CRC/C/CHN/CO/3-4 equitability of the distribution of resources across provinces, prefectures and counties in mainland China; (c) Strategic budgetary lines be defined in mainland China, Hong Kong, China and Macao, China for children in disadvantaged or vulnerable situations that may require affirmative social measures, for example children of ethnic minorities, children with disabilities and migrant children, and that those budgetary lines be ensured protection even in situations of economic crisis, natural disasters or other emergencies. Data collection 15. The Committee reiterates its concern about the limited public accessibility to reliable and comprehensive statistical data in mainland China in all areas covered by the Convention (CRC/C/CHN/CO/2, para. 22). It is particularly concerned that due to laws and regulations on guarding State secrets in mainland China, disaggregated data and important statistics critical for effective implementation and monitoring of the Convention are often not available in the State party. 16. The Committee recommends that the State party review the secrecy laws and regulations in mainland China in order to ensure that information concerning children, particularly regarding violence against children, infanticide, child labour, juvenile justice, children with disabilities and children affected by migration, is systematically collected, made publicly available and discussed and used for the development of policies and plans on children’s rights. In this regard, the Committee further recommends that the State party establish in mainland China an independent review mechanism for the classification of State secrets. 17. While noting some progress in Macao, China, the Committee reiterates its concern that a comprehensive and reliable data collection system is still not in place there, nor in Hong Kong, China; data concerning children is scattered among different departments; and there is a lack of disaggregated data on children under 18 years in some areas of the Convention. 18. The Committee strongly recommends that centralized data collection systems be established in Macao, China and Hong Kong, China to collect independently verifiable data on children, and to analyse the data collected as a basis for assessing progress achieved in the realization of child rights and for designing policies and programmes to implement the Convention. The data should be disaggregated by age, sex, geographic location, ethnicity and socioeconomic background to facilitate analysis of the situation of all children, with particular attention to children of ethnic minorities, documented or undocumented migrant children, refugee and asylumseeking children and children with disabilities. Independent monitoring 19. The Committee recalls its concern about the lack, in all areas under the State party’s jurisdiction, of independent national human rights institutions with a clear mandate to monitor children’s rights. The Committee is further concerned that, contrary to its previous recommendations and despite the motion by the Legislative Council in June 2007 to establish an independent children’s commission, Hong Kong, China has not taken any steps to set up such a commission. 20. The Committee draws attention to its general comment No. 2 (2002) and reiterates its recommendation that the State party promptly establish independent national human rights institutions on the mainland and in Hong Kong, China and Macao, China in accordance with the Paris Principles in order to systematically and 4