UNITED NATIONS • Forum on Minority Issues name, even when there is legislation that bans discrimination in both public and private sectors. Some face long-standing and entrenched challenges, such as discrimination on the basis of work and descent, including caste and analogous forms of discrimination, which require specific attention. Additionally, undue legal restrictions on the practice of traditional livelihoods and other economic activities of minorities still exist in some countries. The fourth session of the Forum, “Guaranteeing the rights of minority women and girls”, provided an essential opportunity to focus a gender lens on minority issues and consider in much greater detail the situations of women and girls and to understand the unique challenges that they often face to the full enjoyment of their rights. Building on work conducted in previous sessions, discussions sought to respond to problems, including the impact of highly patriarchal communities and rigidly defined gender roles negatively affecting women and girls. Also considered were specific barriers to the education of girls and women and ways to ensure that they have equal opportunities to participate fully in the economic, cultural, political and social life of their communities and in wider society. The recommendations of the Forum are modeled on positive practices that have been developed in many countries and that can and should be emulated elsewhere. Often those solutions do not cost vast amounts of national financial resources, nor do they require long and costly programmes of implementation or generations of cultural or social change. What they do require is firstly the recognition that a problem exists; that there are disadvantaged communities who are deeply and negatively affected by activities that may benefit some, but not all. Secondly it is important to have the data that reveals the extent of problems facing minorities if States and others are going to design effective programmes for change. Finally, it is vital that the political will exists to make that change real and to make a commitment to addressing discrimination, exclusion, and to creating equality. The Forum has truly fulfilled its promise and potential to become an inclusive venue for discussion of minority issues, bringing together grass roots activists, government representatives and international experts to craft recommendations of practical value to all stakeholders. Most important has been the high level of participation of people from around the world who are members of minority communities, who struggle with these issues on a daily basis and whose expertise is so often ignored. Finally, it is with great pleasure and confidence that I turn my responsibilities for the Forum over to my successor as United Nations Independent Expert on minority issues, Ms. Rita Izsák. I have no doubt that under her expert and dedicated guidance, the Forum will tackle additional issues of critical concern to minority populations in the years ahead. I wish her and the Forum the greatest success. vi Compilation of Recommendations of the First Four Sessions 2008 to 2011