A/HRC/11/36 page 10 27. A key principle in the set-up of data collection programmes should also be the involvement of minority communities in all stages of the exercise, including design and implementation. Minority groups often do not have confidence in Government authorities and the uses that will be made of ethnically disaggregated data. By including them in the design and implementation of data-gathering exercises, not only will mutual confidence be built, but it will also lead to a better design of surveys that take into account the concerns of minorities from the onset. B. Right to non-discrimination 28. The first obligation of States when addressing the socio-economic vulnerability of minorities is to implement fully the right to non-discrimination in all realms, and specifically in areas of economic, social and cultural rights. The right to non-discrimination is enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination and the main international human rights instruments. As such, non-discrimination is a cornerstone and cross-cutting right that affects the enjoyment of all other human rights. In addition to international instruments, non-discrimination is considered a constitutional right in most legal systems. 29. Despite the robustness and overarching nature of the right to non-discrimination, the Special Rapporteur recalls that this obligation is still far from being fulfilled by States across the globe. Many forms of discrimination, including racial discrimination, are still pervasive, often formalized in State policies and legislation. Such cases have been the subject of attention by the mandate of the Special Rapporteur since its inception. 30. The Special Rapporteur has previously reported on the unequal provision of economic, social and cultural rights to minority groups. Some key examples include health installations, such as hospitals and clinics, as well as water pipelines and other projects that have been deliberately excluded from geographic regions that are predominantly inhabited by minority and indigenous groups; members of minority groups are unable to have access to medical services because of administrative measures and regulations that demand official authorization from Government officials for travel outside certain areas; and persons arbitrarily deprived of their nationality were denied access to health care and basic medical treatment.4 31. Discrimination on the provision of the right to education has also contributed to perpetuating imbalances among members of minorities. Clear examples of this form of discrimination include authorities refusing to issue identity documents to members of certain ethnic minorities, preventing them from attending school or university;5 students from ethnic minority or lower castes being prevented by schoolteachers from attending school;6 lack of 4 A/HRC/4/19/Add.1, paras. 122, 126 and 178. 5 A/HRC/7/19/Add.5, paras. 82-84. 6 E/CN.4/2005/18/Add.1, para. 31.