Check against delivery Hence the gender quotas, while having proved successful, need to be linked to measures addressing women’s disadvantage in the enjoyment of social and economic rights. While reviewing the work of the Special Procedures, the Treaty Bodies and the outcome of the Universal Periodic Review, very few examples can be found that captures the multidimensional discrimination experienced by minority women due to gender relations and their status as members of specific groups. The Committee on Racial Discrimination, when reviewing the situation under the Convention on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination in Croatia in 2009, welcomed the measures taken by that State to ensure fair and adequate representation of minorities in central, regional, and local administration, police force, and the judiciary and noted the results achieved so far, such as the election of a member of the Roma minority to the national parliament. However, in its recommendation, it invited the State party to take measures with a view to encouraging minority women to become more active in public life. When considering States parties under the CEDAW convention, the CEDAW Committee routinely notes the lack of information and statistical data provided in States reports about the situation of minority women in general and on the participation of minority women in political and public life in particular. It highlights that such lack constitutes a main obstacle at designing particular policies and programmes. It very often notes that minority women are underrepresented at most levels of public and political life and that the State party has not adopted any proactive measures, including policy framework for minority group, to promote the rights of minority women. It often notes the vulnerable and marginalized situation of ethnic minority women, in particular with regard to access to education, health, employment and participation in political and public life. In terms of recommendations, and beside the adoption of temporary special measures, the recommendations of the Committee include: the adoption of effective measures, including the establishment of a policy framework to eliminate discrimination against minority women and promote their rights, the undertaking of studies on the participation of minority women in society; the dissemination of the CEDAW convention among minority communities and its translation into ethnic minority languages with their own alphabets; the use of radio programmes in languages of ethnic minorities, among other forms of media to disseminate information on CEDAW and on gender equality in general. Media should be encouraged to project non-stereotypical and positive images of women, including minority women, and promote the value of gender equality for society as a whole, including through further measures to sensitize members of the press, television and other media on gender equality issues. In relation to the Universal Periodic Review process, few countries have addressed recommendations in relation to the problems faced by women belonging to minorities. While listening to the speakers this morning, I have already learnt a great deal through the sharing of successful experiences. I am looking forward to learning more throughout the remaining sessions on what is needed to promote minority women’s participation in politics as it seems clear that there is a need to further research, document and disseminate successful experiences. I and the Working Group I represent are looking forward to continue cooperation with the Forum to share experiences on the elimination of discrimination against minority women so as to have more fair, inclusive and diverse societies. 5