E/C.12/MKD/CO/2-4 (a) Law on Prevention of and Protection against Domestic Violence of 2014; (b) National Strategy for Gender Equality 2013-2020; (c) Law on the Minimum Wage of 2012; (d) Law on Equal Opportunities for Women and Men of 2012; (e) Law on Prevention of and Protection against Discrimination of 2010; (f) Law on Free Legal Aid of 2009; (g) Law on Social Protection of 2009; (h) 2010-2020. C. National Strategy for the Reduction of Poverty and Social Exclusion Principal subjects of concern and recommendations Domestic application of the Covenant 5. While noting that articles 98 and 108 of the Constitution of the State party provide for direct application of the Covenant in the domestic legal order, the Committee regrets that neither specific cases nor statistical data were presented illustrating judicial practice in this regard. The Committee is also concerned at the insufficient level of training provided for judicial officials and legal professionals on the Covenant rights. 6. The Committee recommends that the State party take all measures necessary to improve awareness about the direct applicability of the Covenant among judges, prosecutors and lawyers, including by integrating the Covenant in the curriculum of the Academy for Judges and Public Prosecutors and other training programmes for legal professionals. The Committee also recommends that the State party include in its next periodic report information on the application of the Covenant by domestic courts. The Committee refers to its general comment No. 9 (1998) on the domestic application of the Covenant. Data collection 7. The Committee regrets that the State party has postponed the population census originally planned for 2011 and that, as a result, there are no updated data on the composition of the population. The Committee is also concerned at the insufficient statistical data provided by the State party on the realization of economic, social and cultural rights. 8. The Committee urges the State party to conduct the population census without further delay. It recommends that the State party take all measures necessary to improve its data collection system to enable the timely collection of reliable data on the situation in all areas of Covenant rights, robust analysis, and effective and efficient data management. Impact of decentralization on the enjoyment of economic, social and cultural rights 9. The Committee notes that some responsibilities of the central Government, particularly in the areas of social security, water and sanitation, primary health care and other public services, and primary and secondary education, have been devolved to municipalities in the process of decentralization. The Committee is concerned, however, at the large discrepancies in administrative and financial capacities among municipal authorities, which may have discriminatory effects on the enjoyment of the economic, 2