CRC/C/15/Add.259 page 25 (g) Continue to seek technical assistance from, inter alia, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime and UNICEF. Children belonging to minorities and indigenous peoples 92. While noting the provisions of the Indigenous Peoples Rights Act (Republic Act No. 8371) as well as programmes and projects for children belonging to minorities and indigenous peoples, such as an alternative system of education for children belonging to indigenous cultural communities, the Childcare Development Programme and the Lingua Franca Project, the Committee is concerned about the widespread poverty among minorities and indigenous peoples and the limited enjoyment of their human rights, in particular, concerning their access to social and health services and education. The Committee shares the State party’s concern about arranged early marriage in the indigenous communities. In addition, the Committee notes with concern more pronounced discrimination against Muslims. 93. The Committee recalls the obligations of the State party under articles 2 and 30 of the Convention and recommends that the State party ensure that indigenous children and children belonging to minorities fully enjoy all of their human rights equally and without discrimination. In this respect the Committee recommends that the State party strengthen its efforts to implement the Indigenous Peoples Rights Act (Republic Act No. 8371) and develop and implement policies and programmes in order to ensure equal access for indigenous and minority children to culturally appropriate services, including social and health services and education. Furthermore, the Committee recommends that the State party strengthen its mechanisms for data collection on minority and indigenous children so as to identify existing gaps and barriers to the enjoyment of their human rights and with a view to developing legislation, policies and programmes to address such gaps and barriers. 94. As regards the child’s right to use his/her own language, the Committee encourages the State party to continue its efforts to address the linguistic needs of indigenous and minority children. In addition, the Committee recommends that the State party seek, in close collaboration with indigenous and minority communities and their respective leaders, effective measures to abolish traditional practices prejudicial to the health and well-being of indigenous and minority children, such as early marriage. 8. Optional Protocols to the Convention on the Rights of the Child 95. The Committee welcomes the ratification in May 2002 of the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography and the ratification in August 2003 of the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the involvement of children in armed conflict. 96. In order to be able to examine the implementation of the Optional Protocols, the Committee underlines the importance of a regular and timely reporting practice. The Committee recommends that the State party fully meet its reporting obligations under the reporting provisions of the Optional Protocols and the Convention.