CRC/C/15/Add.237 page 13 (b) Strengthen its measures to prevent mother-to-child transmission, inter alia, through coordination with the activities aimed at reducing maternal mortality. It recommends taking adequate measures to address the impact upon children of the HIV/AIDS-related deaths of parents, teachers and others, in terms of children’s reduced access to family life, adoption, emotional care and education; (c) Strengthen its efforts to raise awareness about HIV/AIDS among adolescents, particularly those belonging to vulnerable groups, as well as the population at large, so as to reduce discrimination against children infected and affected by HIV/AIDS; and (d) Seek further technical assistance from, inter alia, UNAIDS to further facilitate more flexible operational set-ups for the various partners. Harmful traditional practices 58. The Committee is concerned that the measures taken by the State party to raise awareness among the Padaung and the Kareni tribes on the potential health hazard of their traditional practice of neck elongation have been insufficient. The practice can result in sudden death or serious damage to the spinal cord if the neck-elongation ring is removed. 59. The Committee recommends that the State party continue and strengthen its awareness-raising activities among the people of the Padaung and the Kareni tribes, in particular women and girl children, on the potential risks of their traditional practice for their physical well-being. Right to an adequate standard of living 60. The Committee is concerned about the high proportion of the population living below the poverty line and the disproportionate percentage of average income spent on food. 61. In accordance with article 27 of the Convention, the Committee recommends that the State party strengthen its efforts to provide support and material assistance to economically disadvantaged families, notably those living in rural areas, and to guarantee the right of children to an adequate standard of living. 7. Education, leisure and cultural activities 62. The Committee welcomes the launching in 2000 of the Special Four-Year Plan for Education (2000/01-2003/04) aimed at promoting the basic education sector, and of the “Education for All” National Action Plan introduced in 2003 which is aimed specifically at the “access, quality and relevance” of education, but is seriously concerned at the following problematic aspects of the existing education system: (a) The low quality of education reflected in the high repetition and dropout rates, which affect more girls than boys; (b) The significant variation in school enrolment between urban and rural areas, and the particularly low level of enrolment of children belonging to minority groups;