awareness-raising programmes, education and training, as well as programmes to help the victims of such practices to overcome their trauma; · Develop and implement national legislation and policies prohibiting customary or traditional practices that are violations of women’s human rights and obstacles to the full enjoyment by women of their human rights and fundamental freedoms and prosecute the perpetrators of practices that are harmful to the health of women and girls; · Make widely available information and counselling to adolescent girls and boys, especially on human relationships, reproductive and sexual health, sexually transmitted diseases and adolescent pregnancy, that are confidential and easily accessible and emphasize the equal responsibility of girls and boys; · Improve the health care for adolescent girls by health personnel and provide the latter with appropriate training, and encourage healthcare personnel to work with girls to understand their special needs; · Recognize and protect from discrimination pregnant adolescents and young mothers and support their continued access to information, health care, nutrition, education and training; · Support the activities of non-governmental organizations in the area of reproductive health and health orientation centres for girls; · Enact laws concerning the minimum age for marriage and raise the minimum age for marriage when necessary in order to ensure respect for the rights of the child, as stipulated in the Convention on the Rights of the Child.42 D. Girls in armed conflict Actions to be taken by the United Nations and Governments: · Incorporate information on the rights of the child in the mandates and operational guidelines of peacekeeping forces, the military and humanitarian workers and provide them with gender-sensitive training; · Encourage girls and other individuals and communities to play a key role in reporting violations of rights of girls in armed conflict to the appropriate authorities and ensure adequate, accessible and gender-sensitive support services and counselling; · Protect the girl child in situations of armed conflict against participation in armed conflicts, recruitment, rape and sexual exploitation, in particular through the adoption of an optional protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child,43 as recommended by the General Assembly; 42 General Assembly resolution 44/25, annex. 43 General Assembly resolution 44/25, annex. -29-