E/CN.4/2005/18/Add.2 page 3 In Guatemala, the Special Rapporteur found that the process of strengthening democracy and peace-building begun nearly 10 years ago following the signing of the peace agreements has progressed considerably, particularly with regard to legislation and the institutional protection of human rights. The Criminal Code has been amended to include provisions banning racial discrimination, and the country has established two important commissions, the Presidential Human Rights Commission and the Presidential Commission on Discrimination and Racism against Indigenous Peoples. A human rights procurator and an institution designed to support, defend and promote the human rights of indigenous women (the Office for the Defence of Indigenous Women) complete the institutional framework. The judicial system has also undertaken reforms to free itself from the sway of the other branches of power, draw closer to the people and break the cycle of impunity that has long characterized certain actions by the State, as well as by individuals. The Government has committed itself to the implementation of the peace agreements, where the resolution of the question of ethnicity remains an essential dimension. The Vice-President of the Republic, with whom the Special Rapporteur met, said that he was aware of the persistence of racial discrimination in Guatemalan society, a phenomenon reduced by most political authorities with whom the Special Rapporteur met to economic and social discrimination alone. The Government has expressed its willingness to conduct political, economic and social reforms to enable indigenous peoples to participate at all levels. Special efforts are reportedly being contemplated to encourage public officials to be more sensitive to the cultural diversity of the country and adopt a multicultural perspective and non-discriminatory attitudes in their relations with citizens. Unlike the previous Government, the current administration has stated its readiness to implement the provisions of the peace agreements relating to indigenous peoples, including with respect to bilingual education, the provision of health services and access to justice in the languages of the peoples concerned. Efforts will also be made to give greater consideration to customary law in the settlement of disputes involving members of indigenous peoples. The Special Rapporteur recommended in particular that the Government of Guatemala should acknowledge at the highest level the persistence of racism and discrimination against peoples and communities of indigenous people and people of African descent and evaluate their forms, manifestations and impact at the economic, social and cultural levels. He also recommended that a national plan to combat racism and racial discrimination should be developed in a democratic manner on the basis of the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action. The campaign against racial discrimination should be combined with the building of an authentically multicultural society promoting both the expression of specific cultures and identities and interaction between the members of the various peoples and communities and knowledge of and respect for one another. He further recommended that all organizations of the United Nations system present in Guatemala should grant an important place in their mandates to the struggle against racism, discrimination and xenophobia by promoting policies and programmes to that end.