CRC/C/15/Add.180 page 2 4. The adoption in 1998 of the International Treaties Act by which norms of international treaties, such as the Convention, become part of current law and can therefore be directly invoked in courts, is welcomed by the Committee. 5. The Committee notes that, in light of its previous recommendation (CRC/C/15/Add.17 of 7 February 1994, para. 11), the National Commission on the Rights of the Child was established in 1996. 6. The Committee recognizes that, in line with its previous recommendation (ibid., para. 11) a national plan for the protection of the rights of the child 1995-2000 was adopted by Presidential Decree No. 150 of 19 April 1995 and followed up by the presidential programme “Children of Belarus” for 2001-2005, approved by Presidential Decree No. 281 of 24 May 2001. 7. The Committee welcomes the adoption in March 1999 of a National Plan for Human Rights Education covering the period 1999-2004. 8. The Committee welcomes the State party’s adoption of the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography. It further notes that Belarus has signed The Hague Convention on the Protection of Children and Cooperation in Respect of Intercountry Adoption of 1993, as previously recommended (ibid., para. 13). C. Factors and difficulties impeding progress in the implementation of the Convention 9. The Committee acknowledges that, owing to economic transition, the growing poverty affecting families, especially those with many children and those living in rural areas, is still impeding the full implementation of the Convention in the State party. Further, it notes the persistence of the negative consequences of the Chernobyl nuclear plant disaster affecting the population in general and the health and development of children, in particular. D. Principal areas of concern and recommendation 1. General measures of implementation Previous recommendations 10. The Committee regrets that some of the concerns and recommendations (CRC/C/15/Add.28 of 24 October 1994) it made upon consideration of the State party’s initial report (CRC/C/8/Add.6) have been insufficiently addressed, particularly those contained in paragraphs 11, 12, 14, and 15. Those concerns and recommendations are reiterated in the present document. 11. The Committee urges the State party to make every effort to address the recommendations contained in the concluding observations on the initial report that have not yet been implemented and to address the list of concerns contained in the present concluding observations on the second periodic report.