to address the situation, the State party has still not taken the necessary measures to end these human rights violations. The Committee also expresses deep concern that in war zones pygmies have been and continue to be subjected to mass rapes, extermination and persecution which are committed with total impunity. (article 2.2) The Committee urges the State party to ensure that racial discriminationis criminalized as a specific offence and that perpetrators of acts of racial discrimination and crimes against pygmies are brought to justice. The Committee also urges the State party to train public officials and organize campaigns to enhance public awareness in matters of discrimination against pygmies. 18. The Committee, while noting the new provisions of the labour code concerning people with disabilities, regrets that insufficient information was provided in the State party report as to the concrete situation of persons with disabilities and the relevant laws which apply to them, including safeguards against abuse and neglect. The Committee notes with concern that in the absence of appropriate social services, most adults with disabilities have to resort to begging and their children are excluded from access to education and health care.(article 2.2) The Committee draws attention to its general comment No. 5 (1994) on persons with disabilities and urges the State party to adopt comprehensive anti-discrimination legislation that provides persons with disabilities with judicial and social-policy programmes which enable them to live an integrated, self-determined and independent life. The Committee also urges the State party to consider ratifying the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and the Optional Protocol thereto. The State party is invited to provide detailed information in its next periodic report on persons with disabilities, including children and women, with regard to their enjoyment of economic, social and cultural rights. 19. The Committee is concerned that the State party is not aware of the widespread discrimination against persons with albinism. The Committee also expresses deep concern that persons with albinism have been killed and their organs used or trafficked for witchcraft ceremonies. (article 2.2) The Committee urges the State party as a matter of urgency to ensure the timely and efficient conduct of investigations and prosecution of those responsible for the killings and mutilation of persons with albinism. The Committee also urges the State party to apply itself to combating the discrimination against persons with albinism which takes place in the State party, and to this end, to establish close cooperation with and financially support the work of the associations promoting and protecting the rights of people with albinism, and conduct awareness-raising campaigns to combat superstitious beliefs which are detrimental to their well-being. 20. The Committee notes with concern that despite constitutional provisions guaranteeing the principle of equality between women and men, provisions that discriminate against women, such as the ones contained in articles 444, 448, 449 and 450 of the Family Code remain in force in spite of repeated calls from human rights bodies to repeal them. The Committee is also concerned that in spite of the high level of gender-based violence in the State party, priority has not been given to tackling this problem, as reflected by the slow process of drafting the law on gender equality and revising the Family Code; the limited number of women in public life and decision-making positions; and the persistent inequality in wages between men and women. The Committee is further concerned about the persistence of harmful traditional practices such as dowry payments, levirate marriage, polygamy, forced and early marriage, and female genital mutilation.(article 3) In light of its general comment No. 16 (2005) on the equal right of men and women to the enjoyment of all economic, social and cultural rights (art. 3) reminds the State party that this is an immediate obligation of States parties. The Committee considers that repealing all laws which discriminate against women requires firm political will and therefore urges the State party to proceed without any further delay to their repeal. The State party should also speed up the process of adoption of the law on gender equality, enact legislation prohibiting traditional practices that are harmful to women and girls and raise the minimum age of marriage for girls to 18 years of age. The Committee further recommends that the State party adopt measures without delay to modify or eliminate traditional practices and stereotypes that discriminate against women, make the promotion of gender equality an explicit component of all its national reconstruction and development strategies, undertake concrete measures to increase the number of women in decisionmaking positions and enforce the principle of equal pay for work of equal value. 21. The Committee notes with concern that in spite of repeated requests made by the ILO Committee of Experts on the Application of Conventions and Recommendations, the State party has not yet repealed legislation which allows the imposition of forced labour on detainees (Ordinance No. 15/APAJ of 20 January 1938) in the context of national food production programmes (Act No. 76011 of 21 May 1976 concerning national development efforts and its Implementing Order No. 00748/BCE/AGRI/76 of 11 June