A/HRC/37/73 identities. Others testified to economic and social marginalization suffered as young and minority persons, preventing them from feeling that they were an equal and valued component of society. Some participants explained how, even where minority rights appeared to be generally protected by law, policies and dedicated programmes, young people from those communities nevertheless continued to suffer from endemic discrimination and xenophobia and struggled to make their voices heard. Some of them were marginalized in various aspects of public life, including education, political participation and media representation. As a result, in some cases society failed to adapt to their specific needs and to provide the support to enable them to come forward and assume their place in public life. 16. Participants at the Forum raised issues relating to minority youth access to employment, and their participation in the economic life in general. The discussions were inspired by the work of the Forum in this particular area at its third session in 2010, including its relevant recommendations (A/HRC/16/46). A. Panel discussions 17. The discussions in the first panel focused on inclusive education for minority youth. Participants discussed the issue of access to education and accommodation of minority culture and language in various programmes and facilities. They highlighted that the right to education was fundamental to a number of other rights, including political, economic and cultural rights. Furthermore, they discussed the importance of education in minority languages and how it fostered the integration of minority youth in society. In that context, participants also discussed the role of informal education in sensitizing youth to tolerance and to religious, cultural and linguistic diversity. 18. The second panel focused on the participation of minority youth in public life, including in the political, civil, economic, social and cultural spheres. Participants raised the issue of political engagement of minority youth and the importance of minority youth representation in public institutions at the national and local levels, and reflected on how to increase the positive visibility of young members of minorities in societies. They also discussed the importance of involving minority youth in decision-making processes, particularly those that concern them directly. 19. The third panel addressed the opportunities that media offered to minority youth in the digital age. Participants called for greater efforts to ensure access to digital media for all, including marginalized minority communities. They shared experiences of initiatives undertaken to respond to hate speech and bullying on the Internet, and discussed the role of minority-led media initiatives to empower youth and to enable them to challenge biased and stereotypical narratives. 20. The fourth panel considered the role of minority youth as agents of change for peace and stability. Participants presented recommendations regarding the need for greater consultation with and participation by minority youth in conflict-prevention and peacebuilding processes. They highlighted the importance of promoting intercultural dialogue between majority and minority youth as a tool to prevent conflict and promote reconciliation in post-conflict societies. They also acknowledged the key role of minority youth in the maintenance of peace and societal cohesion. B. General recommendations 21. States should ratify and adhere to all international and regional human rights instruments that protect and promote the rights of minorities. 22. States should ensure full implementation of international human rights instruments in national law and practice, including in particular the Declaration on the Rights of Persons Belonging to National or Ethnic, and Linguistic minorities, and should ensure respect for constitutional and other guarantees aimed at the protection and promotion of the rights of minorities. 5