A/67/293 communities are representatives in the Council, which analyses legal acts and makes recommendations concerning the preservation of national identity. 62. Bosnia and Herzegovina highlighted the existence of a department for the protection of the rights of, and cooperation with, national minorities and religious groups, which exists within the Ministry of Human Rights and Refugees. It employs national minorities; in this regard, Roma coordinators work in the Ministry and in four regional offices. A Department for Minorities also operates within the ombudsman’s office. Councils of national minorities at the State level and within autonomous entities function to preserve and develop ethnic, national, religious and cultural identity and assist efforts to reintegrate communities. 25 63. The Government of Brazil has established institutional attention to AfroBrazilians in recognition of discrimination and the disproportionate socioeconomic disadvantage of Afro-descendants, including through its ministry dedicated to promoting policies for racial equality, the Secretaria de Políticas de Promoção da Igualdade Racial (SEPPIR). 26 A statute of racial equality (law 12.288), adopted in 2009, reinforces State obligations to guarantee equal opportunities to AfroBrazilians. Affirmative action projects combat structural inequalities, in particular in respect of access to education, health and employment. 64. The National Council for Cooperation on Ethnic and Integration Issues of Bulgaria is headed by the Deputy Prime Minister. It coordinates State programmes and policies relating to ethnic minorities and monitors implementation of integration policies, in consultation with all relevant stakeholders. Non-governmental organizations representing minorities, including Roma, are members. 27 The High Commissioner for Immigration and Intercultural Dialogue of the Government of Portugal, within the Ministry of the Presidency of the Council of Ministries, has a specific mandate to address minority rights and a specialist office for support to Roma people. 65. The Committee for Ethnic Minority Affairs of Viet Nam is a ministerial-level body responsible for planning and implementation of ethnic policies and those for mountainous regions where minorities frequently live. It manages the development, implementation and monitoring of programmes, and coordinates liaison between ministries and with international agencies and donors. Its priorities include socioeconomic development programmes designed to address the causes of poverty, improving education and training local officials. It is part of an institutional structure including the Ethnic Council of the National Assembly, which advises the National Assembly on ethnic minority matters and reviews draft laws. B. Autonomous arrangements and institutions 66. Some States take approaches that allow varying degrees of regional, territorial or political autonomy. Where minorities are geographically concentrated, decentralized __________________ 25 26 27 20 The Independent Expert will conduct an official visit to Bosnia and Herzegovina in 2012 at the invitation of the Government. Statement to the 2010 Forum on Minority Issues on minorities and effective participation in economic life. See the report of the Independent Expert on minority issues on her mission to Bulgaria (4 to 11 July 2011) (A/HRC/19/56/Add.2 and Corr.1). 12-45950