E/C.12/1995/6 page 3 statistics on the standards of living enjoyed by various sectors and especially the most vulnerable groups identified by the Government in its report, the lack of information on working or abandoned children and homeless persons, and the lack of information on the nature and volume of activity in the informal sector. D. Principal subjects of concern 10. The Committee notes with concern the inconsistent protection of the rights of workers, depending on their membership in trade unions. It notes in this regard that workers who are not covered by collective bargaining agremeents are not guaranteed a minimum wage, are not covered by occupational safety clauses and receive little or no protection in the event of illness. In the case of women workers, the Committee notes that women who are not members of trade unions receive little or no maternity benefits and may be dismissed if they become pregnant. The Committee is further concerned about the inadequate protection of immigrant workers. 11. The Committee notes the inconsistency in the fact that while young persons in Suriname attain majority at the age of 21, men can marry from the age of 15 and women from the age of 13. The Committee notes with concern that the difference in the marriageable ages for men and women does not appear to conform with the provisions of articles 2 and 10 of the Covenant, nor does it appear to be compatible with articles 2 and 3 of the Convention on the Rights of the Child to which Suriname is also a state party. Moreover, the Committee expresses its deep concern about the possibility under Suriname law that a marriage partner can be appointed without his or her consent, which in general appears to disadvantageously affect women more often than men. 12. The Committee is concerned that social assistance to the poor (FB) is administered on a discretionary basis and hence opens the possibility of unequal protection of the poor. Moreover, the Committee is concerned that even provided with social assistance, many disadvantaged persons receive inadequate amounts of assistance or, when their incomes fall slightly above the official subsistence minimum, do not receive any assistance at all from the FB programmes. The Committee considers that the subsistence minimum requires revision and that, as it presently stands, it excludes many persons genuinely in need of assistance. 13. The Committee notes with concern the inadequacy of housing available in Suriname, especially in the interior where many internally displaced persons are situated. It notes with concern the Government’s inability to implement its housing policy for the poorest sectors. 14. The Committee views with grave concern the problem of malnourishment of children in Suriname, which has been aggravated by the economic crisis. It is also concerned about the high mortality rates among children in the refugee camps and the inadequate education provided to these children. It further notes with concern the declining levels of vaccination coverage among the population. 15. With respect to education, the Committee notes that education is provided only in Dutch, the official language of Suriname. It regrets that no efforts are being made by the Government to promote the use of Sranan Tongo, which is spoken by most Surinamese, or to preserve the native languages of the various indigenous