57.While noting that over 40 per cent of the population has access to the Internet, the Committee expresses its concern that such
access is limited among disadvantaged and marginalized individuals and groups and in rural areas (art. 15).
58. The Committee recommends that the State party continue working to narrow the digital divide by expanding Internet
access, in particular for disadvantaged and marginalized individuals and groups.
D.Other recommendations
59. The Committee encourages the State party to ratify the Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on
Economic, Social and Cultural Rights.
60. The Committee recommends that the State party consider ratifying the International Convention for the Protection of
All Persons from Enforced Disappearance.
61. The Committee recommends that the State party take fully into account its obligations under the Covenant and
ensure the full enjoyment of the rights enshrined therein in the implementation of the 2030 Sustainable Development
Agenda at the national level, with international assistance and cooperation when needed. Achievement of the Sustainable
Development Goals would be significantly facilitated by the State party establishing independent mechanisms to monitor
progress and treating beneficiaries of public programmes as rights holders who can claim entitlements. Implementing the
Goals on the basis of the principles of participation, accountability and non-discrimination would ensure that no one is left
behind.
62. The Committee recommends that the State party take steps to progressively develop and apply appropriate
indicators on the implementation of economic, social and cultural rights in order to facilitate the assessment of progress
achieved by the State party in complying with its obligations under the Covenant for various segments of the population.
In that context, the Committee refers the State party to, inter alia, the conceptual and methodological framework on
human rights indicators developed by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner on Human Rights (see
HRI/MC/2008/3).
63. The Committee requests that the State party disseminate the present concluding observations widely at all levels of
society, including at the national, municipal and territorial levels, particularly among parliamentarians, public officials
and judicial authorities, and that it inform the Committee in its next periodic report about the steps taken to implement
them. The Committee encourages the State party to engage with non-governmental organizations and other members of
civil society in the follow-up to the present concluding observations and in the process of consultation at the national
level prior to the submission of its next periodic report.
64. The Committee requests the State party to submit its seventh periodic report, to be prepared in accordance with the
reporting guidelines adopted by the Committee in 2008 (see E/C.12/2008/2), by 31 October 2021. In addition, it invites
the State party to update its common core document in accordance with the harmonized guidelines on reporting under the
international human rights treaties (see HRI/GEN/2/Rev.6, chap. I).