A/HRC/RES/48/18 of Racial Discrimination, which, at its tenth session, commenced discussions on the elaboration of a draft additional protocol to the Convention;4 6. Endorses the conclusions and recommendations made by the Intergovernmental Working Group on the Effective Implementation of the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action at its eighteenth session; 7. Emphasizes the paramount importance of universal adherence to and the full and effective implementation of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination and the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action for promoting equality and non-discrimination around the world; 8. Requests the Group of Independent Eminent Experts on the Implementation of the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action to convene its eighth session for five working days, in 2022, and to submit a report thereon to the General Assembly at its seventyseventh session, and in this regard requests the Chair of the Group of Independent Eminent Experts to engage in an interactive dialogue with the Assembly under the agenda item entitled “Elimination of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance” at that session; 9. Requests the Secretary-General and the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights to provide the financial and human resources necessary for the Group of Independent Eminent Experts to fulfil its mandate effectively; 10. Deplores the ongoing use of social media platforms to incite hatred and violence, inter alia against migrants, refugees and asylum seekers, while reaffirming the rights to freedom of expression, association and peaceful assembly, and calls upon States to prohibit by law any advocacy of national, racial or religious hatred that constitutes incitement to discrimination, hostility or violence, including that propagated in information and communications technology; 11. Calls upon all States that have not yet done so, and consistent with paragraph 75 of the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action, to consider withdrawing their reservations on article 4 of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination and on articles 18, 19 and 20 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights; 12. Welcomes the convening of regional meetings organized by the Office of the High Commissioner to effectively implement the programme of activities of the International Decade for People of African Descent, encourages Member States and other stakeholders to adopt action-orientated recommendations at these meetings, and calls upon States, regional organizations and other stakeholders to facilitate the participation of civil society from their respective countries and regions at the meetings, and recognizes the contributing role that national human rights institutions and civil society organizations can play in supporting States’ measures to prevent and eliminate all forms of racial discrimination; 13. Notes the establishment of the Permanent Forum on People of African Descent as a consultative mechanism for people of African descent and other relevant stakeholders as a platform for improving the safety and quality of life and livelihoods of people of African descent, as well as an advisory body to the Human Rights Council, in accordance with the programme of activities for the implementation of the International Decade for People of African Descent and in close coordination with existing mechanisms, and reiterates that the Permanent Forum should be provided with all necessary and adequate substantive secretariat support; 14. Requests the Advisory Committee to prepare a study in which it examines patterns, policies and processes contributing to incidents of racial discrimination and makes proposals to advance racial justice and equality, which should be firmly anchored in the fulfilment of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the attainment of its Goals, in consultation where possible with the Office of the High Commissioner and the international independent expert mechanism to advance racial justice and equality in the 4 See A/HRC/46/66. 5