ANNEXES groups, will allow the States Parties and the Committee to identify, compare and take steps to remedy forms of racial discrimination against women that may otherwise go unnoticed and unaddressed. General Recommendation XXVI on Article 6 of the Convention (56th session, 2000) 1. The Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination believes that the degree to which acts of racial discrimination and racial insults damage the injured party s perception of his/her own worth and reputation is often underestimated. 2. The Committee notifies States Parties that, in its opinion, the right to seek just and adequate reparation or satisfaction for any damage suffered as a result of such discrimination, which is embodied in article 6 of the Convention, is not necessarily secured solely by the punishment of the perpetrator of the discrimination; at the same time the courts and other competent authorities should consider awarding financial compensation for damage, material or moral, suffered by a victim whenever appropriate. General Recommendation XXVII on Discrimination against Roma (57th session, 2000) Having in mind the submissions from States parties to the International Convention for the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination, their periodic reports submitted under article 9 of the Convention, as well as the concluding observations adopted by the Committee in connection with the consideration of States parties periodic reports; Having organized a thematic discussion on the issue of discrimination against Roma and received the contributions of members of the Committee, as well as contributions by experts from United Nations bodies and other treaty bodies and from regional organizations, Having also recieved the contributions of interested non-governmental organizations, both orally during the informal meeting organized with them and through written information, Taking into account the provisions of the Convention, Recommends that the States parties to the Convention, taking into account their specific situations, adopt for the benefit of members of the Roma communities, inter alia, all or part of the following measures, as appropriate. 1. Measures of a general nature 1. To review and enact or amend legislation, as appropriate, in order to eliminate all forms of racial discrimination against Roma as against other persons or groups, in accordance with the Convention. 2. To adopt and implement national strategies and programmes and express determined political will and moral leadership, with a view to improving the situation of Roma and their protection against discrimination by State bodies, as well as by any person or organization. 3. To respect the wishes of Roma as to the designation they want to be given and the group to which they want to belong. 4. To ensure that legislation regarding citizenship and naturalization does not discriminate against members of Roma communities. 5. To take all necessary measures in order to avoid any form of discrimination against immigrants or asylum-seekers of Roma origin. 6. To take into account, in all programmes and projects planned and implemented and in all measures adopted, the situation of Roma women, who are often victims of double discrimination. 7. To take appropriate measures to secure for members of Roma communities effective remedies and to ensure that justice is fully and promptly done in cases concerning violations of their fundamental rights and freedoms. 8. To develop and encourage appropriate modalities of communication and dialogue between Roma communities and central and local authorities. 9. To endeavour, by encouraging a genuine dialogue, consultations or other appropriate means, to improve the relations between Roma communities and non-Roma communities, in particular at local levels, with a view to promoting tolerance and overcoming prejudices and negative stereotypes on both sides, to promoting efforts for adjustment and adaptation and to avoiding discrimination and ensuring that all persons fully enjoy their human rights and freedoms. 10. To acknowledge wrongs done during the Second World War to Roma communities by deportation and extermination and consider ways of compensating for them. 11. To take the necessary measures, in cooperation with civil society, and initiate projects to develop the political culture and educate the population as a whole in a spirit of non-discrimination, respect for others and tolerance, in particular concerning Roma. 2. Measures for protection against racial violence 12. To ensure protection of the security and integrity of Roma, without any discrimination, by adopting measures for preventing racially motivated acts of violence against them; to ensure prompt action by the police, the prosecutors and the judiciary for investigating and punishing such acts; and to ensure that perpetrators, be they public officials or other persons, do not enjoy any degree of impunity. 13. To take measures to prevent the use of illegal force by the police against Roma, in particular in connection with arrest and detention. 14. To encourage appropriate arrangements for communication and dialogue between the police and Roma communities and associations, with a view to preventing conflicts based on racial prejudice and combating acts of racially motivated violence against members of these communities, as well as against other persons. 15. To encourage recruitment of members of Roma communities into the police and other law enforcement agencies. 16. To promote action in post-conflict areas, by States parties and from other responsible States or authorities in order to prevent violence against and forced displacement of members of the Roma communities. 3. Measures in the field of education 17. To support the inclusion in the school system of all children of Roma origin and to act to reduce drop-out rates, in particular among Roma girls, and, for these purposes, to cooperate active- ICERD: A GUIDE FOR NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS 35