A/HRC/30/59 violence they witnessed or experienced during the two years of conflict. The study reports that more than 60 per cent of children in the Central African Republic have witnessed or have been subjected to acts of extreme violence since March 2013. 72. This situation is cause for serious concern about the country ’s future. There is an urgent need to invest in the strategy for lasting peace and reconciliation in order to enable these children to rebuild their lives in peace. F. Economic and social rights 73. The rights to education, health and food remain a major concern in the Central African Republic. Available information indicates that 693 schools were affected during the conflict, and 351 public schools across the country were looted or occupied by armed groups or civilians, damaged by various types of explosives or directly attacked. A further 342 private schools have also been affected in a similar manner. Numerous schools remain closed and many pupils have not yet returned to their studies. 74. Already fragile before the crisis, the health-care system has been shattered. In some regions, more than 75 per cent of health-care centres are unable to provide the most basic services, such as nutritional support, prenatal check -ups or treatment against infections. Most health-care centres are short of medicines as a result of looting by armed groups. Statistics for the Central African Republic indicate an average life expectancy of 49.5 years in 2013. In response to the crisis, the Government has undertaken to implement a policy of free health -care services with the support of partners such as the World Health Organization. 75. The Independent Expert was alerted to the situation of persons with disabilities, in particular the fact that they were often left behind during the conflict, given their greater difficulties in travelling. When they could not reach s ites for internally displaced persons, they were often left without food, housing or appropriate medical support. Human Rights Watch 13 found that at least 96 persons with disabilities had been abandoned or were unable to escape and 11 had been killed in Ban gui, Boali, Yaloké and Bossemptélé. The figure is likely an underestimate. Without mobility assistance, many persons with disabilities are forced to move around by crawling and thus are at risk of life-threatening infections. G. Violations committed by international forces 76. Several allegations of serious human rights violations committed by international and MINUSCA forces have been reported in recent months. Following revelations by the international press concerning allegations of sexual abuse of children by French soldiers of the Sangaris force in Bangui, MINUSCA disclosed other cases of inappropriate use of force and sexual abuse by some of its elements. 77. France announced in a statement at the highest level that it had opened a judicial inquiry to shed light on the allegations concerning 14 French soldiers suspected of sexually abusing children between December 2013 and May-June 2014. The Independent Expert hopes that the results of the inquiry will be made known soon. She has stressed the importance of taking all measures necessary to protect children against violence and abuse, especially those who are vulnerable, as in the M ’poko camp for internally displaced persons, for example, which she has visited. When __________________ 13 GE.15-12489 March 2015). Human Rights Watch, “Central African Republic: People With Disabilities Left Behind”, April 2015 (www.hrw.org/news/2015/04/28/central-african-republic-people-disabilities-left-behind). 15/22