A/HRC/44/10 43. Lithuania made recommendations. 44. Luxembourg made recommendations. 45. Maldives welcomed the priority given to implementing the National Action Plan for Human Rights Protection. 46. Malta took positive note of steps taken to ensure the rights of persons belonging to special groups. 47. Mexico hoped for the swift ratification of the Second Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, aiming at the abolition of the death penalty. 48. Montenegro noted the concerns of several United Nations bodies regarding the large number of children with disabilities in institutions and segregated education settings. 49. Myanmar noted the introduction of electronic tools for public awareness-raising and participation. 50. Namibia was pleased to note that Armenia was a State party to eight of the nine core international human rights treaties. 51. Nepal noted the signature of the Second Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, aiming at the abolition of the death penalty. 52. The Netherlands stated that Armenia had demonstrated its commitment to human rights with progressive changes in the areas of freedom of expression and the media. 53. Nicaragua made recommendations. 54. North Macedonia commended the significant steps taken towards gender equality, but noted that domestic violence remained a concern. 55. Norway remained concerned about the situation of human rights defenders, violence against women and discrimination against vulnerable groups. 56. The delegation of Armenia stated that Armenia was proceeding with the process of ratifying the Istanbul Convention. Armenia was amending national law on domestic violence to bring it into full compliance with the Convention. 57. Armenia had developed a stand-alone and comprehensive anti-discrimination law, following long-standing and inclusive public consultations with all relevant stakeholders. The law provided for the right to bring complaints to the Human Rights Defender and the Equality Body. The Human Rights Defender would have full litigation powers and provide amicus briefs to the Constitutional Court. 58. The Government had developed a stand-alone law on national minorities to regulate and guarantee unhindered exercise of the rights of persons belonging to national minorities, define the responsibilities of the State and local authorities and re-establish the Council on National Minorities under the Prime Minister. 59. Armenia was continuously fighting against hate speech, particularly against women, lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender persons, and human rights activists. The new draft Criminal Code provided for criminal responsibility for instigating national, ethnic, racial, political, ideological or religious hostility, hatred or intolerance. 60. Judicial reform was the top priority of the Government. In 2019, it had launched a comprehensive and far-reaching Strategy for Judicial and Legal Reforms and its Action Plans aimed at improving and strengthening the independence, impartiality and effectiveness of the justice system. A special focus was increasing the efficiency of courts through alternative dispute resolution mechanisms. 61. Another priority remained the fight against corruption. Armenia had initiated largescale and ambitious anti-corruption reforms and had adopted a comprehensive AntiCorruption Strategy and a three-year Implementation Action Plan. The Strategy had set the architecture of the national anti-corruption institutional framework, conceptualizing the effective exercise and synergy of preventive, investigative and punitive powers. 5