innovation and their achievements, and the minority women who have become successful role models. The Independent Expert called on representatives of governments to share any policies and activities that have proved effective for minority women, and to learn from existing good practices that have been successful elsewhere and that could be introduced in their country. She encouraged NGO representatives to use this opportunity for dialogue with governments and other experts, to establish networks and to share problems, and good practices. She also called on minority experts and representatives of minority communities to use this platform to make their voices heard and to influence and shape the Forum recommendations. She highlighted the important role played by minority men also in bringing home the experiences and wishes of minority women and in helping other minority men to understand those issues. Ms Izsák concluded by recalling that 2012 would mark the 20th anniversary of the Declaration on Minorities and that special events and regional commemorations would be planned worldwide. Ms. Graciela Dixon, Chair of the fourth session of the Forum on Minority Issues, gave her opening remarks in which she recalled that, as a former participant, it was with a sense of pride, strong commitment and understanding of the importance of this Forum that she returned as Chair. She underlined the relevance of human rights-based approaches to the situation of minority women, whose empowerment can only be achieved through ensuring their effective participation in political, economic, cultural and social life, and that this is made possible through first ensuring their equal access to quality education. She recalled that the previous sessions of this Forum had consistently highlighted the need to specifically address the situation of minority women, without which the intersecting forms of discrimination that they might be subjected to will often go unnoticed and not be addressed adequately. Ms Dixon reiterated that dialogue between all actors is particularly essential and that there are clearly no easy answers or one-sizefits-all solutions. Since its first session, the Forum has successfully given a voice to minorities from every region and from different backgrounds. She underlined the importance of ensuring that the diverse views within all groups, including minority groups, should be heard. She urged participants to take full advantage of this gathering to share challenges but also positive measures that have proven successful towards improving the situation of minority women and that might be a source of inspiration for others. The Chair reminded all participants that the aims and objectives of the Forum as established by Human Rights Council resolution 6/15 were to: • • • • provide a platform for dialogue and cooperation on issues pertaining to persons belonging to national or ethnic, religious and linguistic minorities; provide thematic contributions and expertise to the work of the independent expert on minority issues; identify and analyse best practices, challenges, opportunities and initiatives for the further implementation of the United Nations Declaration on Minorities; produce thematic recommendations to be reported to the Human Rights Council; 4