A/HRC/41/17 8. With regard to the follow-up to the 162 recommendations accepted during the second cycle of the universal periodic review, the Cambodian Human Rights Committee, as a government agency, had cooperated with OHCHR to compile the recommendations and organize workshops to disseminate them to all relevant line ministries and institutions of the Government for implementation. The Committee had also followed up with the ministries and received feedback on their achievements, which had been included in the State report for the third cycle of the review. The preparatory work for drafting the national report had been carried out by the Committee in close consultation with government institutions, civil society organizations and OHCHR Cambodia. 9. The election of the sixth legislature of the National Assembly on 29 July 2018 had been conducted in a free, fair, peaceful and transparent manner. A total of 20 registered political parties contested the election, and 83.02 per cent of registered voters had cast their ballots to express their desire to see continuity in the country’s sustained path towards peace, stability, democracy and the rule of law. 10. Legal action against any political parties that broke the law was the normal process in any democratic State adhering to the principle of the rule of law and aiming to strengthen the process of democracy and safeguard peace and stability, which were the basis for longterm and sustainable socioeconomic development. 11. The application of the seat allocation method adopted in 2014, validated at the time by the opposition, had led the Cambodian People’s Party to win, with 76.78 per cent of votes cast, all 125 seats in Parliament. Nevertheless, the Government had set up a participatory consultative mechanism involving all political parties, known as the Supreme Consultative Council, to collect input for the benefit of national construction. The Council offered a public consultative forum for legal and policy formulation and implementation, and a checks-and-balances platform with the Government. 12. The Government had also called upon the judiciary as an independent body to expedite trial proceedings of trade union leaders and activists who were sued or had been charged in accordance with current court procedures, to safeguard their rights, as guaranteed under the Constitution. 13. The Government had also promoted a genuine partnership with civil society organizations in all aspects of social development. The Government had recently established a working group, under the leadership of the Ministry of the Interior, to consult with civil society on a regular basis. The second forum on partnerships between the Government and civil society organizations, held on 17 January 2019, had been attended by hundreds of organizations, without discrimination; constructive discussions had led to various tangible actions to facilitate the activities of those organizations. A consultative forum with foreign and international non-governmental organizations had been organized for 29 January 2019 by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Such inclusive and collaborative forums were aimed at improving understanding of various issues surrounding the implementation of the law on associations and non-governmental organizations, and other laws relating to civil society organizations. 14. With regard to labour and trade union rights, the Government had established a national committee for the review of the international conventions that Cambodia had ratified, to consult with stakeholders and the International Labour Organization (ILO). 15. In January 2019, the minimum wage for workers in the textile, garment and footwear industries had reached $182, up from $170 the previous year. Wages had in fact more than doubled since 2013. The threshold income tax has been raised to $300 per month to ensure that the new wage gain was not taxed. Non-salary allowances and the benefits that workers received would continue to remain exempt from calculations of the tax threshold. 16. Employers were now required to pay 3.4 per cent of each employee’s monthly salary into the national social security fund, for injury insurance and health care. A pension for workers in the garment sector had also been announced for 2019. Female employees were entitled to three months of maternity leave with 120 per cent of their salary (the equivalent of 70 per cent of their salary covered by the national social security fund, and 50 per cent by employers). 3