A/HRC/9/3 page 11 31. In September 2007, the Government of Myanmar established a working group, chaired by the Director-General of the International Organizations and Economic Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, for the monitoring and reporting mechanism on the prevention of the military recruitment of under-age children. The Government has also collaborated with the United Nations country task force on monitoring and reporting by sharing information on the recruitment of children under the complaints mechanism established with the International Labour Organization. However, the question of United Nations access to areas of concern for monitoring and reporting and Government willingness to facilitate plans of action with the groups cited in the annual report of the Secretary-General have yet to be satisfactorily concluded. Côte d’Ivoire 32. The Government of Côte d’Ivoire committed itself to establishing an inter-ministerial structure to address the protection of children and to develop a national plan of action to end sexual violence against children, despite the fact that the Ouagadougou Political Agreement makes no explicit reference to children. Uganda and Sri Lanka 33. Following the previous report of the Special Representative on her mission to Uganda and that of her Special Adviser, Ambassador Rock, to Sri Lanka, outlining the commitments made by parties to conflict in both countries, some progress has been made in the development of plans of action by the Government of Uganda and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam. Some positive measures have also been taken by the Government of Sri Lanka and the Tamil Makkal Viduthalai Pulighal in response to recommendations made by the Working Group of the Security Council on Children and Armed Conflict. 34. According to the latest information received, the Government of Uganda has reiterated its commitment to finalize its plan of action on children associated with armed forces and groups in Uganda, in order that the Uganda People’s Defence Forces and Local Defence Units may be removed from the annexes to the annual report of the Secretary-General on children and armed conflict. The plan is currently in its second draft and being discussed with the Government of Uganda. 35. The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam signed a plan of action on 15 October 2007, committing them to raise the minimum age of recruitment to 18 years and to release anyone in its ranks under the age of 18 years by 31 December 2007. The plan also contained commitments to respect the neutrality and security of schools, hospitals and places of worship as “safe zones”, and to ensure open and safe access by humanitarian actors to affected areas so that supplies and services may reach vulnerable communities. The plan does not yet, however, meet minimum standards on several fronts, such as by allowing full access to the United Nations for verification, formalizing principles and time-bound measures for the safe release of children, accountability and prevention of re-recruitment. The Government of Sri Lanka has established an interdisciplinary committee to inquire into allegations of abductions and the recruitment of children for use in armed conflict and to respond to allegations of aiding and abetting the abductions of children by the Tamil Makkal Viduthalai Pulighal. Encouraging developments were witnessed in April 2008, when approximately 40 children were released by the Tamil Makkal Viduthalai Pulighal. The Government played a role in securing these releases.