A/78/306 Americas, offered an opportunity for taking stock on implementation and planning future action. 25 53. The regional and annual forums benefited from contributions from expert panellists who provided recommendations to address some of the most pertinent challenges to minority rights. In 2022, recommendations emanating from the Forum and the mandate of the Special Rapporteur generally revolved ar ound four axes: advocating for the adoption of stronger legal protection of minority rights at national and international levels; mainstreaming minority rights in United Nations work; providing the support and means for the effective participation of minor ities in decisions that concern them, including at the United Nations; and developing a treaty to better recognize and protect minorities and to complement the nine articles of the Declaration. The recommendations of the annual session were submitted by th e Special Rapporteur on minority issues to the Human Rights Council at its fifty -second session, in March 2023. 26 C. Human rights treaty bodies 54. The COVID-19 pandemic exposed discrimination and exacerbated inequalities within and among countries. It was within that context that the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination started the elaboration of a general recommendation on racial discrimination and the right to health under article 5 (e) (iv) of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination. The Committee convened a day of general discussion on 23 August 2022, during its 107th session, and received submissions from States parties, national human rights institutions, international and regional organizations and mechanisms, and non-governmental organizations. 27 On 23 April 2023, the Committee announced that it had adopted a first draft of the general recommendation. The aim of the document was to clarify the obligations undertaken under the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination regarding the right to health, building on the evidence-based link between racial discrimination and the right to health. In the document, it was stated that racial discrimination in the enjoyment of the right to health followed similar trajectories for Indigenous Peoples, people of African descent, certain castes, national or ethnic minorities, and non-citizens, and recommendations were put forward for States and other stakeholders. 28 55. In its concluding observations to States parties under review during the reporting period, the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discriminati on highlighted several areas where States should undertake measures to implement the Convention. Regarding representation and participation, the Committee recommended that the necessary special measures or affirmative action aimed at eliminating the structural discrimination faced by Indigenous Peoples, minorities, including Roma, people of African descent and non-nationals be adopted at all levels of government and that effective measures be adopted to ensure their full __________________ 25 26 27 28 14/17 See www.ohchr.org/en/special-procedures/sr-minority-issues/regional-forums-minority-issues. The outcome documents of the regional forums are available at www.ohchr.org/en/events/ forums/2022/fifteenth-session-forum-minority-issues. See www.ohchr.org/en/events/days-general-discussion-dgd/2022/thematic-discussion-racialdiscrimination-and-right-health. The draft is available at www.ohchr.org/en/documents/general-comments-and-recommendations/ first-draft-general-recommendation-no-37-2023-racial. 23-15674