A/HRC/4/9 page 6 10. She has held forums for minority women to hear their issues and concerns, and consulted with senior government officials responsible for gender and women’s affairs. While visiting Hungary, she held a forum for Roma women to consult with her and interviewed women from Roma communities. During her visit to Ethiopia, she devoted attention to the particular situation of minority women and held consultations with women from groups including the Anuak and Nuer communities in the Gambella region. This attention to women’s issues is reflected in her mission reports and specific recommendations. 11. Pursuing her work in the area of poverty alleviation and realization of MDGs for minorities, the Independent Expert has held numerous consultations with development agencies, including UNDP, the World Bank and national and international non-governmental organizations (NGOs). In close cooperation with UNDP, she initiated and co-convened an international consultation “UNDP’s Engagement with Minorities in Development Processes” held on 18 and 19 October 2006 in New York, with the aim to strengthen consideration of minority issues in the areas relating to poverty/MDGs, democratic governance and crisis prevention and recovery. A commitment to the development of a UNDP policy/guidance note on minorities was a key outcome. 12. Promoting the rights of minorities, including through policies of equitable development and the rule of law in regard to anti-racism and anti-discrimination, for example, offers a vital means of promoting inclusion, stability, and conflict prevention. The Independent Expert has participated in seminars and forums in the field of social and human development indicators, early warning and conflict prevention, and held consultations with a variety of actors including the Special Adviser to the Secretary-General on the Prevention of Genocide. In November 2006 she was keynote speaker and participant in a high-level seminar “Preventing Ethnic and Religious Conflict” convened by Minority Rights Group International. 13. To assist in gathering information relating to State legislation, policy and practice on minority issues, in March 2006 the Independent Expert sent all Member States of the United Nations a questionnaire, for completion by national authorities. Their responses will greatly assist her in various aspects of her ongoing work. The questionnaire has proven useful including to identify best or successful practices on the part of States. She benefited considerably from the response of the Government of Hungary prior to her official mission, detailing legislation on minority issues and its unique system of minority self-governments. 14. The Independent Expert is required to identify best practices and possibilities for technical cooperation by OHCHR. As a practical measure she has begun focusing on three priority areas of work: policing and maintenance of security in multi-ethnic societies (in collaboration with the Working Group on Minorities); the arbitrary denial or deprivation of citizenship to certain minority groups as a tool to exclude minorities from due benefits or reasonable participation; and equal access to quality education and other education-related issues, including access to education in minority languages. 15. The Independent Expert has sent communications to States regarding specific situations and issues relevant to her mandate that have been brought to her attention. Such communications have been undertaken jointly with other Special Procedures mandate holders, with a view to verifying information, to establishing facts, to seeking additional information, and to raising issues of concern with Governments and establishing constructive dialogue.