7.5. Family environment and alternative care The Committee notes the adoption of Guidelines on Kinship Care, Foster Care and Supported Independent Living, the inclusion of the process of intercountry adoption in the Adoption law as well as the establishment of the adoption’s unit at the Ministry of Gender, Children & Social Protection and the lifting of the moratorium placed on international adoptions in 2015. The Committee further notes that after the establishment of a Committee that monitors alternative care institutions, 63 out of 140 orphanages were closed down. 7.6. Health and welfare The Committee notes the following developments in the area of health and welfare; 70 to 80 % coverage of basic immunization rate; training of community health assistants to reduce maternal mortality; promotion of family planning to reduce teenage pregnancy; establishment of national HIV/AIDS control program by the Ministry of Health; increase in HIV testing; establishment of National Malarial Control Program; adoption of National Mental Health Policy to deal with substance abuse, including rehabilitation, training and services; promotion of exclusive breastfeeding; and establishment of school clinics in two provinces. The Committee further also notes the establishment of midwifery schools to address teenage pregnancy challenges by provide maternal care for young women and girls. The Committee however notes that stunting is a challenge in the country. The challenge is exacerbated when it is linked to teenage pregnancy due to the fact that young mothers giving birth are not in a capacity to sustain the child. 7.7. Education and leisure The Committee notes the following developments in the filed of education; budgetary allocation for basic (lower & upper) education schools; piloting of sexuality education curriculum; tackling of sexual and gender based violence in schools; school feeding program establishment; after school tutorial classes to improve gender parity in education; WASH community engagement in schools and adoption of inclusive education policy. However the Committee notes the following challenges in education; overage enrollment where children enroll for the first time at the ages of 11 and 12; lack of prioritization of early childhood education; lack of implementation of inclusive education policy; lack of school structure for children with disabilities in rural areas; imposition of non-tuition fees in schools for the purpose of purchasing stationary; and outdated national policy on girls education. The Committee also notes challenge with regards to re-entry of adolescent

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