A/HRC/FMI/2011/2 22. Negative and stereotypical portrayals of minority girls and women – for example as uneducated, powerless, oppressed or unhygienic – largely influence their treatment in wider society and contribute to the perpetuation of discrimination. Minority women following different cultural, traditional and religious practices can easily face segregation or exclusion from various social services. If they only speak their minority language, they experience difficulties and discrimination even in basic life situations. Minority women may also face barriers to freedom of cultural expression and have limited access to social and cultural forums when compared with minority men. VI. Format and agenda 23. On the basis of the provisions of Human Rights Council resolution 6/15 and in the wider context of promoting the implementation of the Declaration on the Rights of Persons Belonging to National or Ethnic, Religious and Linguistic Minorities in all regions, the focus of discussions during the session will centre on three core elements: • Identification of challenges and problems facing minority women and States • Identification of good practices in relation to minority women and their effective participation in social, economic, cultural and political life, including by drawing from examples of implementation of recommendations from previous sessions of the Forum • Consideration of opportunities, initiatives and solutions 24. The views of participants from minority communities are consistently given a high priority in Forum proceedings. 25. The Forum has developed a unique format whereby participants comment on a set of draft recommendations prepared and circulated prior to the Forum session. The draft recommendations will be developed on the basis of information, surveys and studies received by the independent expert on minority issues. The session will be devoted to brief, targeted oral interventions commenting on specific provisions of the draft recommendations, limited to three to five minutes each. Participants will be invited to devise their contributions to help develop the draft as the subsequent outcome document. In addition to the draft recommendations, an annotated agenda will be provided in advance of the session. VII. Participation 26. Pursuant to Human Rights Council resolution 6/15, the Forum session will be open to participation by States, United Nations mechanisms, treaty bodies and specialized agencies, funds and programmes, intergovernmental organizations, regional organizations and mechanisms in the field of human rights, national human rights institutions and other relevant national bodies, academics and experts on minority issues and non-governmental organizations in consultative status with the Economic and Social Council. The Forum will also be open to other non-governmental organizations representing minorities whose aims and purposes are in conformity with the spirit, purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations. 27. Given the thematic focus of the current session of the Forum, persons belonging to minorities who are actively engaged in or have experience in promoting the education of minority women and girls; encouraging greater political participation of minority women at national or local levels; developing programmes to facilitate minority women’s access to income-generating activities; working together with minority women in social projects; 7