A/HRC/48/5 36. Côte d’Ivoire congratulated the Niger on the progress made in the field of human rights since the second review cycle. 37. Croatia underscored the need to promote religious tolerance through interfaith dialogue and protection of the freedom of religion or belief. It was extremely concerned by the ongoing practice of wahaya, despite the criminalization of slavery in 2003. 38. Cuba thanked the Niger for its national report and wished it success in the implementation of the recommendations it accepted. 39. The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea commended the Niger on its progress in implementing the national development plan for 2017–2021 despite the security, economic, social and cultural constraints it faced. 40. Denmark noted that the legal framework relating to child, early and forced marriages was still inadequate. It was concerned about laws that could penalize peaceful activities linked to the fundamental rights to freedom of expression, association and assembly. 41. Djibouti welcomed the efforts made by the Niger to establish normative and institutional frameworks, and the implementation of its national human rights policies and action plans. 42. Egypt commended the Niger on having ratified international human rights instruments, particularly those concerning the rights of women, children and persons with disabilities. 43. Estonia noted that the security situation in the Niger remained difficult and that there were many challenges to human rights and restrictions on fundamental freedoms. 44. Ethiopia welcomed the ratification of the Paris Agreement on climate change, the African Union Protocol on Free Movement of Persons, Right of Residence and Right of Establishment, and the Agreement Establishing the African Continental Free Trade Area. 45. Fiji commended the Niger for its ratification of the Paris Agreement and for strengthening its National Human Rights Commission, which had regained A status for compliance with the principles relating to the status of national institutions for the promotion and protection of human rights (the Paris Principles). 46. Finland welcomed the engagement of the Niger in the universal periodic review process. 47. France made recommendations. 48. Gabon recognized the efforts made by the Niger to protect human rights through its legal arsenal and its achievements in the area of the rights of women and children and in improving the living conditions of its population. 49. The delegation of the Niger recalled that the Niger had already ratified the Kampala amendments. The Niger was in the process of ratifying, adopting and approving the Protocol against the Illicit Manufacturing of and Trafficking in Firearms, Their Parts and Components and Ammunition, supplementing the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime. 50. The proposed ratification of the Second Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, aiming at the abolition of the death penalty had been submitted to the National Assembly twice, in 2010 and 2014, and had unfortunately been rejected. However, the Government’s commitment to achieving its ratification was unwavering. 51. Abortion was an offence under the Criminal Code of the Niger, except in two cases; the law allowed women to have an abortion when continuing the pregnancy would endanger the pregnant woman’s life and health and when there was a high probability that the unborn child would have a particularly serious condition. 52. The measures taken by the State to eliminate or reduce the occurrence of child or forced marriages included the adoption of the National Gender-Based Violence Prevention and Response Strategy, the new National Gender Policy and the decree of 5 December 2017 GE.21-09329 5