A/HRC/11/36/Add.2 page 2 Summary The Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance visited Mauritania from 20 to 24 January 2008 at the Government’s invitation. The main purpose of the visit was to contribute to the elimination, in the context of the current drive towards democracy, of the historical legacy of ethnic discrimination which has long characterized that society. The Special Rapporteur’s main conclusion following the visit was that, while there are no manifestations of legally endorsed or State-approved racism in the country, Mauritanian society has been deeply marked by continuing discriminatory practices of an ethnic and racial nature, rooted in cultural traditions and pervasively present in social structures, the principal institutions of the State, in particular the armed forces and justice system, and attitudes. A number of persistent features of Mauritanian society have given substance and depth to such discrimination over a long period of time, including: the central role of traditional slavery; the cultural and social entrenchment of the caste system; and the use of ethnicity as a political tool, for example, through language policies which have contributed to the polarization of various communities. The pervasiveness of a culture of racism and discrimination is the greatest obstacle to the establishment of democracy and respect for human rights in Mauritanian society. The Special Rapporteur believes that Mauritania currently faces three major challenges: construction of a democratic, egalitarian and participatory society; comprehensive and permanent eradication of discriminatory cultural traditions; and the correction of political, economic and social inequalities caused by the historical legacy of discrimination. The Special Rapporteur makes several recommendations to the Mauritanian authorities, including: (a) At the political level, consistent communication to the public of a clear political will to combat all forms of racism and discrimination and to foster democratic, egalitarian and participatory multiculturalism, based on respect for and recognition and promotion of cultural diversity; (b) At the strategic level, recognition that the eradication of racism and discrimination is the key to the establishment of sustainable democracy in Mauritania; (c) At the legislative level, the adoption of comprehensive legislation against all forms of discrimination that incorporates a definition of discrimination that is applicable in all areas of social life, as well as recognition in the Constitution of the multicultural and multi-ethnic character of Mauritanian society and of its main ethnic groups and communities and their languages and cultures; (d) At the institutional level, the creation of an independent special commission with a mandate to prepare a white paper on the status, root causes, manifestations and consequences of the forms of discrimination that have left their mark on Mauritanian society and to establish a permanent independent national institution in accordance with the principles relating to the status of national institutions for the promotion and protection of human rights (Paris Principles) and responsible for upholding human rights, combating all discrimination and promoting democratic, egalitarian and participatory multiculturalism;