tolerance which is rotational in all the regions and also inclusive of all ethnic groups. Civil and Political Rights 13. The Commission commends: i. The reforms put in place in the justice delivery system with a view to making justice available and accessible to everyone notably through provision of legal aid in all cases for indigents; ii. The application of human rights law and principles by the courts in cases and the implementation of the decision of the said courts by the Government; iii. The amendments made to the Criminal Procedure Act, Act No. 51 of 1977 to ensure that an accused person is entitled to legal representative from the time of arrest to the conclusion of the case. Women and Children’s Rights 14. The Commission commends the: i. ii. iii. iv. i. ii. July 2012 decision of the Namibia High Court advancing women’s sexual and reproductive rights by declaring that sterilisation of women for any reason without their informed consent is unlawful; Creation of the Ministry of Gender Equality and Child Welfare (MGECW) to promote women’s rights as well as empower women in all spheres of activities; Establishment of Gender Liason Offices in all the regions of the country including the rural areas to disseminate information, to promote legal literacy and to sensitize traditional leaders and the community at large on gender equality; Appointment of gender focal persons in all Ministries in order to liaise with the MGECW to ensure effective gender mainstreaming in plans, programmes and policies; Efforts made to improve gender equality and the quality of life for women, including indigenous women and notes in particular, the launch of the revised National Gender Policy 2010 – 2020 aimed at achieving gender equality for women with men; Measures that have been put in place to coordinate efforts of various stakeholders in combating Gender Based Violence(GBV) and in particular, adoption of the National GBV Plan of Action which is aimed at strengthening integration and coordination of GBV programs; 5