A/HRC/4/77 page 5 high rates of domestic violence committed against indigenous women; discrimination in health, employment and education; the decline of indigenous languages; as well as the persistent marginalization and persecution of indigenous peoples and the possible negative impacts of extractive industry projects taking place on lands occupied by indigenous peoples. The Committee recommended to certain States parties that they review their policies with regard to indigenous peoples, in order to preserve their cultural identity and give them greater influence in decisions affecting their natural environment and means of subsistence. It also stressed the obligation of States parties to seek the informed consent of indigenous communities before adopting decisions affecting them, and to provide an effective restitution of ancestral lands. 9. The Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights addressed indigenous rights in its concluding observations to Canada and Mexico. The Committee noted the progress made in Canada with regard to reducing disparities between indigenous peoples and the rest of the population, including decreasing rates of infant mortality and better access to secondary education, but remained concerned about persisting disparities, especially in the areas of poverty, access to water, health, literacy, housing and education. 10. The Committee on the Rights of the Child (CRC) addressed indigenous rights in its concluding observations to Colombia, Congo, Mexico, Peru and Thailand. CRC raised the concern of stigmatization of and discrimination against indigenous children and noted that indigenous children continue to confront serious challenges and threats to the enjoyment of their rights. It considered that rights-based policies to protect indigenous children were insufficiently applied. It identified as concerns: high infant and maternal mortality rates; low quality of life; malnutrition; low birth registration; physical and sexual abuse of children within and outside the family; occurrences of sexual exploitation and trafficking; child labour; regional disparities in access to health-care and education services, including insufficient bilingual intercultural education in indigenous areas; displacement of indigenous children; and environmental health problems mainly affecting indigenous children and arising from contamination by extractive industries. 11. CRC noted the efforts undertaken by some States parties to recognize the collective land rights of indigenous peoples and to increase their quality of education and notably welcomed in the Congo the establishment of the Inter-Ministerial Committee to coordinate actions on issues related to indigenous people. CRC recommended to States parties that they increase their efforts and take affirmative action to prevent discrimination against indigenous children. It also recommended that they provide indigenous children with special protection, including measures to address the gap in life opportunities; protect the rights of indigenous peoples to preserve their historical and cultural identity and customs, traditions and language; secure the physical integrity of indigenous peoples including children; disseminate information on legal policies in indigenous languages; and promote bilingual education. 12. In 2006, CRC adopted general comment No. 7 on implementing child rights in early childhood, which includes a reference to indigenous children and calls upon States parties to ensure that children, and particularly indigenous children, are granted full access to health-care and education services. During the year, the Committee continued its consultations with indigenous representatives and other experts regarding a general comment on indigenous children.