Minority rights focus in the United Nations 35 of treaty‑monitoring bodies (discussed in chap. V) is also valuable, including authoritative interpretations of standards relevant to minorities and minority rights. The Expert is also informed by and cooperates closely with regional human and minority rights instruments and mechanisms. Based on the international standards relating to minority rights mentioned above, the first holder of the mandate, Gay McDougall, identified four broad areas of concern relating to minorities around the world: • Protecting a minority’s existence, including protection of its physical integrity and prevention of violence and genocide; • Protecting and promoting the cultural and social identity of persons belonging to minorities, including the right of individuals to choose which ethnic, linguistic or religious groups they wish to be identified with, and the right of those groups to affirm and protect their collective identity and to reject forced assimilation; • Ensuring the rights to non-discrimination and equality, including ending structural or systemic discrimination and the promotion of affirmative action when required; • Ensuring effective participation of members of minorities in public life, especially with regard to decisions that affect them. The Independent Expert recognizes the collective dimension of minority rights. This is important for the promotion and protection of minority identity and visibility; for the informed participation of minority groups in decisions that affect them, their rights and resources; and for securing collective claims such as those to linguistically and culturally appropriate education, land and other shared assets, to be enjoyed in community with other persons belonging to the minority group in question. The Minorities Declaration identifies only national or ethnic, religious and linguistic minorities as falling within its scope. However, the Independent Expert can consider issues with regard to people belonging to other marginalized groups, such as those with disabilities, or issues relating to sexual orientation where they intersect with the issues and rights of persons belonging to national or ethnic, religious and linguistic minorities. Some persons belonging to minorities may face multiple and intersectional discrimination; for example, minority women and those who belong to an ethnic minority and live with disability may face unique challenges. While indigenous peoples may also constitute numerical minorities, issues concerning indigenous peoples may be more appropriately taken up by the Special Rapporteur on the rights of indigenous peoples and other United Nations mechanisms specifically mandated to address their rights, including the Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. The Independent Expert on minority issues recognizes that minorities are not homogenous groups and that it is crucial to recognize the diversity that exists within every minority group. Explicit recognition should be given to the life experiences of minority women and children, the elderly and others who may face particular issues and challenges. Consequently, the first Independent Expert devoted particular attention in all aspects of her work to the situation of women and children belonging to minority groups. Minority women The Independent Expert is required under (his or) her mandate to apply a gender perspective in her work. Indeed, since its creation the mandate has highlighted that denial or violation of rights may manifest itself differently in the experiences of men and women, girls and boys. Minority women and girls may face multiple forms of discrimination based on both their minority status and their gender. Multiple or intersectoral discrimination may make women and girls particularly