A/HRC/51/54 76. Reparatory justice is both a means and an end for the survival, development, protection and participation of children of African descent. Advocacy, education and information collection and dissemination on reparations are at the core of the mandate of the Working Group, which continues to focus and refocus attention on reparations. As part of its advocacy and implementation of its own mandate, at its eighteenth session, held in Geneva from 11 to 15 April 2016, the Working Group endorsed the CARICOM 10-point plan for reparatory justice. Reparations are necessary due to centuries of policies and practices detrimental to people of African descent. They can take different shapes and forms depending on the context of the country and situation, but should always be grounded in community views, design, consultation and participation. B. Recommendations 77. Anti-racism movements and initiatives led by young people of African descent should be encouraged, supported and protected. 78. Policies affecting children and youth of African descent should be developed with their participation and inclusion. 79. States should reduce the footprint of police in the lives of children of African descent as much as possible, including by adopting a public health approach to public safety that, inter alia, safeguards against discrimination by the criminal justice system, using existing racial disparities as a guide for action, rigorously protects unbiased investigations, respects the presumption of innocence and the presumption of authenticity of birth or age-registration documents and employs restorative justice frameworks prioritizing healing, understanding and equity. 80. States must avoid punishing adolescence in the guise of punishing criminality or misconduct. Under the Convention on the Rights of the Child, child development should be supported and clear research on the impulsivity, failure to appreciate long-term consequences and risk-tolerant behaviour of adolescents must inform decision-making by police, prosecutors and judges. State intervention, if any, must be child-friendly, supported within families and communities, trauma-informed and multidisciplinary. 81. The Working Group recalls its previous recommendations to Member States and encourages them to invest in collecting and reporting racially disaggregated data to allow for a better understanding of the complexity and magnitude of the challenges faced by children of African descent and to inform the design of transformative and inclusive policies. 82. States should ensure that children of African descent are protected from direct or indirect racial discrimination, stigmatization, psychological and physical violence, and bullying. States must ensure that students learn in environments free from racist or hostile attitudes of teachers and peers. Negative racial stereotypes and imagery in teaching materials are a concrete example of systemic racism. Equal access to quality education at all levels, respect for learning differences and equal achievement outcomes are required. 83. States should revise and develop specific curricula and teaching materials that respect and recognize history, including enslavement, the trade in enslaved Africans, and the contributions of people of African descent. Such curricula should be incorporated into formal and informal education at the early childhood, primary, secondary, post-secondary and adult education levels. People of African descent should have the opportunity to contribute to the development of such curricula. Educators, policymakers, development partners and private providers of education should reimagine and revise curricula, materials and teacher support to reflect the contribution of people of African descent and to ensure that the learning environment is inclusive and affirming. States are strongly urged to provide Internet connectivity and access to computers and related devices in schools and institutions of learning where these are lacking. 16