A/68/333 report some of the good practices and initiatives he has been made aware of through his country visits and research. These include collection of disaggregated data, programmes aimed at increasing education and educational opportunities, laws which protect disadvantaged groups generally and in labour markets, poverty alleviation initiatives, and special measures aimed at enhancing equality between all groups. While the list of good practices and examples of States which have implemented them is certainly not exhaustive, the Special Rapporteur hopes that this section will provide some helpful direction to States. 71. The Special Rapporteur would like to stress the importance of collecting ethnically-disaggregated data on demographic, social and cultural indicators. Such information is useful for identifying trends and designing appropriate policies. A good example of the value of such data is the United States which has a long record of using such data to assess the progress of racial minorities. 59 Without disaggregated data, it is difficult for States to assess whether racial and ethnic minorities are making the expected progress. Indicators should be relevant to the communities surveyed and the collection of data should be undertaken with the involvement of minorities. 60 72. As noted by the Special Rapporteur on human rights and extreme poverty in her report on Ireland, education is a key means of ensuring poverty reduction and social inclusion. 61 Several States have implemented legislation and created mechanisms to promote non-discrimination of racial and ethnic minorities in the field of education. Examples include the Promotion of Equality and Prevention of Unfair Discrimination Act (2000) in South Africa; the Law on Equality of Rights and Opportunities, Participation and Citizenship of Persons with Disabilities (2005) in France; the Prohibition of Discrimination Act (2005) in Norway, which establishes the function of Ombudsman on Equality and Anti-Discrimination; the General Equality of Treatment Act (2006) in Germany, which aims to prevent or remove disadvantages due to race or ethnic background in employment and vocational training; and the Equality Act (2006) in the United Kingdom which establishes a Commission for Equality and Human Rights. 62 In the United States, the Office for Civil Rights within the Department of Education is mandated to ensure equal access to education and it enforces several federal laws that prohibit discrimination. 63 73. Other good practices in education promote inclusion and tolerance of culturally diverse groups. In the Singaporean public education system, various education policies and programmes foster tolerance, understanding and respect among the youth. School curricula focus on social cohesion and harmony, and children are encouraged to interact with others from different backgrounds. 64 In Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Building Child-Friendly Schools and Communities initiative focuses on social unity and tolerance. 65 In Ireland, the Intercultural Education Strategy 2010-2015 aims at developing an intercultural learning environment, based on inclusion. 66 __________________ 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 18/22 See A/HRC/11/36/Add.3, para. 81. Report of the independent expert on minority issues (A/HRC/4/9), para. 77. A/HRC/17/34/Add.2, para. 82. A/HRC/17/29 and Corr.1, para. 43. A/HRC/11/36/Add.3, para. 26. A/HRC/17/40/Add.2, para. 39. United Nations Development Group, MDG Good Practices, chapter 2 (June 2010), pp. 55-56. A/HRC/17/34/Add.2, para. 82. 13-43133