CRC/C/COD/CO/3-5 United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child Distr.: General 28 February 2017 Original: English Committee on the Rights of the Child Concluding observations on the combined third to fifth periodic reports of the Democratic Republic of the Congo* I. Introduction 1. The Committee considered the consolidated third to fifth periodic reports of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (CRC/C/COD/3-5) at its 2168th and 2169th meetings (see CRC/C/SR.2168 and 2169), held on 18 and 19 January 2017, and adopted the present concluding observations at its 2193rd meeting, held on 3 February 2017. 2. The Committee welcomes the submission of the consolidated third to fifth periodic reports of the State party and the written replies to its list of issues (CRC/C/COD/Q/35/Add.1), which allowed for a better understanding of the situation of children’s rights in the State party. The Committee expresses appreciation for the constructive dialogue held with the high-level delegation of the State party. II. Follow-up measures taken and progress achieved by the State party 3. The Committee welcomes the progress made by the State party in implementing the Convention and notes as positive its latest ratifications of international human rights treaties, especially its accession to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities on 30 September 2015. 4. The Committee notes also the legislative, institutional and policy measures adopted to implement the Convention, in particular the Act amending the Family Code of 1987, adopted on 15 July 2016, which introduces some measures against child marriage, and the framework Law on education of 11 February 2014. The Committee welcomes the establishment of the National Commission for Human Rights in March 2013, and the adoption of a number of strategies and plans, including the National Education Strategy, the national plan for developing literacy and informal education (2012-2020), the action plan to combat the recruitment and use of children, and other grave violations of children’s rights, by the armed forces and security services (2012), the national action plan to end child * Adopted by the Committee at its seventy-fourth session (16 January-3 February 2017). GE.17-03340(E) 

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