CRC/C/MDA/CO/3 page 12 (c) Ensure that adolescents have access to age-appropriate and confidential counselling services and life skills training programmes; (d) Strengthen efforts in adolescent sex and reproductive health education to reduce the number of teenage pregnancies and develop child-friendly programmes to assist teenage mothers and their children; (e) Develop an effective and gender-sensitive strategy of education and awarenessraising for the general public with a view to reducing teenage pregnancies; (f) Implement measures to discourage the use of alcohol and drugs by adolescents, paying particular attention to pregnant adolescents; (g) Take further measures, including the allocation of adequate human and financial resources to support the development of youth-sensitive and confidential counselling, care and rehabilitation facilities, taking into account the Committee’s general comment No. 4 (2003) on adolescent health. HIV/AIDS 56. The Committee is deeply concerned about the increasing rates of sexually transmitted infections (STIs), including HIV/AIDS, and the lack of respect for confidentiality in relation to the HIV status of patients. 57. The Committee recommends that the State party urgently implement a comprehensive strategy for the prevention and treatment of STIs, particularly HIV/AIDS, taking into account the Committee’s general comment No. 3 (2003) on HIV/AIDS and the rights of the child. In this regard, the State party is encouraged to involve adolescents in drawing up and implementing appropriate strategies, to provide adequate resources for the education of adolescents on STIs, particularly HIV/AIDS, and to consider the use of peer education as an integral component of its strategies. Adequate standard of living 58. The Committee remains concerned at the persistence of widespread poverty in the State party, and notes that children constitute 28 percent of the population living in poverty. The Committee is further concerned that the poverty rate among children has increased during the reporting period, thus affecting the overall standard of living of children. 59. The Committee recommends that the State party take steps to improve the standard of living of children. In this regard, the Committee highlights the need to strengthen the capacity of national and local authorities to provide adequate social services, with particular attention being paid to children living in poverty in remote areas. 6. Education, leisure and cultural activities (arts. 28, 29 and 31 of the Convention) Education, including vocational training and guidance 60. The Committee notes that the State party adopted the Strategy and National Action Plan of Education for All (2004-2008) and that a new curriculum is being implemented. However, the Committee remains concerned that the net rate of school enrolment has been decreasing over the last few years and that access to education is, to a large extent, dependent on the economic situation