CRC/C/RWA/CO/3-4 20. The Committee reminds the State party that human rights defenders deserve special protection as their work is critical for promoting human rights for all, including children, and thus strongly recommends that the State party take immediate action to allow journalists, human rights defenders and all NGOs to exercise their right to freedom of expression and opinion without threats and harassment. The Committee also urges the State party to ensure that reported instances of intimidation and harassment of NGOs, human rights defenders or civil society activists are promptly and independently investigated, and those responsible for such abuses are held accountable. The Committee further recommends that the State party systematically involve all NGOs working in the field of children’s rights in the development, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of laws, policies and programmes related to children. B. General principles (arts. 2, 3, 6 and 12 of the Convention) Non-discrimination 21. The Committee welcomes the State party’s efforts to address discrimination, such as the revision of all discriminatory provisions against women. These efforts have, for example, enabled women in the State party to attain very high participation in decisionmaking. It also welcomes the various policies and strategies focusing on specific categories of children in disadvantaged situations, such as the National Policy for Orphans and Other Vulnerable Children. However, the Committee remains concerned at the stigma and persistent discrimination faced by persons who were born as a result of rape during the genocide, children affected by HIV/AIDS, and children with disabilities, especially girls. The Committee is also deeply concerned about continued discrimination against children living in poverty, children in street situations and child-headed households, children in residential care, orphans, and children from minority Batwa or “historically marginalized communities” with regard to their access to social services, health care and education. 22. The Committee urges the State party to: (a) Prevent and eliminate discrimination in development, education, health and basic services against children with disabilities, children affected by HIV/AIDS, children living in street situations and in poverty, and in child-headed households. In this context, the Committee requests the State party to pay particular attention to girls and intensify measures to ensure that children in vulnerable situations are well protected, have equitable access to all services and are fully included in society; and (b) Intensify measures, including awareness-raising and timely implementation of relevant policies and strategic plans to combat stigma against children from “historically marginalized communities”, children with disabilities, especially girls, and persons who were born as a result of rape during the genocide. Respect for the views of the child 23. The Committee notes the establishment and promotion of the yearly National Children’s Summit since 2004. Nevertheless, the Committee is concerned that, due to traditional attitudes and resistance, respect for the views of the child remains limited within the family, in schools and village councils. The Committee is further concerned that mechanisms for facilitating meaningful and empowered participation of children with disabilities, without parental care or from marginalized communities, such as Batwa, in legislative, policy and programme development processes which impact on them, are almost non-existent. 5