruments and extended an open and standing invitation to special procedures. Congo welcomed progress made on equal opportunities between men and women, children’s rights, data protection and press ethics. Congo welcomed the fact that combating violence against women was among national priorities and encouraged 12