consent by such individuals. He drew attention to his latest report to the General Assembly as including further information about data collection methodologies. Ms Louise Finer, Senior Policy Officer and National Preventive Mechanism Coordinator, Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Prisons for England and Wales, highlighted some key principles for the monitoring of prison conditions and treatment of prisoners, and reminded participants of the important role such mechanisms play in strengthening protection of the rights of minorities. She referred to the Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture to highlight the importance of regular independent monitoring to prevent ill-treatment of detainees. She identified some areas of work by HM Inspectorate which are relevant to the protection of minorities’ rights: the actual inspection work seeks to ensure prisoners are held safely and treated with respect for their human dignity and do not experience discrimination on any ground. HMI carries out thematic research and formulates recommendations, and has devoted studies to specific issues such as Muslim prisoners or prisoners identifying as Gypsy, Romani or Traveller. Finally, she stressed how HMI strives to be representative of ethnic and minority groups present in their areas of operation, and its work to strengthen the diversity of the workforce. Mr Francis Kpatindé, Journalist and Maître de Conférences at l'Institut d'Etudes Politiques in Paris, pointed out the crucial role of the media to enable fairer access to justice for minorities, by giving them a voice and ensuring their situation is widely known. He regretted that some media might not always know and understand certain minorities and their culture, and who would as a consequence, convey a prejudiced image to the rest of their society. He recommended that journalists be better trained to cover issues related to minorities in a professional manner, and encouraged minority communities to create their own media outlets. Mr Kadayam S. Subramanian, Journalist, Former Director General of Police for Tripura State, India, discussed the issue of police brutality affecting minorities in India, and the lack of accountability of police forces that perpetrate abuses. He recalled the Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative (CHRI) call for police reforms in South Asia to put an end to repressive structures within the criminal justice system inherited from the colonial regime. He highlighted that such reforms were necessary to achieve democratic reform of the administration and create an independent and effective police force. He stressed the importance for Police officers at all levels, to be sensitized to human rights. Discussion During the discussion under item V, the following points were raised by the participants: - the importance of effective national strategies to combat the root causes of discrimination within a country; - the importance of addressing recommendations not only to States but to Non-State actors; - the relevance of the rights of persons belonging to minorities in the fight against terrorism; 10