E/C.12/MKD/CO/2-4 establishment of a professional secretariat and the allocation of sufficient financial resources. Migrants, asylum seekers and refugees 21. The Committee notes the decision of the State party to close its border completely to migrants on 8 March 2016 and remains concerned about all its negative impacts. It is concerned about the situation of refugees, many of whom are women and children, who were still stranded at the temporary transit centres in Vinojug and Tabanovce at the time of the dialogue, living in precarious conditions with limited access to health-care services, education and other basic services. It is also concerned that, despite article 51 of the Law on Asylum and Temporary Protection of 2003, access to employment by recognized refugees and persons under subsidiary protection remains limited in practice owing to the lack of documents required to register with the Employment Agency. The Committee regrets, finally, that the recent amendment to article 8 of the Law on Asylum and Temporary Protection de facto denies the right of a recognized refugee or a person under subsidiary protection to family reunification for a period of three years after being granted asylum (art. 2 (2)). 22. The Committee recommends that the State party improve living conditions in the two temporary transit centres in Vinojug and Tabanovce by ensuring that the persons in these centres have access to health care, education and other basic services, and meet the special needs of women, children, persons with disabilities and sick persons. It also recommends that the State party take all measures necessary to ensure that recognized refugees and persons under subsidiary protection have access to all active employment opportunities by providing them with the necessary documentation and other forms of assistance to register with the Employment Agency. The Committee urges the State party to withdraw the recent amendment to article 8 of the Law on Asylum and Temporary Protection and ensure that refugees and persons under subsidiary protection do not have to wait for a disproportionate period of time before they are entitled to family reunification. Roma 23. The Committee is concerned at the lack of statistical data on Roma, which does not allow for effective implementation of policies targeted at the Roma population. It remains concerned at the structural discrimination facing Roma in a number of spheres of social life and their low socioeconomic status in the State party, illustrated by very high poverty and unemployment rates, low labour market participation rates and very low life expectancy. It is also concerned that there are still a number of Roma who are not registered and may have limited access to public services as a result (art. 2 (2)). 24. The Committee recommends that the State party intensify its efforts to eradicate the structural discrimination against Roma and to improve their socioeconomic status, including by designing targeted policies and programmes for the realization of the economic, social and cultural rights of the Roma population on the basis of reliable statistical data as well as thorough and regular monitoring of the results of such policies and programmes. The Committee also recommends that the State party take all measures necessary to issue identity cards to all Roma and to address the situation of stateless persons in line with the requirements of the Convention relating to the Status of Stateless Persons of 1954. Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex persons 25. The Committee is concerned that the Law on the Prevention of and Protection against Discrimination does not include sexual orientation or gender identity as prohibited 5