E/CN.4/2005/21 page 20 29. States are urged to adopt measures addressing the health-care issues of women and girls of African descent. Racism and housing 30. States should undertake and effectively implement preventive and compensatory measures to tackle forced evictions of people of African descent, in particular in the light of the inextricable links between poverty, the right to adequate housing and forced evictions as a component of the right to an adequate standard of living. 31. States should maintain reliable and disaggregated statistical data in order to monitor living conditions of people of African descent and to prevent discrimination in housing and services that lead to segregation, denial of access to utilities and services, prevention of forced evictions, homelessness, land and property loss and exclusion from effective participation in decision-making affecting housing rights. 32. States should formulate and harmonize policies and take legislative measures to ensure domestic application of the human right to adequate housing, to address violations and the needs of victims who are of African descent, including meaningful compensation, restitution and other remedies. 33. States should formulate and implement effective programmes to improve living and housing conditions for people of African descent, including adequate subsidies for home ownership and rental, regulation of housing markets to meet the need for affordable housing, protection against unfair renting practices, development of alternative tenure arrangements and other appropriate measures. 34. Consistent with paragraph 8 (c) of the Durban Programme of Action, international financial and development institutions should develop and strengthen their programmes concerned with victims of racism and racial discrimination by allocating adequate and additional funds aimed at ameliorating housing conditions of people of African descent. 35. States policies and strategies for housing development should be an integral part of poverty-eradication approaches. Formulation and implementation of housing policies and strategies should be closely related to effective urban and rural governance. 36. States should strengthen local authorities and involve all stakeholders in the elaboration, monitoring, evaluation and implementation of housing policies, through consultative and participatory approaches. 37. States should strongly encourage and support the efforts and initiatives of slum-dwellers and non-governmental and community organizations in the upgrading of their living environment, through technical and financial assistance.