A/HRC/36/60 valuation of their ethnic and cultural diversity; and a disproportionate presence in prison populations. 53. The Working Group has a mandate to monitor the human rights situation of people of African descent, elaborate proposals for the elimination of racial discrimination against people of African descent and contribute to development programmes for people of African descent. The Working Group is therefore well suited to advocate for prioritization of programmes specifically tailored to combat structural racism and racial discrimination against people of African descent in implementation of the 2030 Agenda and the Decade. 54. Implementation and monitoring efforts must assess progress in achieving results for people of African descent specifically. This requires, inter alia, consultation and participation of people of African descent at all stages of the process; the collection and analysis of disaggregated data that reveal the situation of the most disadvantaged groups and those groups affected by discrimination; and the development and implementation of specific programmes to address the human rights violations and disparities faced by people of African descent. 55. The Working Group concludes that inequalities are deeply entrenched in structural barriers that intersect and reinforce each other. Given their cross-cutting nature, the goals and targets will not be met if we do not acknowledge that racism, racial discrimination, Afrophobia, xenophobia and related intolerance will continue to function as structural and systemic barriers to sustainable development for people of African descent. 56. The Working Group concludes that growing income, wealth and other forms of inequality are threats to social stability. Without change, growing inequalities and segregation disrupt our societies, and people of African descent are the first victims. The eradication of structural racism is key for attaining the Sustainable Development Goals. This is further underlined in the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action, which emphasize that poverty, underdevelopment, marginalization, social exclusion and economic disparities are closely associated with racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance and contribute to the persistence of racist attitudes and practices, which in turn generate more poverty. 57. The Working Group is convinced that there is a clear connection between poverty and structural racism. Discrimination can both cause poverty and be a hurdle in alleviating poverty. It is not a coincidence that in countries with a history of the transatlantic trade in enslaved Africans, enslavement and colonialism, the poorest population group is composed of racial or ethnic minorities. 58. Women and girls of African descent suffer from multiple forms of discrimination on account of their race, gender, class and other identities. The Working Group agrees with the Afro feminist theory of intersectionality that women of African descent face multiple forms of oppression which are interconnected and cannot be addressed separately from one another. Women of African descent face discrimination in all areas of life and their specific human rights concerns must be addressed. 59. Education is one of the most powerful and proven vehicles for sustainable development. It is a mechanism through which economically and socially marginalized peoples, including people of African descent, can lift themselves out of poverty. It plays a vital role in empowering women, safeguarding children from exploitation, promoting human rights and democracy, protecting the environment, and fostering tolerance and respect between people. 60. The stark reality is that people of African descent continue to suffer from many multiple, aggravated and intersecting forms of discrimination. As a result, educational outcomes for people of African descent are a function of their unequal access to key educational resources, including skilled teachers and quality curriculums. There is copious evidence that in some States, students of African descent routinely receive dramatically different learning opportunities based on their social status. This poses a 14