CRC/C/TJK/CO/2 (c) Carrying out activities aimed at reducing stigma and discrimination related to HIV/AIDS and at raising awareness on human rights within the context of HIV/AIDS; (d) Seeking technical assistance from, among others, the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), WHO and UNICEF. Standard of living 58. Despite the social welfare benefits for low income families, children without parents and others, the Committee is concerned that child poverty is significantly higher than the overall poverty rate, with 66 per cent of children under the age of 18 defined as poor, compared with 61 per cent of adults and that there are regional disparities in the standards of living. The Committee is also concerned about the lack of information on whether the poverty reduction strategies cover the needs of children. 59. In accordance with article 27 of the Convention, the Committee recommends that the State party: (a) Strengthen its efforts to reduce the rates of child poverty, in particular with regard to alleviating the effects of the economic crisis on children; (b) Pay special attention to families and children in the development of its poverty reduction strategies, which should include targeted measures protecting children from the negative impact of poverty on development, health and education; (c) Provide access to clean drinking water, adequate sanitation, food and shelter in all regions and communities of the country, including the refugee population; (d) Ensure that poverty reduction strategies cover the needs of children and encourage participation of parents and children in the development of such strategies. Harmful traditional practices 60. The Committee is concerned about the existence especially in rural areas of the practice of religious unregistered marriages (nikah) of very young girls into polygamous arrangements. While noting that polygamy is prohibited in the Criminal Code, the Committee is however concerned that the State party rarely prosecutes such cases. It notes that such girls often become victims of domestic violence. 61. The Committee urges the State party to: (a) Enforce the provision of the Criminal Code on polygamous marriages, by investigating and prosecuting such practices; (b) Involve the civil society and religious leaders to prevent and combat early marriages and polygamous marriages; (c) Hold those who perform religious marriages of underage girls criminally responsible. 4. Education, leisure and cultural activities (arts. 28, 29 and 31 of the Convention) Education, including vocational training and guidance 62. The Committee welcomes the efforts by the State party to recruit significant number of teachers in a very short time in order to meet the needs of the system of education. The 13