CRC/C/15/Add.259 page 19 asylum-seeking and refugee children. The Committee notes that, for example, the provisions of the Special Protection of Children against Child Abuse, Exploitation and Discrimination Act on children in emergency situations are limited to children in situations of armed conflict. 74. The Committee recommends to the State party that it introduce specific laws and administrative regulations that address the needs of asylum-seeking and refugee children and provide unaccompanied and separated asylum-seeking and refugee children with special procedures. In this respect, the Committee recommends that the State party continue its cooperation with UNHCR. Children in armed conflict 75. The Committee welcomes the ratification of the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the involvement of children in armed conflict by the State party in August 2003 and the setting of minimum age of 18 years for recruitment into the national Armed Forces, however, with exception for training purposes. The Committee also takes note with appreciation of the adoption of a Comprehensive Programme Framework for Children in Armed Conflict of 2001 (Presidential Executive Order No. 56) which promotes rescue, recovery and reintegration of children involved in armed conflict. Notwithstanding these positive steps taken by the State party, the Committee expresses its deep concern about children, sometimes as young as 11 years old, being recruited by armed rebel movements, such as the New People’s Army, the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, and the Abu Sayyaf Group, to serve as combatants, spies, guards, cooks or medics. 76. The Committee is concerned that the State party is able to provide only the arrested child soldiers with physical and psychological recovery and social reintegration services, but the majority of children involved in and affected by armed conflict is never reached. Furthermore, the Committee is concerned about the continuing displacement of children and their limited access to social and health services, education and, above all, to development due to the adverse effects of internal armed conflict. In addition, the Committee is concerned at the impact of internal armed conflict on children not involved in hostilities, particularly Muslim children living in the Mindanao region. 77. The Committee recalls that the State party has undertaken to respect and ensure all the rights set forth in the Convention for all children within its jurisdiction at all times. In the light of articles 38, 39 and other relevant articles of the Convention, the Committee urges the State party to continue its peace efforts with armed rebel movements in order to urge them to immediately cease the recruitment for and involvement of children in armed conflicts, and to ensure protection of all children who have been involved in armed conflict. The Committee recommends to the State party that it provide children involved in and traumatized by armed conflict with adequate assistance and counselling for their physical and psychological recovery and social reintegration into society in cooperation with national and international non-governmental organizations and United Nations bodies, such as UNICEF. The Committee recommends that the State party provide girl child soldiers with adequate gender-specific rehabilitation and reintegration services.