A/HRC/9/15 page 14 sectors workers are obliged to face substandard and often dangerous conditions. In particular the situation for workers on rubber plantations has not significantly improved, despite previous recommendations. D. Right to physical and mental health 41. Revitalization of the health-care sector has begun and projects for the rehabilitation of the JFK Hospital in Monrovia are ongoing. However the current system is not adequately funded and equipped. The impending withdrawal of non-governmental organizations working in this sector, now that Liberia is moving from the emergency to the development phase, will place additional pressure on the national health system particularly at a time when more Liberian refugees are returning. 42. The Ministry of Health and Social Welfare has an ambitious five-year health plan and during the visit of the independent expert a conference to review the first year of implementation took place. The provision of a basic package of health services to each community is central to this plan and is welcomed by the independent expert. E. Right to education 43. Given that education is the primary vehicle by which economically and socially marginalized adults and children can lift themselves out of poverty, the critical state of the education system is of major concern. The Ministry of Education has an ambitious five-year programme, scheduled to start in September 2008. Five counties in the south-east, River Cess, River Gee, Grand Kru, Sinoe and Maryland counties, have been identified as particularly deprived and are to be targeted first. In an effort to address the inequitable distribution of educational facilities throughout the country, schools are to be rehabilitated or constructed and textbooks distributed so as to reduce the current pupil to textbook ratio in primary schools. Most importantly creative teacher training opportunities are to be provided. 44. The education of the girl child is to be the subject of a specific programme at the Ministry, which includes affirmative action. In this regard, it is important to encourage parents to ensure their daughters complete their primary education and progress to secondary level and beyond. VI. PROGRESS IN IMPLEMENTATION OF PREVIOUS RECOMMENDATIONS MADE BY THE INDEPENDENT EXPERT 45. The establishment of the Judicial Training Institute should allow for implementation of the recommendation made in the previous report in relation to the necessity for gender sensitivity training for judges and judicial staff. 46. The independent expert notes with satisfaction that the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare is working with its partners to mitigate the negative impact caused by the gradual withdrawal of the non-governmental organizations which had assisted in the critical health sector.