A/HRC/36/64 funds for effective legal assistance for victims, and States to conduct inquiries and bring the perpetrators to justice. 68. The Independent Expert recalls the Secretary-General’s strategy to improve the Organization’s system-wide approach to preventing and responding to sexual exploitation and abuse, which seeks to put victims first, in accordance with the principles of “do no harm”, confidentiality and informed consent in the best interests of the victim.13 F. Situation of children 69. The United Nations has reported an increase in the recruitment and use of child soldiers during the recent upsurge in violence. OCHA estimates that from 4,000 to 5,000 children still belong to armed groups. Reportedly, only half of the 9,000 children released and handed over to the Ministry of Social Affairs and then to the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) since 2014 have benefited from a full reintegration programme. 70. Children have continued to be used as combatants, guards, human shields, porters, messengers, spies, domestic workers or sex slaves. There are also reports of Fulani children being abducted by armed groups, especially anti-Balaka fighters, who allegedly demand livestock as ransom for their release. 71. On 13 May 2017, FPRC, which has until now been reluctant to cooperate with the United Nations specialized agencies on the issue of forcibly recruited children, signed a directive ordering its commanders to refrain from recruiting children and to identify the children within their ranks, with United Nations support. G. Economic, social and cultural rights 72. Armed groups have spread across the centre and east of the country, seeking to take control of and plunder natural resource-rich areas and to control trade and seasonal migration routes. The ensuing destruction of goods and property, looting and mass displacement have driven the already destitute population further into poverty. The Panel of Experts on the Central African Republic, in its final report (S/2016/1032), again denounced the cross-border trafficking by armed groups of weapons, gold, diamonds, illicit drugs and animals into the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Cameroon. Armed groups are also setting up roadblocks in order to collect taxes in areas under their control, specifically targeting diamond miners, merchants and collectors, and impeding the free movement of goods and people. 73. Although the National Recovery and Peacebuilding Plan contains numerous provisions aimed at the economic recovery of the Central African Republic, their implementation has been slow, mainly because donors and investors are reluctant to launch economic activities given the lack of security and the scant progress made with regard to transparency in financial management and the fight against corruption. The Central African Republic ranks 40th out of 50 African States and 159th out of 176 countries globally in terms of corruption.14 74. The development of economic activities remains a key factor in reducing the appeal of weapons and enabling the population to enjoy the benefits of peace. In fact, many young people are pushed towards armed groups by joblessness and a lack of economic prospects. There is a great need to work on youth employment policies and initiate labour-intensive works that will offer job opportunities in addition to those created in the civil service. 75. Basic social services, in particular education and health, are non-existent or largely insufficient outside Bangui as a result of the security situation, the lack of staff and 13 14 GE.17-12914 See the report of the Secretary-General on special measures for protection from sexual exploitation and abuse: a new approach (A/71/818) and the report of the Mapping Project, chap. V, point 7. According to Transparency International; see www.transparency.org/country/CAF. 11