E/C.12/CYP/CO/5 page 2 B. Positive aspects 4. The Committee welcomes the important legislations enacted by the State party, namely: - The 2004 comprehensive anti-discrimination framework; - The 2002 Law on the Equal Pay between Men and Women for the Same Work or for Work of Equal Value, the Law on the Equal Treatment of Men and Women in Employment and Vocational Training and the amendment to the Maternity Law; - The 2000 Violence in the Family Law and the establishment of an Advisory Committee on Family Violence; - The Anti-Trafficking legislation enacted in 2007 which notably creates a national mechanism of cooperation for the identification and protection of trafficking victims. 5. The Committee also commends the establishment by Law 74 (I) of 2007 of the Children’s Rights Commissioner and the awareness-raising activities which have already been conducted by this mechanism. 6. The Committee welcomes the expansion of the employment sectors available to asylumseekers as of October 2008 which enhances their opportunities to provide for a decent living for themselves and their families. 7. The Committee takes note with satisfaction of the State party’s intention to sign and ratify the Optional Protocol to the Covenant on Economic Social and Cultural Rights. C. Factors and difficulties impeding the implementation of the Covenant 8. The Committee views the continuous partition of the country as a major difficulty which hinders the ability of the State party to ensure the implementation of the Covenant throughout the country. D. Principal subjects of concern and recommendations 9. The Committee notes with concern that the National Institution for the Protection of Human Rights has yet to comply with the Paris Principles relating to the status of national institutions for the promotion and protection of human rights. The Committee recommends that the State party adopt the necessary measures to enable the National Institution for the Protection of Human Rights to fully conform with the Paris Principles. The Committee also urges the State party to ensure that economic, social and cultural rights are fully covered by the mandate of the National Human Rights Institution and that the necessary resources are allocated for its effective functioning.