E/CN.4/2006/19 page 19 91. States, international organizations, NGOs and the private sector should promote sustainable and integrated programmes to ensure equality of access to, and the participation in and contribution of women of African descent to, inter alia, the fields of education, health, employment, and participation in public life with a view to fostering the contribution of women of African descent to decision-making processes. 92. States should facilitate access to credit and subsidies for projects, designed to empower women of African descent. 93. States should improve protection for women and children of African descent who are victims of violence, including domestic and sexual violence. (c) The role of political parties in the integration of people of African descent in the political life and in decision-making processes 94. The Working Group believes that it is crucial that States collect disaggregated data on the political participation of people of African descent, such as the rate of participation in voting in presidential and parliamentary elections, at State and local levels, enrolment in political parties, presence in legislative bodies and political posts they occupy with a view to determine their level of participation in political life. 95. The Working Group encourages States to develop initiatives aimed at combating discrimination and facilitating the participation of people of African descent in the political life and decision-making processes in the countries in which they live where their communities are under-represented. 96. States are urged to adopt measures facilitating the effective participation of all persons, including people of African descent, in a free and democratic society governed by the rule of law. 97. The Working Group recognizes the need for States to develop mandatory antidiscrimination training and sensitization programmes promoting multiculturalism and diversity for Government officials with the goal of raising aware ness, enhancing understanding among cultures and encouraging tolerance for the representation and participation of people of African descent in political and decision-making processes at the national level. 98. The procedures for the election of political representatives should be fair, transparent and equitable and open to the participation of people of African descent, including where appropriate through a strategy that could serve to improve the representation of people of African descent at all levels in political life, judicial appointments and other public activities. 99. States should ensure that political parties establish internal diversity commissions and/or ombudspersons to monitor the implementation of their positive measures within the context of political representation of and by people of African descent. 100. The Working Group recommends that States promote educational programmes within primary and secondary schools on the mechanics of voting within their territories