478. Besides, law n° 95-93 of 9th November 1995, amending and completing some Articles of the Penal Code, contributed to the strengthening of the Penal Code in terms of protecting the child against any form of sexual or economic exploitation to which it can be subjected by an individual or criminal organization. Likewise, law n° 95-94 of the 9th November 1995, amending and completing law n° 92-52 of the 18th May 1992 relative to drugs clearly favours the social and medical treatment of drug addicted minors relating to court proceedings in their regard. 479. In order to protect abandoned childhood, Tunisia commenced actions which consist in: • The creation of eight regional life units responsible for the care of children born out of wedlock and the commencement of the construction of two other living units within the National Institute of Childhood Protection; • The improvement of living conditions within the National Institute for Childhood Protection for the benefit of children deprived of a family environment; • The increasing of the monthly allowance paid to families that have received children within the context of family placement, at one hundred Dinars per child, and which will be raised to one hundred and twenty Dinars in case of the placement of a disabled child (Decree of the Minister of Social Affairs and Solidarity of the 19th March 2003); • The reinforcement of the supervision of the National Institute for Childhood Protection by psychologists. IV- The Protection of Elderly and Physically Disabled Persons Tunisia has taken numerous measures and made provisions aimed at the protection of elderly and physically disabled persons. A) The Protection of Elderly Persons 480. Tunisia recognizes and respects the right of elderly persons to live a dignified and independent life and to participate in social and cultural life. In this regard, the law n° 94-114 of 31st October 1994, relative to the protection of elderly persons, created private institutions for the assistance and protection of elderly persons whose admission can only take place in case of need or in the absence of an alternative. Elderly persons cannot be admitted or kept in these institutions without their consent. They are admitted at their request or on that of their legal representative or that of the public authorities. 481. The underprivileged social categories also benefit from health cover. In the context of the rationalization of the health care system, a reform of the health care system for the benefit of the needy families and the low income families had been implemented in 1998. It aims notably at the control of health costs and the improvement of the quality of the care provided. This reform had instituted: - The system of free health care for the beneficiary families and persons eligible for the permanent aid programmes and who live below the poverty threshold; 102

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