national human rights institutions, NGOs, and academics and experts on minority issues. The participation of minorities from all regions of the world is especially encouraged. The UN Forum on Minority Issues was preceded by the UN Working Group on Minorities established in 1995 to, inter alia, review the promotion and practical realization of the UN Declaration on the Rights of National or Ethnic, Religious and Linguistic Minorities. The Working Group was comprised of five independent experts and held 12 sessions between 1995 and 2006. It was a subsidiary body of the former UN SubCommission on the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights. A wealth of work was undertaken by the Working Group not only on conceptualization of the rights of persons belonging to minorities but also good practices and other measures for the promotion and protection of minorities. Numerous papers were prepared and submitted for consideration by the Working Group. A list of those documents is available on the OHCHR website and in Annex III.61 In 2005, the Working Group adopted  a detailed Commentary intended to serve as a guide for understanding and application of the UN Declaration on the Rights of National or Ethnic, Religious and Linguistic Minorities.62 11.7 THE UN PERMANENT FORUM ON INDIGENOUS ISSUES (PFII) AND THE UN EXPERT MECHANISM ON THE RIGHTS OF INDIGENOUS PEOPLES The Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues serves as an advisory body to the UN Economic and Social Council. It has a mandate to discuss indigenous issues related to economic and social development, culture, the environment, education, health and human rights. Its aims include the better coordination of activities related to indigenous issues within the UN system. The independent experts that sit in the PFII are regionally balanced representatives selected both by indigenous peoples and States. The PFII holds annual two-week sessions, typically in New York. CSOs and indigenous peoples can be accredited to participate in the sessions. The Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples provides thematic expertise on the rights of indigenous peoples to the Human Rights Council. It is formed by 5 independent experts and meets annually in Geneva. CSOs and indigenous peoples are among those permitted to attend the sessions. The Expert Mechanism replaces the UN Working Group on Indigenous Populations (1982-2006). 11.8 THE UN WORKING GROUP OF EXPERTS ON PEOPLE OF AFRICAN DESCENT (WGPAD) The UN Working Group of Experts on People of African Descent is comprised of five independent experts, meets for one 5-day session per year in Geneva and is authorized to conduct country visits upon invitation of governments. As an output of the 2001 World Conference Against Racism, the WGPAD is mandated to make proposals on the elimination of racial discrimination against Africans and people of African descent in all parts of the world; and to address all the issues concerning the well-being of Africans and people of African descent contained in the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action. CSOs are able to participate in these sessions. http://www2.ohchr.org/english/issues/minorities/docs/docstable.doc (accessed 9 August 2009). 61 See UN Doc. E/CN.4/Sub.2/AC.5/2005/2 (4 April 2005). Additionally, the Working Group considered the Minority Profile and Matrix contained in document E/CN.4/ Sub.2/AC.5/2006/3, which provides a checklist of issues and measures based on the provisions and principles contained in the UN Declaration and the Commentary. 62 Chapter 11: UN Standards and Mechanisms 157