E/C.12/MEX/CO/4 page 4 24. The Committee notes with concern that existing housing programmes do not adequately address the housing needs of the poor. It reiterates its concern about the absence in the State party’s report of any statistical information on the number of forced evictions and on the extent of homelessness in the country. 25. The Committee is concerned about the high rate of maternal mortality caused by unsafe abortions, in particular as regards girls and young women, about reports on obstruction of access to legal abortion after rape, e.g. by misinformation, lack of clear guidelines, abusive behaviour directed at pregnant rape victims by public prosecutors and health personnel, and legal impediments in cases of incest, and about the lack of access to reproductive health services and education, especially in rural areas and in indigenous communities. 26. The Committee expresses its concern about the lack of teachers in primary and secondary schools, especially in indigenous and remote areas, the low school attendance by indigenous children, their comparatively poor school performance, the high illiteracy rate among the indigenous population and the limited access to education for, in particular, indigenous and migrant children and agricultural workers under the age of completion of compulsory education. The Committee is also concerned about the reduction in the budget allocated to intercultural and bilingual education. 27. The Committee notes with concern that the collective authorship of indigenous peoples of their traditional knowledge and cultural heritage is not protected by the Federal Copyright Act or in other legislation of the State party. E. Suggestions and recommendations 28. The Committee urges the State party to ensure that the indigenous and local communities affected by the La Parota hydroelectric dam project or other large-scale projects on the lands and territories which they own or traditionally occupy or use are duly consulted, and that their prior informed consent is sought, in any decision-making processes related to these projects affecting their rights and interests under the Covenant, in line with ILO Convention No. 169 concerning Indigenous and Tribal Peoples in Independent Countries. The Committee also urges the State party to recognize the rights of ownership and possession of indigenous communities to the lands traditionally occupied by them, to ensure that adequate compensation and/or alternative accommodation and land for cultivation are provided to the indigenous communities and local farmers affected by the construction of the La Parota dam or other construction projects under the Plan Puebla-Panama, and that their economic, social and cultural rights are safeguarded. In this regard, the State party is referred to the Committee’s general comments Nos. 14 and 15 on the right to the highest attainable standard of health and on the right to water. 29. The Committee encourages the State party to consider adopting legislation on gender equality at the federal and state levels. It calls on the State party to ensure that all federated states adopt and effectively implement laws on sexual harassment and that any provisions contrary to article 3 of the Covenant are repealed in federal and state legislation. 30. The Committee recommends that the State party gradually regularize the situation of workers employed in the informal sector and to continue and intensify its job placement programmes and financial support for persons seeking employment.