A/HRC/31/56/Add.1 33. The Racial Equality Act also established the National System for the Promotion of Racial Equality (Sistema Nacional de Promoção da Igualdade Racial), a coordination mechanism which aims to promote the implementation of the set of policies and services regarding racial discrimination across a range of ministries. Another mechanism is the National Council for Racial Equality Policies (Conselho Nacional de Promoção da Igualdade Racial). A collegiate consultative body, the main mission of the Council is to draw up racial equality promotion policies. Chaired by the National System, the Council is composed of 22 agencies of the Federal Government, 19 civil society organizations and 3 experts. 34. The Palmares Foundation, a public institution under the Ministry of Culture (Law 7.668 of 1988), is mandated to formulate, promote and implement programmes and projects which recognize, preserve and promote the contribution of African cultures to Brazilian society. It plays a key role in raising awareness about religious intolerance through seminars and by providing financial and technical support. 35. The National Commission for the Sustainable Development of Traditional Communities, established by decree on 27 December 2004 and amended by decree on 13 July 2006, which comes under the Ministry of the Environment, is responsible for coordinating and monitoring the implementation of the National Policy for the Sustainable Development of Traditional Peoples and Communities. The Commission is composed of 15 government representatives and 15 civil society representatives. 36. Quilombos have their own self-representative body, the National Coordination Body of Rural Black Quilombo Communities. Although not yet representing all Quilombos, the Coordination Body operates through State Coordinators which report to the national body. 37. Furthermore, at the national level, a number of newer mechanisms have been established to better address minority rights. These include a human rights hotline to report human rights violations and seek redress, and a new national police ombudsman, as well as a National Forum for Police Ombudsman of each state. These mechanisms are still nascent, and should be strengthened and supported so that they can effectively and meaningfully carry out their mandate. 38. States have also developed important initiatives in the field of minority rights. Some have established their own secretariats for human rights, with specific departments working on discrimination and racial equality. In São Paolo, for example, the Municipal Secretariat for Human Rights and Citizenship, created in January 2013, is in the process of developing its own ombudsman. Bahia has also developed its own Public Ombudsman. Elected by civil society organizations, the Bahian model provides that its Ombudsman has as its mandate to bring issues of concern to the attention of State authorities. The Special Rapporteur observed that the model was effective, in that community members felt trust in the Ombudsman who, being elected by them, was genuinely representative of their interests and understood their concerns. However, the office was severely underresourced for dealing with the considerable workload it faced, and experienced significant pressure to meet the expectations of civil society in fulfilling its mandate. The Bahia State Secretariat for Human Rights has also established the Nelson Mandela Referral Centre to Combat Racism and Religious Intolerance. The centres operate as a platform and bring together a range of actors to provide legal and psychosocial support for minorities facing discrimination or abuse. 39. The private sector also plays a role in supporting minorities, in particular through the S-System, a system of social contributions paid by companies in order to finance autonomous social services, which supports the development of community spaces and programmes for marginalized communities. 8