E/C.12/TJK/CO/2-3 Domestic violence 25. The Committee is concerned that domestic violence is not criminalized as such and remains prevalent in the State party. The Committee is also concerned that cases of domestic violence are underreported and, when they are reported, are not adequately investigated, and that perpetrators often avoid punishment. The Committee recommends that the State party make domestic violence a crime under its penal law and take measures to ensure the prompt investigation and prosecution of offenders as well as the protection, rehabilitation and compensation of victims. The Committee also recommends that the State party enhance preventive measures, including awareness-raising of the general public and law enforcement officials on domestic violence. Children in institutions 26. The Committee is concerned that there is a lack of family- or community-based care for children with disabilities and children without parental care, which results in their being placed in institutional care (art. 10). The Committee recommends that the State party step up its efforts to provide alternative family- and community-based care systems for children with disabilities and children without parental care, and ensure that institutional care is used only as a measure of last resort. Right to adequate housing 27. The Committee is concerned about the large housing shortage, the significant reduction of funding for public housing, the growing number of forced evictions, particularly of residents of dormitories without alternative accommodation being provided, and the absence of effective measures to provide social housing, especially for disadvantaged and marginalized individuals and groups, and low-income families (art. 11). Bearing in mind its general comment No. 4 (1992) on the right to adequate housing, the Committee recommends that the State party take all necessary legislative and policy measures to promote affordable rental housing and to make better provision for social housing, in order to meet the needs of disadvantaged and marginalized individuals and groups, and low-income families. The Committee also recommends that the State party ensure that evictions are carried out in compliance with international human rights norms, and establish effective remedial procedures for those forcibly evicted. In this context, the Committee draws the attention of the State party to its general comment No. 7 (1997) on the right to adequate housing: forced evictions. Access to water, sanitation and electricity 28. The Committee is concerned about the lack of regular access of large parts of the population to safe drinking water and adequate sanitation, as well as about the irregular and insufficient supply of electricity in both urban and rural areas (art. 11). The Committee recommends that the State party take all the necessary measures to improve access to safe drinking water, adequate sanitation and electricity, and to reduce the current disparities between urban and rural areas in this regard. 8

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