A/78/306 recommendations and with a view to ensuring compliance with human rights obligations, several countries have adopted legislation, introduced policies and taken initiatives to address, for example, discrimination, exclusion from parti cipation and racial profiling. 60. One of the positive contributions of the universal periodic review process was the way the review recommendations were encouraging countries to develop national action plans against discrimination. During the third cycle, for example, New Zealand received a specific recommendation for the adoption of a national plan or strategy against racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia, hate crimes and other forms of intolerance. As a result, the Government prioritized the issue in its agenda, which led to various consultations, including with Māori and other ethnic minority communities, when elaborating the plan and ensure that it reflected their vision, values and experiences. Although the national action plan had not yet been fin alized, important steps have been taken, including consultations with various actors across the country, the adoption of a budget and the establishment of a team at the Ministry of Justice with the sole purpose of developing the plan. 35 V. Conclusions and recommendations 64. The Declaration on the Rights of Persons belonging to National or Ethnic, Religious and Linguistic Minorities is short but its call to equality is powerful. It remains a milestone document for the full realization of the human rights of minorities, as its implementation fosters inclusion and social cohesion, which are essential in preventing conflicts and ensuring long-term stability. It provides a voice to minorities in decision-making and a framework for States for achieving equality and participation. 65. The thirtieth anniversary of the Declaration offered an opportunity to raise awareness of minority rights and increase the visibility of the Declaration and to examine achievements and challenges regarding its implementation. Regrettably, minorities across the world continue to face discrimination and are often excluded from taking part fully in society. Much more needs to be done to address the most critical challenges affecting minorities in every region of the world today. 66. Many States participating in the high-level meeting of the General Assembly on 21 September 2022 recognized that the commitments in the Declaration had not been fulfilled and that new challenges in securing the rights of minorities had emerged. In that respect, it was important to acknowledge that adoption by States of targeted legislative measures accompanied by stronger implementation at the national level could create the conditions required to better protect the human rights of minorities, serve as an integral aspect of good governance and prevent grievances that could lead to conflicts. 67. States should be more deliberate and exercise greater care in managing diversity. Minority rights issues are complex and should be addressed through contextualized measures reflecting the specific national circumstances and encouraging inter-ethnic, interreligious and intercultural interaction and dialogue so as to guarantee inclusion and participation of minorities in decisionmaking. 68. Combating discrimination and protecting minority rights stand at the core of much of the work of the United Nations and efforts in that regard require __________________ 35 16/17 The universal periodic review, midterm report submitted by New Zealand at www.ohchr.org/en/hr-bodies/upr/upr-implementation. 23-15674