A/HRC/61/65 22. States should invest in inclusive education, pluralistic and independent media and cultural platforms that challenge stereotypes, counter misinformation and amplify minority perspectives, including through co-created educational content. 23. States should promote shared civic spaces and initiatives that foster interaction and cooperation among communities and avoid policies or practices that entrench segregation or marginalization. 24. States should establish and adequately fund monitoring and evaluation mechanisms, including disaggregated data collection and participatory assessments, to track progress in building trust, social cohesion and minority inclusion, in line with human rights standards. 25. National human rights institutions, civil society and the media should contribute to countering polarizing narratives and promoting dialogue and social cohesion. IV. Recommendations on the recognition of the full contribution of minorities to the economic, social, cultural, political and institutional fabric of society 26. States should explicitly recognize the contributions of minorities to economic, social, cultural, political and institutional life in laws, policies and public discourse, affirming diversity as a societal asset, including the contributions of minority women, youth, older persons, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex persons and persons with disabilities. 27. States should establish or strengthen inclusive consultative mechanisms to ensure minority participation in the design, implementation and evaluation of public policies and development programmes. 28. States should ensure equal access for minorities to economic opportunities, including through targeted measures supporting entrepreneurship, skills development, access to credit and participation in labour markets. 29. States should remove barriers to minority participation in public life, including in elected bodies, public administration and the judiciary, as well as other decisionmaking institutions, and adopt special measures where necessary to achieve substantive equality. 30. States should protect and promote minority languages, cultures, traditions and cultural heritage by investing in educational programmes for all and education in minority languages, including support for minority-led cultural initiatives. 31. States should ensure that minorities, including women and youth, have equitable access to quality education and culturally appropriate public services. 32. States should explicitly recognize minority identities in national legal frameworks and, where appropriate, in census and data systems, in accordance with the principles of self-identification, data protection and human rights safeguards. 33. States should protect minority human rights defenders, community leaders and civil society actors by ensuring a safe and enabling environment for their work and participation in public life. V. Recommendations on amplifying minority voices in peacebuilding, accountability and transitional justice processes 34. States should ensure that peacebuilding, conflict prevention and post-conflict processes are inclusive of minorities from the outset, including by addressing identitybased discrimination and exclusion as root causes of conflict. GE.25-21222 5