CEDAW/C/BRB/CO/5-8 (a) The delay in the adoption of the national policy on trafficking and the policy and procedures manual for the protection of victims of trafficking, under discussion since 2008; (b) The lack of information on the number of complaints, investigations, prosecutions and convictions related to the trafficking of women and girls, as well as on the support and rehabilitation services and specialized shelters available to victims; (c) Reports of discrimination and gender-based violence against women in prostitution, which result in various forms of abuse, the limited assistance available to victims, and the absence of exit and reintegration programmes for women who wish to leave prostitution. 26. The Committee recommends that the State party: (a) Strictly enforce its legislation on trafficking in persons, increase the financial resources allocated to the implementation of laws and programmes to combat trafficking and expedite the adoption of the national policy on trafficking and the policy and procedures manual for the protection of victims of trafficking; (b) Build the capacity of the judiciary, law enforcement officers, border police, social workers and health-care professionals on the early referral of victims of trafficking, including non-nationals, to appropriate social services and gender-sensitive protocols for their treatment; (c) Address the root causes of trafficking by enhancing educational and economic opportunities for women and girls and their families, thereby reducing their vulnerability to exploitation by traffickers; (d) Intensify efforts aimed at bilateral, regional and international cooperation to prevent trafficking, including through information exchange and harmonization of procedures to prosecute traffickers; (e) Establish sufficiently funded and equipped shelters and crisis centres for women who are victims and provide reintegration programmes and alternative income-generating opportunities for women who are victims of trafficking and exit programmes for women who wish to leave prostitution. Participation in political and public life 27. The Committee notes with appreciation that the two major political parties have made concerted efforts to increase the representation of women. It is concerned, however, that women remain significantly underrepresented at the decision-making level in Parliament, in the Government and in the diplomatic service, owing to patriarchal attitudes, a lack of effective measures su ch as statutory quotas or a parity system for political appointments, limited access to political networks and insufficient capacity-building for women on political leadership skills. 28. The Committee reminds the State party that the full, equal, free and democratic participation of women on an equal basis with men in political and public life is a requirement for the full implementation of the human rights of women and recommends that the State party: (a) Adopt a comprehensive strategy based on targeted measures, including training, gender-sensitive recruitment, a parity system to ensure that women are appointed to decision-making positions at both the national and local levels, on an equal footing with men, in line with the Committee’s general recommendation No. 23 (1997) on women in political and public life; 17-11292 7/14