E/C.12/BLR/CO/4-6 effectively address the root causes of the phenomenon, in particular its close link to sexual exploitation. 22. The Committee is concerned that the rate of poverty in rural areas is almost double the rate in urban areas and that certain segments of the population still live below the national poverty line, including single-parent families and families with two or more children, in spite of the fact that the State party succeeded in significantly reducing the level of poverty from 41.9 per cent in 2000 to 6.3 per cent in 2012 (arts. 10-11). The Committee recommends that the State party pursue its efforts to combat poverty and reduce the disparities between rural and urban areas. It also recommends that the State party introduce measures to guarantee targeted support to all those living below the poverty line, including single-parent families and families with two or more children. In this respect, the Committee draws the State party’s attention to its statement concerning Poverty and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (E/C.12/2001/10). 23. The Committee notes with concern the lack of adequate access to subsidized/social housing by disadvantaged groups, in particular young families, families with many children, older persons, persons with disabilities and refugees, and the long waiting list for social housing which deprives many people of their right to adequate housing (art. 11, para. 1). The Committee recommends that the State party adopt all adequate measures to address the problem of the long waiting lists in respect of social housing and ensure access to adequate housing for disadvantaged groups, including by ensuring that sufficient resources are allocated to increase the supply of social housing units and by providing appropriate forms of financial support, such as rental subsidies, taking into account its general comment No. 4 (1991) on the right to adequate housing. 24. The Committee expresses concern at the spread of HIV/AIDS beyond the original risk groups and the rising prevalence of HIV/AIDS in rural areas and the persistent social stigmatization of, and discrimination against, persons living with HIV/AIDS, in particular in access to health care and employment, despite the efforts made by the State party to combat HIV/AIDS and the establishment of facilities across the country providing testing services free of charge. The Committee is also concerned that the definition of HIV as a socially dangerous disease and the provisions in the law for compulsory testing of persons believed to be HIV-infected may further exacerbate stigma and discrimination against persons living with HIV/AIDS (art. 2, paras. 2 and 12). The Committee recommends that the State party: (a) Take targeted measures to prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS, including among new risk groups and in rural areas; (b) Ensure effective prohibition of discrimination against persons living with HIV/AIDS; (c) Take all necessary measures to ensure the access of persons living with HIV/AIDS to health care and employment on an equal basis with others; (d) Increase its awareness-raising activities aimed at promoting understanding of the modes of transmission of HIV and tolerance towards persons living with HIV/AIDS among medical staff, employers and the population at large and measure their impact; (e) Repeal or amend laws and policies that perpetuate the stigmatization and rejection of persons living with HIV/AIDS and adversely impact on any progress made in combating HIV. 7