revise the Child Rights Act in accordance with the Charter in order to fill the legislative gaps. The Committee further recommends that the State Party finalize the revision of the Constitution and ensure that the non-discrimination cause is in full alignment with the Charter. 6. The Committee notes with concern that Female Gentile Mutilation (FGM) is highly prevalent in Sierra Leone, and the State Party Report indicates 70 percent incidence among girls aged 15 to 19 years, and a 10 percent incidence among girls aged 0-14 years. The Committee further notes that despite the high rate of prevalence there is no law or policy that explicitly prohibits FGM. The Committee recommends the State Party to explicitly prohibit and criminalize FGM, and to take the necessary measures to create awareness about the adverse effect of FGM on communities in general and the girls in particular among all relevant stakeholders with the aim of eliminating the practice. The Committee further recommends that the State Party works with secret societies towards changing mind-sets and promote positive cultural context to replace the practice. 7. The Committee Commends the establishment of the National Children’s Commission (NCC) in 2014 with the mandate to monitor and coordinate the implementation of the Charter and other child rights instruments. The Committee recommends the State Party to regularly allocate sufficient financial and human resource to the NCC to enable it undertake its mandate effectively. 8. The Committee Commends the State Party for launching the African Union Campaign on Ending Child Marriage in 2016. The Committee notes with appreciation the decline in the rate of child marriage and recommends the State Party to accelerate the fight against child marriage. 9. The Committee appreciates the significant budgetary allocation made by the State Party to the various Ministries that contribute in implementation of children’s rights. However, as alluded to in the State Party report, the Committee notes with concern that the budget allocated to the Ministry of Social Welfare Gender and Children’s Affairs (MSWGCA) is less than 1% of the National Budget and as such it is not adequate for the fulfilment of its mandate. The Committee urges the State Party to allocate adequate budgetary resources for the implementation of children’s rights and, in particular, increase the budget allocated to the Ministry of Social Welfare, Gender and Children’s Affairs as well as strengthen efforts to ensure that all ministries adopt a child-sensitive budgeting approach. 4