E/C.12/LVA/CO/1 page 3 making. The Committee regrets that it has not received sufficient information from the State party regarding affirmative action initiatives to promote gender equality. 14. The Committee is concerned about the persistent disparities in the levels of unemployment among the regions in the State party. 15. The Committee encourages the State party to continue to improve vocational training programmes to empower the workforce, in particular disadvantaged and marginalized individuals, to facilitate their entry into the labour market and to ensure that vocational training is also provided in minority languages. 16. The Committee is concerned that, while noting the efforts of the State Employment Agency to encourage employment of persons with disabilities, persons with mental and physical disabilities continue to face serious obstacles in accessing the labour market, in part due to the absence of vocational training in schools. 17. The Committee notes the absence of criminal law provisions specifically addressing sexual harassment in the workplace. 18. The Committee is concerned about the low level of awareness of labour safety protection measures amongst employers, particularly in view of the increasing incidence of occupational accidents in the State party. 19. The Committee is concerned that the current minimum wage is insufficient to provide an adequate standard of living for workers and their families. 20. The Committee regrets the lack of information provided as to whether the current levels of social security benefits permit recipients a reasonable standard of living consistent with articles 9 and 11 of the Covenant. The Committee is also concerned that unemployment benefits, which are gradually reduced in amount on a monthly basis over a maximum nine month period, may be insufficient to secure a decent standard of living for workers and their families, and in particular, to persons belonging to disadvantaged and marginalized groups. 21. The Committee is concerned about the high incidence of domestic violence and other forms of abuse against women and children in the State party, which often go unreported. In this connection, the Committee is particularly concerned about the absence of specific legislation on domestic violence and of a coherent strategy to support victims of domestic violence. 22. The Committee is concerned that, in spite of the adoption, in 2004, of the State Programme for Elimination of Trafficking in Humans (2004-2008), cross-border and internal trafficking in persons continues to be a serious problem for the State party. The Committee is also concerned that, although trafficking in persons carries a maximum penalty of 15 years’ imprisonment under article 154 of the amended Criminal Code, in most cases, the courts administer significantly lower prison sentences under article 165, for “sending a person for sexual exploitation”.