Opening address by Ms. Graciela J. Dixon C. Chair of the fourth session of the Forum on Minority Issues “Guaranteeing the rights of minority women” Tuesday, 29 November 2011, 10:00 a.m. Palais des Nations, Salle XX Madam President, Distinguished delegates and participants, Ladies and Gentlemen, Friends and colleagues, It is a sincere pleasure for me to address you this morning as we open the fourth session of the Forum on Minority Issues on “Guaranteeing the rights of minority women”. Allow me firstly to thank the previous speakers for their kind words on my appointment as Chair of this fourth session of the Forum on Minority Issues. I had the great pleasure to participate in the second session of this Forum in 2009 on “Minorities and effective political participation”, and, it is therefore with a sense of pride, strong commitment and understanding of the importance of this role that I’m back for this session in a different capacity. I particularly wish to congratulate Rita Iszak, the Independent Expert on minority issues, on her recent appointment and of course wish her all the best in the conduct of this important mandate.