A/HRC/48/12 wheelchair-bound or who were blind. The Government had put in place a policy to provide free, appropriate and public education for children who had been suspended or expelled from school, including children with disabilities. 17. Palau would continue to work with regional and international organizations on establishing a dedicated human rights commission and/or office. However, limited resources and capacities, and difficulties in identifying a proper model that would best fit Palau, continued to represent challenges. In that regard, the delegation called upon the international community, especially OHCHR, to assist Palau in establishing that key institution in line with the principles relating to the status of national institutions for the promotion and protection of human rights (the Paris Principles). 18. A coordinating committee on ageing had been established to develop and update, on a biennial basis, a national policy on care for the ageing. 19. Regarding COVID-19, a project to strengthen social protection for vulnerable populations affected by the pandemic had been developed and funded by the Government through the Asian Development Bank. The project addressed the immediate COVID-19related needs (health, social and income support) for low-income home-bound older persons and persons with disabilities, smallholders and victims of domestic and gender-based violence. Laws and policies had been adopted by the authorities to address the protection of vulnerable groups. 20. In 2018, a plan for implementing the Family Protection Act, adopted in 2012, had been approved with the support of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade of Australia. The Act made marital rape a crime punishable by a maximum of 25 years’ imprisonment, a fine of 50,000 United States dollars or both. 21. Also in 2018, Palau had become a State member of the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the Ministry of Justice had commissioned IOM to conduct a rapid assessment report on human trafficking in the country. The task force mentioned in paragraph 14 (a) above was also expected to implement a national action plan to combat human trafficking and be the primary body responsible for coordinating all national efforts to combat human trafficking in Palau. In 2019, Palau had ratified the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime and its Protocols, including the Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, especially Women and Children. 22. Concerning corporal punishment against children, the Penal Code regulated the use of force against children and other persons under the special care, responsibility or control of others. It contained provisions limiting the physical discipline of children and prisoners, among others. In its 2019 school handbook, the Ministry of Education clearly stated that corporal punishment was not allowed in the public school system and that teachers and other staff were reminded that corporal punishment would constitute cause for suspension or termination of employment. Concrete measures had been taken by the Ministry of Health and Human Services, the judiciary and the Senate to raise public awareness through community outreach, schools and the radio. 23. In relation to overcrowding in prisons, a national prison with a maximum capacity of 100 prisoners in each building was under construction and should open in 2022. Detainees would be separated by gender, age and gravity of the offence. Schooling programmes and farming and recreational activities would be organized for the prisoners. 24. Regarding freedom of expression, it was recalled that the Constitution provided for individuals’ right to freedom of opinion and expression. Article IV (2) of the Constitution reads as follows: “The government shall take no action to deny or impair the freedom of expression or press. No bona fide reporter may be required by the government to divulge or be jailed for refusal to divulge information obtained in the course of a professional investigation”. Furthermore, the Constitution gives citizens the right “to examine any government document and to observe the official deliberations of any agency of government” (art. IV (12)). In 2014, the President of Palau had signed a law allowing any person to submit a request to any government agency to produce public records within 10 days of the request and any person to observe the deliberations or public meetings of any government agency. 4