A/HRC/37/66 8. On 16 March 2017, the previous Special Rapporteur participated as a panellist in a side event entitled “Minorities and caste-based discrimination”. The event was inspired by her report to the Human Rights Council,1 in which she considered caste discrimination in a global context. 9. On 17 March 2017, during the thirty-fourth session of the Human Rights Council, the previous Special Rapporteur moderated a side event organized by OHCHR and the mandate. The handbook, Language Rights of Linguistic Minorities: A Practical Guide for Implementation (2017),2 was launched at that event. 10. Also in March 2017, the previous Special Rapporteur attended the launch of the publication, Guidance Tool on Descent-Based Discrimination: Key Challenges and Strategic Approaches to Combat Caste-Based and Analogous Forms of Discrimination (2017),3 in Nepal. The event was organized by OHCHR and focused on strengthening the capacity of the United Nations country team in Nepal to promote anti-discrimination. 11. On 7 July 2017, the previous Special Rapporteur participated in an intersessional seminar on cultural rights and the protection of cultural heritage. The event was organized by OHCHR, with the aim of engaging with a number of stakeholders on the means to prevent and contain the detrimental impact of the damage to and destruction of cultural heritage on the enjoyment of human rights. Participants included representatives of member States, United Nations agencies, civil society organizations, national human rights institutions and cultural rights defenders. III. Activities of the Special Rapporteur (August–December 2017) 12. As of September 2017, the Special Rapporteur started a thorough consultation process with a number of stakeholders, including governments, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), national human rights institutions and representatives of various minorities, with a view to strengthening existing working relationships and exploring new means for engagement with the mandate. 13. In his consultations, the Special Rapporteur highlighted the fact that, in many countries, minorities were among the world’s most vulnerable segments of society and were currently confronted with an increasing number of human rights challenges and threats, ranging from discrimination linked to their languages, religion or ethnicity to violence and hate speech. He stressed that these challenges required concerted, collective and determined action by all concerned. He underscored the need to further understand the human rights issues surrounding the marginalization and vulnerability of minorities and for collaborative and timely responses to mitigate the threats that they faced. This was particularly true in the case of minority women who may find themselves doubly marginalized because of their gender and for being a member of a linguistic, religious or ethnic minority. 14. The Special Rapporteur understands the need to redress existing injustices facing minorities — such as long-standing and systemic discriminatory practices — and at the same time deal with emerging crises that are engulfing minorities. He initiated wideranging consultation with various members of minority communities to ensure that their views, expectations and grievances were not only integrated into the priorities of the mandate, but would also be addressed at the relevant national, regional and international levels. The Special Rapporteur will ensure that exchanges with minority groups are continuous. He will also ensure the inclusion of a strong gender dimension in his work, as provided for in the resolution establishing the mandate and subsequent resolutions. 1 2 3 4 A/HRC/31/56. See www.ohchr.org/Documents/Issues/Minorities/SR/LanguageRightsLinguisticMinorities_EN.pdf. The handbook was prepared by the Special Rapporteur. See www.ohchr.org/Documents/Issues/Minorities/GuidanceToolDiscrimination.pdf. The guidance tool was prepared by the United Nations Network on Racial Discrimination and Protection of Minorities.