b) Launch an all-inclusive campaign to ensure that all groups of children in
vulnerable and marginalized situations, such as girls, children in street
situations and talibés, children with disabilities, and children living in rural
areas, are not discriminated against, particularly undertake measures to
prevent obstacles in accessing primary education and lower secondary
education, health care, child-focused services and mechanisms for
children to seek help, support and care and to report violent incidences,
and birth registration services.
c) Carry out comprehensive and sustained awareness-raising campaign,
particularly through advocacy and mass media as well as with the help of
educational and sports institutions and after-school programmes, to shift
attitudes, behaviour and social norms towards discrimination and violence
against children and to encourage reporting of child abuse, violence and
other meaningful actions.
Right to life, survival and development
15. The Committee commends that the State Party has made tremendous
strides in diminishing infant and under five mortality rates. The Committee
notes that such progresses are the result of better access to malaria
treatment and prevention and enhanced vaccine coverage. However, the
Committee is concerned that the state party has one of the lowest stunting
rates in Africa. Furthermore, the Committee takes note that the neonatal
mortality rate has seen only a small decline, compared to the under-five and
infant mortality rates. The Committee further realises that neonatal
conditions are the leading cause of death for children under five (45%),
followed by pneumonia (12%) and Diarrhea (9%).
16. Thus, the committee recommends the State Party to accelerate reductions
in stunting and neonatal mortality. The Committee further recommends the
State Party to control preventable diseases, such as pneumonia and
diarrhea, to provide children with the appropriate nutrition for better survival,
to increase accessibility of health care services to further lower mortality rate
and to protect children on the street. The Committee further encourages the
State Party to strengthen its effort in providing the necessary care of
children living with HIV/AIDS to ensure their right to live the maximum
possible. Moreover, the Committee recommends that the State Party
increase efforts to ensure that antenatal services are available to all
expectant mothers and that birth is assisted by skilled and trained birth
attendants.
6