A/72/219 facilitated by the United Nations network on racial discrimination and protection of minorities, coordinated by OHCHR, which aims to engage the entire United Nations system. The Secretary-General’s Guidance Note on Racial Discrimination and Protection of Minorities and its related action plan for 2014 -2017 provide the framework, which includes coordinated engagement at both the global and country levels, including action by United Nations country teams and other actors. OHCHR has organized a number of workshops for United Nations country teams to facilitate follow-up to the guidance note. The importance of the rights of persons belonging to national minorities is also reflected in the United Nations Development Group Guidance Note on Human Rights for Resident Coordinators and United Nations Country Teams, issued in 2016 to facilitate the integration of human rights into United Nations work at the country level. 6. The United Nations Forum on Minority Issues and the Special Rappor teur on minority issues have continued to be key catalysts for improving the implementation of the Declaration. It is equally important that the rights of persons belonging to minorities are incorporated into the work of human rights bodies and mechanisms with a more general mandate. In this respect, it is encouraging to see frequent references to minorities in country-specific conclusions and general comments by various human rights treaty bodies as well as in the reports of many special rapporteurs. Furthermore, in connection with the Human Rights Council’s universal periodic review, Member States have frequently raised issues concerning rights of persons belonging to minorities. There was a sharp increase in relevant recommendations made by Member States in the second cycle of the universal periodic review compared with the first cycle of reviews. While this rise reflects persistent challenges in the implementation of rights, it also suggests that Member States are paying increased attention to the human rights of persons belonging to minorities. 7. The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its Sustainable Development Goals present new opportunities for advancing rights of persons belonging to minorities that need to be seized by the United Nations, S tates, minorities and other actors. The engagement of minorities in the implementation of the 2030 Agenda is crucial, bearing in mind its commitment to human rights and to leaving no one behind and the highly relevant language in the Goals and targets, including on reducing inequality. The relevance of minority issues in the implementation of the 2030 Agenda was reflected in some of the first voluntary national reviews on the Sustainable Development Goals, submitted by countries to the high-level political forum on sustainable development in July 2016. 8. The International Decade for People of African Descent (2015 -2024), proclaimed by the General Assembly and coordinated by the High Commissioner for Human Rights, is another important new entry point for en gagement. Its theme, “People of African descent: recognition, justice and development”, is reflected in an action plan. Wide engagement in the Decade is sought at the national and regional levels as well as within the United Nations, including through the United Nations network on racial discrimination and protection of minorities. The Decade is promoted by the United Nations through a continually updated multilingual website, social media, posters, exhibits and special events in collaboration with Member States, students, artists and non-governmental organizations around the world. 3 9. Several human rights mechanisms have continued to raise issues concerning the protection of the rights of people of African descent; the Special Rapporteur on minority issues, for example, made related recommendations following her visit to __________________ 3 17-12826 See, for example, www.un.org/en/events/africandescentdecade. 3/12