CRC/C/15/Add.269 page 5 Data collection 20. Despite some improvements in the system of data collection, the Committee remains concerned about inadequate mechanisms to collect, analyse and disaggregate statistical data on children and adolescents. In particular, it regrets the lack of data on children living in extreme poverty, children separated from their parents, child victims of sexual exploitation, children in the juvenile justice system and Amazigh children. 21. The Committee recommends that the State party strengthen its mechanisms for data collection and develop indicators consistent with the Convention in order to ensure that data are collected on all areas covered by the Convention and that they are disaggregated, inter alia, by age for all persons under 18 years, gender, urban and rural area, and by those groups of children who are in need of special protection. It further encourages the State party to use these indicators and data to formulate policies and programmes for the effective implementation of the Convention. Cooperation with non-governmental organizations 22. The Committee welcomes the growing number of civil society associations in the country and notes with appreciation that efforts are being made by the State party to establish relationships between the Government and civil society and to increase mutual cooperation. However, the Committee regrets that these efforts have not yet led to the systematic involvement of non-governmental organizations and other sectors of civil society in the State party’s implementation of the Convention. 23. The Committee emphasizes the important role civil society plays as a partner in implementing the provisions of the Convention, including with respect to civil rights and freedoms, and encourages closer cooperation with non-governmental organizations. In particular, the Committee recommends that the State party involve non-governmental organizations, especially rights-based ones, and other sectors of civil society working with and for children more systematically throughout all stages of the implementation of the Convention. The Committee encourages the State party to seek the collaboration of all Algerian child rights associations. Dissemination and training 24. The Committee welcomes the measures undertaken by the State party to disseminate the Convention, such as the organization of thematic meetings, the publication of a guide to the rights of the child in 1999 in collaboration with UNICEF and the collection of writings on the protection of children’s rights published by the Ecole supérieur de la magistrature in 2005. However, the Committee remains concerned that awareness of the Convention remains low among children and their parents and that many professionals working with and for children do not receive adequate training on children’s rights. 25. The Committee recommends that the State party strengthen its awareness-raising efforts through, inter alia, involvement of the media and systematic education and training on the rights of the child for all professional groups working with and for children, in