E/C.12/DOM/CO/4 Protection of children and adolescents 44. The Committee is concerned about the large number of cases of exploitation and sexual abuse of children and adolescents. It is particularly concerned at the fact that no minimum age of sexual consent has been established and that the privileges afforded to members of the Catholic clergy have constituted barriers to the prosecution of some clerics for the commission of such acts. The Committee is further concerned at the considerable number of children between the ages of 5 and 15 who work and at the high number of children aged 14 to 17 who are engaged in hazardous work. The Committee regrets that the minimum working age remains 14 years (art. 10). 45. The Committee recommends that the State party: (a) Intensify its efforts to prevent exploitation and sexual abuse and ensure appropriate, good-quality services for the protection, compensation and rehabilitation of child and adolescent victims of exploitation and sexual abuse; (b) Establish a minimum age of sexual consent in its domestic legislation and repeal any legal or administrative provisions that may be conducive to impunity in cases of exploitation or sexual abuse of children or adolescents, including provisions regarding the privileges established in respect of the prosecution of members of the Catholic Church; (c) Redouble its efforts to adopt effective measures to prevent and combat the economic exploitation of children and adolescents, including the amendment of domestic legislation to prohibit the employment of children under 15, ensure that legal provisions on child labour are rigorously enforced, strengthen child labour inspection services and provide support to poor families to help them to ensure that their children attend school; and (d) Ensure that all cases of exploitation and of any type of abuse or violence against children or adolescents are thoroughly investigated and that those responsible are duly punished. Birth registration 46. The Committee notes with concern that a significant number of children under the age of 5, especially children who belong to marginalized and disadvantaged groups, are not registered. The Committee is also concerned by reports of the existence of excessive requirements for the registration of children of Haitian descent, even when one of the parents is of Dominican origin, which places them at risk of statelessness and limits their ability to exercise their rights, particularly their rights to education and to access to healthcare services (art. 10). 47. The Committee recommends that the State party intensify its efforts to ensure that everyone has access to an efficient and free birth registration process through which all children who do not have a birth certificate may obtain one. In addition, the Committee urges the State party to eliminate all legal provisions and administrative practices that prevent children of Haitian descent from obtaining a birth certificate. Poverty 48. The Committee is concerned that, even though the economy has been growing, the State party has not succeeded in reducing its high levels of poverty, extreme poverty and inequality, especially in the cases of Haitians, Dominicans of Haitian descent, Afrodescendants and persons living in rural areas (art. 11). 8 GE.16-18306