A/HRC/48/5 18. Zimbabwe noted that the Niger had adopted several pieces of legislation, including on social protection, internally displaced persons, persons with disabilities and the protection of personal data. 19. Algeria commended the Government on its efforts to reduce the poverty rate and the reforms it had undertaken over the past decade, particularly concerning the right to an adequate standard of living. 20. Angola took note of the endeavours of the national authorities to re-establish State authority throughout the country, to promote decent jobs and to fight poverty, leaving no one behind. 21. Argentina commended the Niger for the adoption of the National Nutrition Security Policy (2017–2025) and its efforts to eliminate food insecurity and hunger. 22. Armenia welcomed the Government’s cooperation with human rights mechanisms, its ratification of the Convention on the Non-Applicability of Statutory Limitations to War Crimes and Crimes against Humanity, and the introduction of human rights in primary school curricula. 23. Australia congratulated the Niger on its successful transition of power, its active participation in the Group of Five for the Sahel to end extremism in the region and promote stability, and its efforts to promote women’s rights, including its National Gender Policy. Australia was concerned by the high rate of child marriage in the Niger. 24. Azerbaijan welcomed the National Gender-based Violence Prevention and Response Strategy, the National Plan of Action to Combat Child Labour, the progress made in terms of ratification of international instruments and efforts to abolish the death penalty. 25. Belgium, welcoming the efforts that had been made since the previous review, stressed that further progress remained to be made. 26. Botswana noted that women and girls continued to be affected by harmful customary practices, including early marriage, female genital mutilation, wahaya and discrimination in inheritance. 27. Brazil encouraged the Niger to prevent all unjustified and disproportionate attacks on freedom of expression under its antiterrorism legislation and urged it to bring that legislation into accordance with the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. 28. Burkina Faso welcomed the measures the Niger had taken to follow up on the recommendations that it had made during the previous review cycle on strengthening legislation and policy on the rights to education and to health. 29. Burundi congratulated the Niger on its adoption of the Sustainable Development and Inclusive Growth Strategy and a national action plan to combat child labour. 30. Canada congratulated the Niger on its National Human Rights Commission having been granted A status. 31. Chad commended the Niger for its efforts to implement the recommendations accepted during the second review cycle, both at the institutional and legislative levels. 32. Chile highlighted the implementation of the national action plan to combat illegal trafficking of migrants and efforts to submit the country’s reports to treaty bodies. 33. China appreciated the formulation and implementation by the Niger of its Economic and Social Development Plan (2017–2021) and commended it for actively combating the COVID-19 pandemic, constantly promoting economic and social development, fighting terrorism and protecting the rights of vulnerable groups. 34. The Congo noted with satisfaction the progress made by the Niger in the ratification of international human rights legal instruments and the harmonization of its national legal framework with those instruments. 35. Costa Rica acknowledged the efforts of the Niger to improve its national human rights mechanisms and to combat corruption. 4 GE.21-09329