A/HRC/18/45 I. Introduction 1. The Working Group of Experts on People of African Descent held its tenth session from 28 March to 1 April 2011 at the United Nations Office at Geneva. 2. The Chief of the Rule of Law, Equality and Non-Discrimination Branch of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) opened the session. II. 3. The Working Group elected Mirjana Najchevska as its Chairperson-Rapporteur. 4. The present report reflects the general course of the debate. Organization of the session 5. During its tenth session, the Working Group held nine public meetings and one private meeting. It was attended by the members Mirjana Najchevska, Maya Sahli, LinosAlexander Sicilianos, Monorama Biswas and Verene Shepherd, as well as by observers from 41 Member States and one non-Member State, 18 non-governmental organizations, three international organizations, two intergovernmental organizations, six invited panellists and a keynote speaker.1 A. Opening of the session 6. The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights delivered the opening address. She welcomed the decision of the Working Group to focus its tenth session on the International Year for People of African Descent and reiterated the pivotal role of the Working Group in achieving the objectives of the Year. She stressed that one of the most important goals of the Year was to raise awareness of the continuing problems facing people of African descent, especially those stemming from racism and racial discrimination. The High Commissioner noted that the Year was also an opportunity to recognize and celebrate the many contributions that Afro-descendents had made to the societies in which they live. 7. The High Commissioner reported that, in preparation for the International Year, OHCHR had drawn up a framework for action to combat discrimination against people of African descent providing a conceptual structure for the current activities of OHCHR regarding people of African descent, as well as the initiatives that would be carried out to mark the Year. She stressed that the framework set in motion an ongoing, coordinated programme designed to produce concrete results and strengthen her Office’s leadership in combating discrimination against people of African descent. 8. The High Commissioner stated that OHCHR had organized and serviced thematic panel discussions at the sixteenth session of the Human Rights Council and at the seventyeighth session of the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination. She also reported that people of African descent was made the theme of the commemoration in 2011 of the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination. She stressed that a number of other activities would follow throughout the year, including cultural side events 1 All working papers submitted by the experts and participants are available from the secretariat and on the website of the Office of the High Commissioner at http://www2.ohchr.org/english/issues/racism/groups/african/4african.htm. 3