E/C.12/IRQ/CO/4 Right to social security 37. The Committee regrets the absence of information provided by the State party on the implementation of the right to social security. It notes with concern the delays in adopting the draft workers’ pensions and social security act, as well as the increase in the number of people dependent on social security benefits as a result of terrorist attacks, and the inadequacy of pension amounts. It is further concerned at the different age of retirement for women and men (art. 9). 38. The Committee recommends that the State party accelerate the adoption of the draft workers’ pensions and social security act, which should ensure that social security benefits, including pensions, allow an adequate standard of living for beneficiaries and their families, and the same retirement age for women and men. The Committee further encourages the State party to consider establishing a social protection floor, as the first step towards a comprehensive social security system, in line with the ILO Social Protection Floors Recommendation No. 202 (2012) and the Committee’s statement on social protection floors adopted on 6 March 2015 (E/C.12/2015/1), and to provide updated information in its next report. Gender-based violence 39. The Committee is concerned about the prevalence of gender-based violence in the State party. While taking note of the existence of a domestic violence act, albeit only in the Kurdistan region, and of the information provided by the delegation on the availability of shelters in central and southern Iraq run by the Organization of Women’s Freedom in Iraq, the Committee is concerned that shelters for victims of violence remain insufficient and inadequately resourced, and that women victims of violence are very often unaware of the location of such shelters and the procedures to follow in order to gain access to them. The Committee is further concerned about the maintenance of the provision in the Penal Code that entails exoneration of rapists should they marry the victim, as well as other provisions that allow mitigated sentences for violent acts against girls and women committed under the pretext of family honour. Moreover the Committee is concerned that women and girls freed from the hands of ISIL receive very little support for their treatment and recovery, and may be subject to tribal violence upon release (art. 10). 40. The Committee recommends that the State party step up its efforts to combat and deter all acts of violence. To this end, the Committee recommends that the State party: (a) Effectively and diligently investigate all such acts, bring perpetrators to justice, punish them if convicted and compensate victims; (b) Step up its efforts to provide support and assistance services to victims of violence, including through the creation of well-resourced shelters in all regions of the State party, and the empowering of civil society to continue providing shelters and other related services, including awareness-raising and information campaigns; (c) Expedite the adoption of the draft law on domestic violence relevant to central and southern Iraq, and effectively implement the national strategy on combating violence against women; (d) Repeal provisions 128, 130, 131, 398 and 409, among others, of the Penal Code, with a view to ensuring zero tolerance of gender-based violence; (e) Redouble its efforts to protect all persons, particularly women and girls, from attacks by ISIL and associated armed groups; 7