A/55/304 14. Lastly, the Government of Kuwait had informed the Special Rapporteur of the action taken to implement his recommendations on the bidoon and migrant workers, made following his visit to that country in 1996. An agency for the recruitment and placement of foreign workers had been set up within the Ministry of Labour in order to put an end to the abuses observed in the recruitment of domestic employees; the conditions under which illegal immigrants were detained and expelled had been improved; and a new labour code had been adopted. 15. The Special Rapporteur concluded his presentation by recalling that racism and racial discrimination, the product of outmoded thinking in a century which vaunted its postmodernism and its passion for globalizing technologies, were far from over and done with and that the world could not afford to ignore them if it wanted to continue to move ahead. The attempt by some people to marginalize human groups on grounds of their ethnic or racial origin, either by voicing racist opinions or by engaging in discriminatory practices, must be condemned uncompromisingly. He suggested that, in addition to combating racial discrimination through education and criminal prosecution, economic and social measures should be taken in favour of people marginalized as a result of present or past discrimination. Accordingly, he proposed that each country concerned should adopt a national plan for the economic and social integration of minorities (ethnic or national), indigenous people or migrants, to be presented to the World Conference against Racism. 2. Participation in the meeting of special rapporteurs/representatives, experts and chairpersons of working groups of the special procedures of the Commission on Human Rights and of the advisory services programme 16. The meeting, which was held from 5 to 9 June 2000 (see E/CN.4/2000/6), considered, inter alia, the issue of providing technical assistance to States as a solution to the problem of ensuring compliance with the recommendations made by special rapporteurs after field missions. 3. Preparations for the World Conference against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance 17. The Special Rapporteur participated actively in the initiatives already undertaken to prepare for the World Conference against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance. For example, he took part in the expert seminar on remedies available to the victims of racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance and on good national practices in this field, held in Geneva from 16 to 18 February 2000 (see A/CONF.189/PC.1/8). On that occasion, he shared the experience he had gained in the field with the problems encountered by victims of racial discrimination in obtaining satisfaction from the legal system owing to the difficulties arising from the burden of proof. He expressed appreciation for the efforts made by some countries to shift the burden of proof to the alleged perpetrator of an act of racial discrimination. 18. The Special Rapporteur also participated in the work of the first session of the Preparatory Committee for the World Conference against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance, held in Geneva from 1 to 5 May 2000 (see A/CONF.189/PC.1/21). On that occasion, he highlighted, in particular, the need for Governments to devise human rights education programmes to change attitudes and foster respect for ethnic, racial and cultural diversity. He reiterated his hope that the States concerned would design affirmative action programmes to ensure equal opportunity for all members of society, regardless of ethnic origin, race or language, and that they would report on the measures they had taken at the World Conference. 4. Exchange of views with the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination concerning the situation of the Roma 19. On 15 August 2000, the Special Rapporteur and the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination engaged in an exchange of views on the situation of the Roma in a number of countries. In this discussion, the Special Rapporteur shared his experience in relation to racial discrimination against the Roma in education, housing and access to public places, which he had observed in Hungary, the Czech Republic and Romania (E/CN.4/2000/16/Add.1). 5