A/HRC/41/39/Add.2 E. Children 66. The Lao People’s Democratic Republic must do much more to ensure that children escape the cycle of poverty. Without adequate access to education, health services and social support, too many children are dropping out of school, marrying very young or working to support their families, all of which are major barriers to overcoming intergenerational poverty. 67. According to UNICEF, a shocking 88 per cent of children in the country experience some form of deprivation. 59 Child marriage is highly prevalent: within the poorest quintile, 47 per cent of women 20 to 49 years of age were married by 18.60 Although child labour under the age of 14 is prohibited, according to the 2010 Labour Force and Child Labour Survey, 261,000 children 6 to 17 years of age were working, 61 many in hazardous conditions.62 68. Investing in a robust social protection system, accessible education and health care for children are essential steps towards breaking the cycle of poverty and training a skilled workforce. F. Rule of law 69. Meaningful implementation of many of the impressive pieces of legislation and policies is all too often lacking. Quotas are set but not enforced, conditions are attached but not monitored, new approaches are launched but business continues as usual. Corruption 70. The Lao People’s Democratic Republic ranks 132nd of 180 on Transparency International’s corruption perceptions index for 2018.63 The Prime Minister’s leadership on the issue has made a significant impact, as illustrated by media reports on crackdowns on “ghost projects” and the dismissal or removal of officials. Since many interlocutors claimed that corruption remains rampant at all levels of government, it is essential that it be tackled systematically, that prosecutions occur where appropriate and that senior officials, including ministers and governors, are held accountable when implicated. However, the absence of media freedom and of an independent civil society ensure that corruption will rarely be exposed. Access to justice 71. The barriers to access to justice are immense, especially for poor people and those in rural areas. They include a paucity of lawyers, the cost and difficulty of travel to court, fear of negative repercussions, in particular if the Government or a Government-backed actor is involved, and the limitations of petitions, village mediation committees and other mechanisms that are theoretically available for recourse. The Special Rapporteur received reports that grievances were rarely escalated beyond the village level without connections to powerful patrons or the endorsement of the village authorities. Although the establishment by the National Assembly of a hotline is an important initiative, it does not yet offer a robust independent remedy. It operates only eight weeks per year, when the Assembly is in session, and acts more as a complaint clearinghouse than as an institution empowered to investigate and resolve grievances. It should operate year-round, publicly 59 60 61 62 63 16 UNICEF and Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Ministry of Planning and Investment, “SDGs and Children”, p. 12. Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Statistics Bureau, “Lao Social Indicator Survey II”, p. 57. Understanding Children’s Work Programme, “Understanding children’s work”, p. 2. UNICEF and Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Ministry of Planning and Investment, “SDGs and Children”, p. 70. Transparency International, “Laos: Corruption Perceptions Index 2018”. Available from www.transparency.org/country/LAO.