CRC/C/15/Add.113
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resolution 48/96) and the Committees recommendations adopted at its day of general
discussion on The rights of children with disabilities (CRC/C/69), it is recommended
that the State party develop early identification programmes to prevent disabilities,
increase its efforts to implement alternatives to the institutionalization of children with
disabilities, establish special education programmes for children with disabilities and
further encourage their inclusion in society. The Committee recommends that the State
party seek technical cooperation for the training of professional staff working with and for
children with disabilities from, inter alia, UNICEF and WHO.
D.7.
Education, leisure and cultural activities
30.
The Committee notes the significant progress made in the field of education, including
under the 20/20 Initiative adopted at the World Summit for Social Development in Copenhagen
in 1995. The Committee remains concerned that many children, particularly girls, still do not
attend school. With respect to the general situation of education, the Committee notes with
concern: the extent of overcrowding; high drop-out, illiteracy and repetition rates; lack of basic
training materials; poorly maintained infrastructure and equipment; shortages of text books and
other materials; and the insufficient number of trained teachers. The State party is encouraged
to continue its efforts to promote the school attendance of girls. The Committee
recommends that all appropriate measures be taken to improve the quality of education
and to provide access for all children within the State party. In this connection, it is
recommended that the State party seek to strengthen its educational system through closer
cooperation with UNICEF and UNESCO. The State party is further urged to implement
additional measures to encourage children to stay in school, at least during the period of
compulsory education.
D.8.
Special protection measures
31.
While recognizing the State partys openness to hosting refugees from neighbouring
States, the Committee remains concerned at the lack of adequate legal provisions, policies and
programmes to guarantee and protect the rights of refugee and asylum-seeking children. The
Committee recommends that the State party develop a legislative framework for the
protection of refugee and asylum-seeking children, and implement policies and
programmes to guarantee them adequate access to health, education and social services.
32.
The Committee notes the initiatives taken by the State party in the area of child labour
and economic exploitation and in particular the recent study and follow-up activities undertaken
in this regard, including the establishment of the National Programme to Combat Child Labour.
However, the Committee remains concerned at the situation of child labour, especially as
regards, children engaged in domestic and agricultural labour, children engaged in mining and
traditional gold-washing and children engaged as apprentices in the informal sector. The
Committee encourages the State party to improve its monitoring mechanisms to ensure the
enforcement of labour laws and protect children from economic exploitation. The
Committee also suggests that the State party increase its efforts to ratify ILO Convention
No. 138 concerning Minimum Age for Admission to Employment and that it consider
ratifying ILO Convention No. 182 concerning the Elimination of the Worst Forms of Child
Labour.