(c) Provide comprehensive, human rights-based and age-appropriate education and information on sexual and reproductive health to all, including men and adolescent boys; (d) Expedite the adoption of the integrated teenage and youth health action strategy; (e) Take into consideration the Committee’s general comment No. 22 (2016) on the right to sexual and reproductive health. Right to education 53.The Committee is concerned about the low enrolment rates at all school levels. It is also concerned at the high dropout rates, even at the primary school level and particularly among girls, leading to low attendance at secondary-level schools. The Committee is also concerned about the limited access to quality education in rural areas (arts. 13 and 14). 54. The Committee recommends that the State party continue prioritizing education and intensify its efforts to ensure universal access to free compulsory education, while paying particular attention to children living in rural areas and girls. The Committee also recommends that the State party: (a) Continue implementing the National Development Plan, which identifies education as one of the main priority areas, as well as the national integrated strategy for improving the education system and the master plan for teacher education; (b) Develop specific strategies to address the high dropout rates, especially of girls; (c) Increase significantly its investments in the education sector, improve the quality of education and expand investment in teacher training; (d) Take into account the Committee’s general comment No. 13 (1999) on the right to education. Minority languages 55.The Committee is concerned about the limited measures taken by the State party to promote minority languages, which could lead to the risk of extinction of a number of them (art. 15). 56. The Committee recommends that the State party step up its measures to preserve minority languages. To that end, the State party is encouraged to take measures aimed at ensuring that ethnic minority groups and indigenous peoples have ample opportunities to learn their languages, as well as to use these languages in public life. Access to the Internet 57.The Committee is concerned about the limited access to the Internet in the State party, particularly by disadvantaged and marginalized groups and individuals (art. 15). 58. The Committee recommends that the State party redouble its efforts to increase access to the Internet, especially by disadvantaged and marginalized groups and individuals and in rural areas. 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 invites the State party to consider ratification of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination, the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families and the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance. 61. 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 for Human Rights (see HRI/MC/2008/3). 62. The Committee requests the State party to disseminate the present concluding observations widely among all levels of society at national, provincial 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 the recommendations herein. The Committee also encourages the State party to engage 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. 63. The Committee requests the State party to submit its sixth periodic report, to be prepared in accordance with the reporting guidelines adopted by the Committee in 2008 (E/C.12/2008/2), by 30 June 2021. It also invites the State party 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).

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