IX. HARMFUL PRACTICES AND EXPLOITATION (Art. 1(3), 15, 21, 27, 28 and 29) a) Protection against Harmful Social and Cultural Practices (Art. 1(3) and Art. 21) In order to give effect to the recommendations of the Committee, several actions were realized by the Government, NGOs and technical and financial partners. As concerns the fight against FGMs, the establishment of the national plan of action on the eradication of these practices, adopted in 2010, reflected in the creation of about twenty local education and surveillance committees to prevent genital mutilation cases in households in the South West (Manyu), Centre (Briquetterie neighbourhood in Yaounde) and Far North Regions (Mayo Sava, Logone & Chari Divisions). An extension of these committees in hotbed areas is planned. In the same vein, the following actions were carried out: - consideration of the provisions of the draft law on the repression of gender-based violence in the Criminal Code currently under revision, especially the extension of the concept of serious injuries, with the insertion of two paragraphs on life imprisonment sentences when such serious injuries involve the mutilation of genital organs and when such mutilation has caused the death of the victim or when the author operates this practice regularly; - the signing, on 25 June 2013, of a platform for collaboration between the State (MINPROFF) and the Council of Imams and Muslim Dignitaries of Cameroon (CIDIMUC) for the fight against FGMs, forceful or early marriages and other forms of violence, accompanied by an implementation matrix; - the setting up of a programme to fight against harmful cultural practices, intended for traditional, religious and community leaders; - celebrating, on February 6 every year, the “Zero Tolerance against Female Genital Mutilations” Day; - organizing two advocacy sessions targeting Parliament (Senate and National Assembly) and religious and traditional rulers in the areas concerned; - psycho-social and socio-economic care for adolescents who are victims of forced marriages (1151 cases received assistance in 2012); - partnership with community radio stations for the broadcast of programmes on the rights of children in the fight against harmful cultural practices and FGMs; - the implementation of the BIAAG (Because I Am A Girl) and LWF (Learn Without Fear) programmes to promote the enrolment of girls in schools and eradicate gender-based violence in school environments; - a study conducted in 2014 on early marriages in Akwaya in the South West Region. The actions undertaken resulted in raising the collective awareness of communities concerned on the dangers of FGMs and the need to eradicate such practices. The Declaration of commitment made by Imams and Muslim Dignitaries, on 5 February 2013, to fight against FGMs, as well the involvement of religious and traditional rulers of the South West Region to this effect, both constitutes a significant advancement in collective 36