CRC/C/TKM/CO/1 page 4 Resources for children 13. The Committee is concerned at the scarce information and the lack of transparency on budget allocations for children and for the implementation of the principles and provisions of the Convention. The Committee is further concerned at the information that the improvement in the economic performance and macroeconomic indicators was not reflected in increased budgetary allocations to children’s issues. 14. The Committee recommends that the State party pay particular attention to the full implementation of article 4 of the Convention, by increasing and prioritizing budgetary allocations to ensure implementation of the economic, social and cultural rights of children, in particular those belonging to economically disadvantaged groups, “to the maximum extent of ... available resources and, where needed, within the framework of international cooperation”. The Committee further recommends that the State party make publicly known how the protection of the rights of children is reflected in budgetary allocations and provide further information in this respect in its next periodic report. Data collection 15. While the Committee notes that the National Statistical and Information Institute “Turkmenmillikhasabat” collects data and carries out sociological studies on children’s issues, it is concerned at the absence of data in the State party’s report on most of the issues covered by the Convention, including children with disabilities, children belonging to ethnic minority groups and children in conflict with the law. 16. The Committee recommends that the State party develop a system for a comprehensive collection of comparative data on all areas of the Convention in a way that allows for disaggregation and analysis. Particular emphasis should be placed on those groups who are in need of special protection. The Committee further recommends that the State party continue to cooperate with UNICEF in this respect and consider the annual publications of a statistical report on the implementation of the Convention. Training/dissemination of the Convention 17. The Committee welcomes the information that the Convention has been published in Turkmen and that its provisions are regularly explained in the mass media. It also notes that the National Institute for Democracy and Human Rights publishes texts and compilations of international instruments and national laws on the subject of civil rights and freedoms. 18. The Committee encourages the State party to continue disseminating the Convention, with special attention to vulnerable groups, i.e. ethnic or language minorities, and to strengthen its efforts to provide adequate and systematic training and/or sensitization on children’s rights of professional groups working with and for children. Cooperation with civil society 19. While the Committee notes the amendment of 2 November 2004 to the Criminal Code of Turkmenistan rescinding article 223/1, which stipulated criminal penalties for unregistered