A/HRC/47/6 89. In reply to the questions raised, the Mauritanian delegation stated that the country had undertaken a number of reforms in recent years, including in the legal, institutional and socioeconomic spheres, to promote the rights of persons with disabilities. 90. The Government was taking steps to accelerate voluntary abandonment of the practice of female genital mutilation, which was now considered as a public health issue. Health-care professionals, including gynecologists, midwives, chief nurses and assistant midwives, had been part of efforts to raise awareness in health-care facilities and to prevent the medicalization of female genital mutilation. 91. As for child marriage, the Government had set up a multisectoral committee to design and coordinate actions against child marriage made up of representatives of the relevant ministries, civil society, the United Nations Population Fund and the United Nations Children's Fund. The committee had formulated an action plan in conjunction with the African Union campaign to end child marriage. 92. Censorship had been abolished in 2006 through Ordinance No. 017-2006 of 12 July 2006 on freedom of the press. Act No. 2011-025 of 8 March 2011 took into account digital media, the liberalization of the broadcasting sector and financial support for private media and abolished custodial sentences for violations of press laws. It also abolished the censorship of opinions. Lastly, Act No. 2010-045 of 26 July 2010 on audiovisual communications provided for the opening up of the broadcasting sector, which until then had been a State monopoly. Pursuant to the Act, five private radio stations and five private television channels had been authorized. 93. The State of Palestine welcomed the educational achievements made by Mauritania and its efforts to improve the quality of education for women and to protect the rights of persons with disabilities. 94. The Sudan commended Mauritania for its constitutional reforms of 2017 and the peaceful democratic transition of power resulting from the 2019 presidential elections. 95. Switzerland welcomed the efforts made by the Government since the 2019 presidential elections to improve the human rights situation in the country. 96. Togo noted the significant progress achieved by Mauritania in the area of human rights over the past several years. 97. Tunisia welcomed the ratification of the Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture, the ILO Migrant Workers (Supplementary Provisions) Convention, 1975 (No. 143), the ILO Tripartite Consultation (International Labour Standards) Convention, 1976 (No. 144) and the Arab Charter on Human Rights. 98. Uganda congratulated Mauritania on its successful constitutional reform in 2017 and the subsequent political elections. It noted the challenges Mauritania faced in terms of inadequate resources for human rights institutions, which had been aggravated by the COVID-19 pandemic. 99. Ukraine noted the efforts of Mauritania to eradicate female genital mutilation, forced marriage and child marriage, and its adoption of legislation criminalizing discrimination. Ukraine stressed that making the death penalty mandatory in cases of apostasy and blasphemy raised serious concerns. 100. The United Arab Emirates welcomed the establishment of three new courts to combat slavery and slavery-like practices and three district courts to combat corruption, in addition to reforms regarding key institutions. 101. The United Kingdom recognized the commitment of Mauritania to improving access to primary and secondary education and urged the Government to prioritize girls’ access to 12 years of quality education to put them on an equal footing with boys. 102. The United States commended Mauritania for its efforts to tackle human trafficking, hereditary slavery and other human rights abuses, while noting that further action was necessary. The United States expressed concern about child labour. 8 GE.21-04660