I was particularly keen to take up this role in view of the importance of the thematic focus on “Guaranteeing the rights of minority women”. Indeed, in view of my personal background, I am well aware of the relevance of adopting an all-encompassing and human rights-based approach to the situation of minority women. I strongly believe, and can personally testify to the fact, that minority women empowerment can only be achieved through ensuring their effective participation in political, economic, cultural and social life. Equally, this participation in all spheres of life can in turn only be achieved through first and foremost continuously ensuring their equal access to quality education. The Forum on Minority Issues provides a unique venue for dialogue, exchange of experiences and constructive cooperation in bolstering minority rights and promoting implementation of the Declaration on the Rights of Persons Belonging to National or Ethnic, Religious and Linguistic Minorities. Previous sessions focused on the challenges that minorities face in the fields of education, effective political participation and participation in economic life, proposing concrete recommendations to counter remaining obstacles. Previous sessions of this Forum have also consistently highlighted the need to address specifically the situation of minority women. Besides, and as rightly mentioned in the documentation for this fourth session of the Forum, without an explicit recognition of the different life experiences of minority women and men, the intersecting forms of discrimination that they might be subjected to will often go unnoticed and not be addressed adequately.