A/HRC/37/26 experience economic, social and political marginalization and were often victims of discrimination, particularly in accessing the labour market, education and health-care services. The situation of Roma children and women was of particular concern. In order to tackle the long-term marginalization experienced by many Roma communities, it was essential that the new Moldovan Roma action plan for the period 2016–2020 be adequately financed and its implementation effectively monitored and assessed. 22. At the regional level, the 2017 mid-term review of the European Union framework for national Roma integration strategies was the subject of a communication released by the European Commission in August 2017, in which it took stock of developments since the launch of the framework in 2011. In terms of progress, school and preschool enrolment was improving. However, segregation also appeared to be worsening, with serious implications for human rights. That clearly reaffirmed that human rights engagement with Roma inclusion by policymakers could have significant benefits for people and societies. OHCHR, through its field presences, including its regional office for Europe in Brussels, has been active and engaged in working with Governments, civil society, equality bodies, national human rights institutions and the European institutions to tackle this pressing human rights issue in Europe, including its gender aspects. 23. The human rights component of the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI) has continued to advocate for and provide technical support to legislative reform on minority rights issues. As part of its regular technical support to the Iraqi parliament, on 26 April it supported the Human Rights Committee of the Council of Representatives of Iraq in conducting a public hearing, at which potential amendments to the draft law on the protection of diversity and the prevention of discrimination (the anti-discrimination bill) were discussed. Members of the parliament, representatives of civil society, judges from the Shura Council and members of the parliamentary Human Rights and Legal Committees attended the event. The UNAMI human rights office has continued to engage with relevant Iraqi civil society groups and the Government of Iraq regarding the final text of the antidiscrimination bill to ensure that it is consistent with international standards. 24. There have been some important initiatives at the national level. For example, the OHCHR regional office for Central Asia in Kyrgyzstan supported the development of an online course on non-discrimination for civil servants, including providing the relevant software. As a result, the State Personnel Agency agreed that the non-discrimination course would be mandatory for all civil servants. 25. In collaboration with the Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance, the OHCHR country office in Tunisia has been providing technical advice on the draft law on racial discrimination prepared by the interministerial working group on discrimination. The draft contains several guarantees against discrimination based on ethnic, national and racial grounds and penalizes any legal or de facto discrimination. It also includes a proposal for the creation of a new body for receiving complaints and observing the trends regarding racial discrimination in Tunisia. 26. In August 2017, the Chair of the Working Group of Experts on People of African Descent, the Chair of the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination and the Special Rapporteur on racism expressed deep concern at the proliferation of organized hate and racist groups in the United States of America. They called upon the authorities to adopt effective policies as a matter of priority and to tackle urgently the manifestations of incitement to racial violence. C. Interfaith dialogue 27. The High Commissioner for Human Rights has recalled that respect for religious diversity is threatened today in an increasing number of societies, both by the rise of violent religious extremists and by a wave of isolationist and nationalistic thinking. Those discourses threaten religious and ethnic minorities with increased discrimination and even 8

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