CRC/C/15/Add.213 page 2 the Criminal Code (1997), the Code of Criminal Procedure (1997), the Code for the Execution of Criminal Penalties (1997), the Code of Administrative Offences (2001), the Rights of the Child Act (2002) and the Children with Disabilities Act (2002). 5. The Committee appreciates the cooperation of the State party with OHCHR and the agreement to establish in Kazakhstan one of the two regional offices of the OHCHR regional project for Central Asia. The Committee notes cooperation with other United Nations bodies and agencies as well as other international and regional organizations, in particular programmes of WHO, ILO, UNHCR, UNFPA and UNICEF. 6. The Committee notes the preparation of the outline of State policy on young people and the “Youth Kazakhstan” programme; the Department on family problems dealing with protection of the rights and lawful interests of children, set up within the National Commission on Family and Women’s Matters in the Office of the President; and the Council on Youth Affairs set up in July 2000. C. Factors and difficulties impeding the implementation of the Convention 7. The Committee notes that the State party continues to deal with serious economic, social and political challenges following independence in 1991, including a deterioration of living standards, high unemployment and growing poverty affecting particularly the most vulnerable groups of society, including single-parent families, and certain regions disproportionately. Furthermore, the two major ecological disasters - the shrinking of the Aral Sea and the radioactive contamination at the Semipalatinsk nuclear testing facility - have affected the health of a significant part of the population and their access to safe drinking water. D. Principal subjects of concern, suggestions and recommendations 1. General measures of implementation Legislation and implementation 8. The Committee notes that international treaties ratified by Kazakhstan may be directly invoked in courts; however, it also notes that judicial practice demonstrates that these treaties are not used in domestic legal proceedings. It further notes that the Convention may take precedence over domestic law provisions in case of a conflict between the two, but is concerned that this is not always the case. The Committee, while welcoming the many legislative measures taken, is concerned that their implementation is lacking or insufficient and restricted due to limited resources. 9. The Committee recommends that the State party continue and strengthen its efforts to bring national laws to full compliance with the principles and provisions of the Convention. The Committee further recommends that as a matter of priority the State party makes sure that a mechanism/body is in charge of the effective implementation of the laws enacted with a view to implementing the Convention, and that sufficient human, financial and other resources are available.