E/CN.4/2005/21 page 10 50. Another observer pointed out that gender inequality with respect to black women was such that positive measures were essential to reverse it. Although it was very difficult to evaluate the time frame during which positive measures were necessary, that uncertainty did not affect the fact that they were necessary. 51. Another observer referred to an issue that had to be revisited consistently, namely political will. It was not a “magic bullet”, however. States had different tools at hand, and political will had to be ascribed a certain level of priority. He raised the question as to how political will could be generated and what its source would be. 52. Two NGO observers stated that whilst some countries attracted highly educated and skilled immigrants from all over the world, professional status and qualified employment were governed by systemic barriers of colour, which most directly affected immigrants from Africa. 53. Jean-Pascal Obembo, a human rights expert, made a presentation entitled “Equal employment opportunities in the public sector for people of African descent”. He said that employment was the area of daily life in which the highest number of cases of discrimination were reported to both national and international organizations and specialized agencies. Discrimination in employment against people of African descent remained a major concern in most Western countries, not only at the recruitment stage but also during the person’s working life (working conditions, division of labour, access to in-service training, sanctions, dismissals). 54. There were two possible explanations for the difficulties faced by people of African descent as regards their eligibility for and appointment to posts in the public sector: the first was their lower than average qualifications and training; the second was direct discrimination in recruitment to the public sector. 55. While the existence of discrimination in recruitment was not disputed, it was difficult to assess its prevalence. Even the comprehensive statistics provided by market research institutes did little to elucidate the complex nature of the problem. 56. As the problem of discrimination in recruitment was not confined to one country, information was available from comparative studies. Efforts to combat discrimination in recruitment to the public sector could not be clearly distinguished from those to combat discrimination in other areas of daily life. 57. Such efforts involved combating discriminatory forms of behaviour by providing assistance, especially legal assistance, to the victims, as well as by taking preventive action in the form of awareness-raising training and mobilization against discrimination. 58. Boël Sambuc, Vice-President of the Swiss Federal Commission against Racism, made a presentation entitled “Discrimination in employment against people of African descent”. 59. Discrimination in employment was one of the most complex problems to be addressed by strategies to combat racism. Despite some methodological shortcomings, it had been possible in recent years to ascertain the level of discrimination against people of African descent in employment, inter alia, through the “testing” method. In Switzerland, that method had recently provided the basis for a study on discrimination in access by young migrants to employment.