CRC/C/15/Add.204 page 9 Harmful traditional practices 45. While the Committee notes with appreciation the adoption of a strategy to eliminate female genital mutilation, it is very concerned at the widespread practice of FGM, which affects almost 90 per cent of girls in the State party. It is also concerned about other harmful traditional practices, including early marriage, which contributes to the high rate of maternal mortality. 46. The Committee recommends that the State party continue to strengthen the implementation of its Strategy to Eliminate Female Genital Mutilation (1999) and undertake legislative reform to expressly prohibit the practice. It also recommends that the State party undertake similar educational and awareness programmes, in cooperation with NGOs and community leaders, with regard to other harmful traditional practices such as early marriage. Children with disabilities 47. The Committee welcomes the information provided by the State party during the dialogue that it has drafted a National Child and Family Welfare Policy, which includes measures to integrate children with disabilities into the education system. Yet, it remains concerned that children with disabilities often suffer from societal discrimination and that a significant proportion do not attend school or participate in social and cultural life. 48. The Committee recommends that the State party: (a) Adopt and implement the draft National Policy on Persons with Disability, which should include measures to educate the public about ways to prevent disability, and ensure that children’s rights are adequately integrated into the policy; (b) Adopt and implement the draft National Child and Family Welfare Policy; (c) Continue to strengthen efforts to combat discriminatory attitudes towards children with disabilities, particularly amongst children and parents, and promote their participation in all aspects of social and cultural life; (d) Formulate a programme that includes appropriate teacher training in order to ensure that all children with disabilities have access to education, including vocational training, and that wherever possible they are integrated into the mainstream education system. Standard of living 49. The Committee is concerned at the inadequate standard of living which hampers the respect for and fulfilment of the rights of children and the ability of their families to provide them with adequate protection. 50. The Committee recommends that the State party formulate a national strategy to combat poverty, with due emphasis on monitoring the impact on the rights of children, and that it allocate sufficient human and financial resources, including through international assistance, to ensure the implementation of its strategy.