border provinces. It also notes the protracted state of emergency and is concerned at the negative effect this has on the full enjoyment of economic, social and cultural rights (arts. 12, 13 and 14). The Committee recommends that the State party take all the measures necessary to ensure that the situation in the southern border provinces has no adverse effects on the enjoyment of the rights enshrined in the Covenant. In particular, it should ensure that schools, teachers and medical personnel are adequately protected from attacks and that everyone has access to education and adequate health services. Cultural rights The Committee is concerned at the adverse effect of the excessive interpretation of lese-majesty on the enjoyment of the right of everyone to take part in cultural life (arts. 4 and 15). The Committee draws the attention of the State party to its general comment No. 21 (2009) on the right of everyone to take part in cultural life and recommends that it amend its legislation with a view to ensuring clarity and unambiguity regarding prohibited acts and that any sanctions are strictly proportionate to the harm caused. D.Other recommendations The Committee encourages the State party to ratify the Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. The Committee invites the State party to continue and strengthen its collaboration on issues relating to economic, social and cultural rights with the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, the specialized agencies and the relevant United Nations programmes. The Committee requests the State party to disseminate the present concluding observations widely at all levels of society, particularly among parliamentarians, public officials, judicial authorities, and society at large and to inform the Committee in its next periodic report on the steps taken to implement them. It also encourages the State party to engage non-governmental organizations and other members of civil society in the process of implementation of the present concluding observations prior to the submission of its next periodic report. The Committee requests the State party to submit its third periodic report by 30 June 2020 and invites the State party, if necessary, to update its common core document in accordance with the harmonized guidelines on reporting under the international human rights treaties (HRI/GEN/2/Rev.6, chap. I). The Committee also invites the State party to update its data on all issues of relevance to the Covenant.