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Annexure ICountry Treaty Concluding Observations, Comments SourceNepalICESCRThe Committee urges the State party to take remedialaction to address the problems of clandestine abortions,unwanted pregnancies and the high rate of maternalmortality. In this regard, the Committee urges the Stateparty to reinforce reproductive and sexual healthprogrammes, in particular in rural areas, ‘and to allowabortion when pregnancies are life threatening or a resultof rape or incest … The Committee requests that theState party, in its next periodic report, provide data aboutshorter-term health plans and more detailed informationabout mentally disabled persons and access to privatehospitals and institutions by the more marginalisedsectors of the population … The Committee is deeplyconcerned that the HIV/AIDS epidemic in the State partyis spreading at an alarming rate due to commercial sexand trafficking of women and children, and sex tourism.Committee on Economic,Social and Cultural Rights,Twenty-sixth(extraordinary) session(13–31 August 2001)PakistanCRCThe Committee is concerned to note that national healthplans appear to emphasise the training of doctors ratherthan of nurses and other health personnel, includingparamedics. Its attention has also been drawn to theapparent lack of clarity in the division of responsibilitiesbetween the provincial and federal levels for thedevelopment of a strong primary healthcare system…Active measures must be taken, in the view of theCommittee, to make widely known the provisions andprinciples of the Convention to adults and children alike.To assist in these efforts, it is suggested that political,religious and community leaders should be encouraged totake an active role in supporting efforts to eradicatetraditional practices or customs which discriminateagainst children, particularly the girl child, or are harmfulto the health and welfare of children. In addition, it isrecommended that training about child rights should begiven to relevant professional groups.Committee on the Rights ofthe Child, CRC/C/15/Add.18(25 April 1994).Sri LankaICESCRThe Committee notes with concern the existence ofdisparities between statutory law and customary law. Theage for marriage in statutory law is 18 years old but girlsas young as 12 years of age are able to marry undercustomary law, as long as the parents consent. TheCommittee is of the view that the practice of earlymarriage has negative impacts on the right to health, rightto education and the right to work, particularly of the girlchild. In statutory law, there is equality of inheritanceamong siblings while customary law discriminates againstmarried women who, unlike married men, may not inheritfamily property. In allowing customary law to prevail overstatutory law in this regard, the Government is notcomplying with its obligation to protect the rights ofwomen against discrimination.Committee on Economic,Social and Cultural Rights,E/C.12/1/Add.24(16 June 1998)Regional Human Development ReportHIV/AIDS and Development in South Asia 2003 161