A/HRC/15/42 intolerance and threats or acts of violence perpetrated by non-State actors, which were often tolerated or encouraged by the authorities. C. Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance 78. The Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance discussed the issue of poverty and racism in his report submitted to the Council (A/HRC/11/36). In this context, he recalled that the socioeconomic vulnerability of minorities was frequently the result of historical legacies, such as slavery across the American continent, systems of inherited status in other continents and also of systems of formalized and State-sponsored discrimination against minorities that had long been in place in many parts of the world. The Special Rapporteur argued that, because of the inaction of Governments, imbalances that had been historically created continued to affect minority groups profoundly, long after formalized discrimination had been dismantled. The Special Rapporteur also recommended that Member States should take special measures to foster the integration of racial or ethnic minorities in the areas of education, health, housing, the workplace and others. D. Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression 79. In his report submitted to the Council (A/HRC/11/4), the Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression analysed the issue of the right of access to information in situations of extreme poverty. He noted that the poor, the unemployed and people belonging to ethnic minorities and other vulnerable groups remained excluded from full participation in the society in which they lived, and emphasized the need for access to information to be guaranteed as a means to secure participation and accountability. In order to address the exclusion of minorities and other vulnerable communities from the media, the Special Rapporteur urged Governments to deregulate the communications and media environment to allow free and fair information to flow more effectively. E. Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of slavery, including its causes and consequences 80. In her report submitted to the Council (A/HRC/12/21), the Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of slavery, including its causes and consequences, asserted that bonded labourers mostly came from socially excluded groups, including indigenous peoples, minorities and migrants, who also suffered from discrimination and political disenfranchisement. She reported that indigenous and minority populations were more vulnerable to bonded labour because, in many countries, they had limited access to land for their traditional income-generating activities, such as cultivation or hunting, and that the issue of land ownership was closely linked to the phenomenon of bonded labour. ILO research had in fact shown a clear link in Asian countries between forced labour and longstanding patterns of discrimination. In India, the overwhelming majority of bonded labour victims in agriculture, brickmaking, mining and other sectors were from scheduled castes and scheduled tribes. 16 GE.10-14893