CRC/C/MKD/CO/2 Mental health 60. The Committee takes note of the State party’s concern that promotion and prevention programmes are far from meeting the needs of children and adolescents and recommends that it develop comprehensive child and adolescent mental health policy, which includes all obligatory components as recommended by the World Health Organization, inter alia, regarding mental health promotion, prevention of mental disorders in primary care and outpatient and inpatient mental health services, with a view to improving mental health and emotional well-being of children. Harmful traditional practices 61. The Committee, while noting that the minimum legal age of marriage is set at 18 years, is concerned about the practice of early and forced marriages of girls in certain communities, including traditional marriages not registered with the authorities, and about reported instances of sale of children for the purpose of marriage, and notes that such practices may be exacerbated in times of economic hardship. 62. The Committee urges the State party to: (a) Explicitly criminalize early and forced marriages and prosecute those responsible for such acts; (b) Enforce existing legislation and ensure that marriages of children under the age of 18 years are allowed only in exceptional cases with a judicial decision and only when it is in the best interests of the child; (c) Undertake surveys to assess the number of children affected in early and forced marriages, including traditional marriages not registered with the authorities, in order to develop targeted measures for reducing and eradicating this practice; and (d) Provide training and support to professionals working with families and children so that they can help those at risk of early and forced marriage, and work with affected communities and undertake sensitization campaigns on the negative impact of early and forced marriage, particularly on the rights and development of girls. Standard of living 63. The Committee notes that children from economically disadvantaged and socially excluded families were identified as a priority in the State party’s written replies and information that a national strategy for poverty reduction and social exclusion and a national programme for development of social protection were under way. The Committee is, however, concerned that the system of child allowances is discriminatory and excludes children in vulnerable situations, as it is limited to children who attend school regularly and whose parents are either employed or are already covered under a social protection scheme. 64. The Committee recommends that the State party prioritize the protection of an adequate standard of living for children in vulnerable situations, including in forthcoming legislation, strategies and programmes for social protection and particularly in the distribution of child allowances, and ensure that this is observed in practice by the relevant State institutions. The State party should take immediate measures to remove all forms of discrimination in the distribution of child allowances and other forms of social welfare. 13