CRC/C/COD/CO/3-5
completion of schooling, including, inter alia, direct and indirect costs, early marriage
and persisting zones of insecurity;
(c)
Create vocational education and training programmes for children,
including children who have dropped out of primary or secondary school;
(d)
Eliminate differences regarding access to schools and ensure that all
children in its territory, both in urban and rural areas and from all socioeconomic
backgrounds, have access to free education of adequate quality;
(e)
Improve the quality of teaching by, inter alia, ensuring that teachers
receive appropriate training and can upgrade their skills further through in-service
training, and that they receive adequate salaries that are paid in a timely manner;
(f)
Implement its plans to build additional schools and increase expenditure
in the education sector, including on school equipment and infrastructure, in
particular with regard to access to potable water and adequate sanitation facilities,
and ensure that transport services are available to children to facilitate access to
schools;
(g)
Implement the existing laws and regulations that prohibit attacks on and
occupation of schools by the military and take measures to bring those responsible to
justice;
(h)
Promote early childhood education and take steps to provide children in
all regions with access to such education.
H.
Special protection measures (arts. 22, 30, 32, 33, 35, 36, 37 (b)-(d) and
38-40)
Refugee and internally displaced children
41.
In view of the fact that large numbers of children continue to be internally
displaced owing to the armed conflict in the eastern part of the country and the
significant numbers of refugees arriving from neighbouring countries, the Committee
reiterates its previous recommendation (see CRC/C/COD/CO/2, para. 75) that the
State party continue and strengthen its efforts to ensure that all refugees and
displaced persons, particularly children, are provided with adequate and appropriate
assistance, including food, medical and psychological care and access to education,
and also that it seek the support of and cooperation from international organizations,
including the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. The
Committee recommends that the State party establish a coherent database and
national programmes for refugee and internally displaced children, with a view to
ensuring full protection of their rights.
Economic exploitation, including child labour
42.
Given that large numbers of children, including indigenous children, continue
to be exploited in the extractive industries in extremely hazardous conditions, mainly
in the east of the country, with high risk to their lives, health and development, as well
as in the informal sector, the Committee urges the State party to eliminate all forms of
exploitation of child labour, especially in extractive industries, and take measures to
investigate, prosecute and punish those who are responsible, as well as raise public
awareness of the harmful effects of such labour and child labour in general on
children’s health and development.
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