A/66/44 Corporal punishment and child abuse (17) While taking note of the information supplied by the State party, according to which section 13 of the Child Protection Act makes it an offence to expose any child to harm, the Committee is concerned that corporal punishment is not fully prohibited in the legislation of the State party, including in penal institutions and in alternative care settings. The Committee is also concerned at information provided by the State party that some cases of “molestation”, including sexual abuses, are reported every year to the appropriate authorities. These cases are referred to the police, who take disciplinary measures against the culprits, but no information is provided about the penal consequences of such abuses (art. 16). The State party should adopt legislation to prohibit corporal punishment, in particular in social institutions and in alternative care settings. To that end, the State party should incorporate this issue in its Children’s Bill under preparation. The State party should also pursue awareness campaigns on the negative effects of corporal punishment. Finally, it should strengthen its efforts to combat child abuse, including by investigating, prosecuting and punishing those responsible. The State party should provide the Committee with statistical data regarding cases of child abuse, the investigations, prosecutions, sentences imposed and redress or rehabilitation offered to victims. Adoption of draft human rights bills (18) While noting the explanation provided by the delegation of the State party on the difficulties faced in finalizing and adopting draft bills, the Committee is concerned that a number of draft human rights bills aiming at preventing torture, such the draft Independent Police Complaints Commission Bill, the Victims Right Act and the Victims Charter, the new Police Act and a Police Procedures and Criminal Evidence Act, have been under preparation or consideration before the Parliament for long periods of time, in some cases for many years, not to be adopted (arts. 2 and 4). The State party should take the necessary steps to speed up the process of adoption of draft bills on human rights, especially those aiming at preventing torture and other cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment, and implement them as soon as adopted. National Preventive Mechanism (19) While noting that the National Human Rights Commission has been entrusted to act as the National Preventive Mechanism to implement the Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, the Committee is concerned at the fact the draft National Preventive Mechanism Bill is still in the process of finalization and that the National Preventive Mechanism has not yet been established despite the ratification of the Optional Protocol by the State party in 2005 (art. 2). The Committee recommends that the State party: (a) Finalize the draft National Preventive Mechanism Bill, and adopt and establish the mechanism, as soon as possible. The National Preventive Mechanism should be provided with necessary human and financial resources, in compliance with the requirements of the Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment as well as with the principles relating to status of national human rights institutions for promotion and protection of human rights (the Paris Principles) (General Assembly resolution 48/134, annex). (b) 112 Make public the report of the Sub-Committee following its visit in 2007. GE.11-45568