A/HRC/RES/45/25 Welcoming the appointment of 18 civilian state governors, two of whom are women, in accordance with the constitutional document, 1. Notes with appreciation the work of the Independent Expert on the situation of human rights in the Sudan, including his final report,1 and the comments of the Government of the Sudan thereon;2 2. Welcomes the commitments made by the Government of the Sudan to revise and amend its national legislation to bring it into line with international human rights instruments and the steps taken to date in that regard, including: (a) Repealing the death penalty for apostasy and in respect of minors; (b) Criminalizing female genital mutilation; (c) Repealing the Public Order Law; (d) Muslims; Decriminalizing the consumption, purchase and sale of alcohol by non- 3. Also welcomes the adoption by the Government of the Sudan of a national action plan for the implementation of Security Council resolution 1325 (2000) on women and peace and security of 31 October 2000, the signing of a framework agreement on cooperation with the Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Sexual Violence in Conflict, and the commitment made by the Government to continue to promote women’s rights, including by ensuring the full, effective and meaningful participation and leadership of women at all levels of decision-making, including in conflict resolution and peacebuilding; 4. Further welcomes the ongoing efforts of the Government of the Sudan to investigate alleged human rights abuses and violations by all parties, and encourages its efforts to hold perpetrators to account as its foremost priority; 5. Notes with appreciation the continued efforts of the Government of the Sudan to implement the universal periodic review recommendations that it has accepted, and encourages the Government to continue to cooperate in the review process, including through the further implementation of accepted recommendations; 6. Encourages the efforts of the Government of the Sudan in creating and maintaining a safe and conducive environment in which civil society representatives, human rights defenders, the media and other independent actors can operate freely, in accordance with the constitutional document, and welcomes the signature by the Government of the Sudan of the Global Pledge on Media Freedom; 7. Also encourages the Government of the Sudan to accede to the international human rights treaties that it has not yet ratified; 8. Further encourages the Government of the Sudan to establish a national human rights institution that conforms to the principles relating to the status of national institutions for the promotion and protection of human rights (the Paris Principles); 9. Welcomes the signature of the Joint Agreement between the Prime Minister of the Sudan, Abdalla Hamdok, and Abdulaziz al-Hilu on behalf of the Sudanese People’s Liberation Movement-North Abdulaziz al-Hilu faction, encourages the parties to build on the recent progress made in their negotiations, and calls upon the Sudan Liberation Army-Abdul Wahid to enter into similar negotiations with the Government of the Sudan at the earliest opportunity; 10. Urges Member States, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, relevant United Nations agencies and other stakeholders to continue to support the efforts of the Government of the Sudan to further improve the situation of human rights in the country, including by responding to the Government’s requests for technical assistance and capacity-building; 1 2 2 A/HRC/45/53. A/HRC/45/53/Add.1.