A/HRC/55/35 officers. The Committee also recommended that Croatia take effective measures to combat racial discrimination and hate speech in sports.29 D. Minorities and contemporary forms of slavery 26. Following the issuance of the report on contemporary forms of slavery affecting persons belonging to minorities, in 2022,30 the Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of slavery was invited to multiple events focusing on the Uighur and Tibetan minorities, at which he continued to advocate for their rights. 27. In the report on his visit to Costa Rica, the Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of slavery raised concerns about the situation of Indigenous Peoples and persons of African descent, as they were disproportionately affected by poverty exacerbated by inequality and intersecting forms of discrimination.31 28. In the report on his visit to Mauritania, the Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of slavery raised concerns about persons belonging to Black Mauritanian communities and the Haratine community, who faced discrimination in their access to education, political representation, civil registration, land and the labour market. He noted that this systematic disenfranchisement left these groups exposed to forced labour, labour exploitation, and other contemporary forms of slavery.32 29. At the end of his country visit to Canada, the Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of slavery highlighted intersecting forms of discrimination in access to decent work and to social services, as well as disproportionate institutionalization in the out-of-home care and carceral systems of people of African descent and Indigenous Peoples, including First Nations, Métis and Inuit communities, putting them at higher risk of contemporary forms of slavery.33 E. Human rights of people of African descent 30. Pursuant to Human Rights Council resolution 47/21,34 OHCHR has deployed regional anti-racial discrimination advisers in some of its regional offices. Based in Bangkok, Beirut, Brussels, Pretoria and Santiago, these regional advisers are providing thematic expertise on issues of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance to Governments, United Nations country teams and national stakeholders. They also undertake monitoring, information-gathering and reporting on issues of racial discrimination and racial justice. 31. In March, OHCHR supported the launch of the Regional Network for Development and Anti-Racism in the Middle East and North Africa, which initially had 34 members – individuals, and representatives of civil society organizations and other networks from Algeria, Comoros, Djibouti, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Libya, Mauritania, Somalia, Sudan, Tunisia, Yemen and the State of Palestine, including activists of African descent. 35 32. In October, the High Commissioner issued a new report on racial justice and equality.36 The report placed a spotlight on the right to participate in public affairs for people of African descent, recognizing that the effective implementation of this right was key to ensuring that decision-making was informed by their lived experiences and expertise, and that it was a prerequisite to transformative change for racial justice and equality. The High Commissioner called on States to show stronger political will, by taking concrete and special 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 GE.23-26212 CERD/C/HRV/CO/9-14, paras. 7, 8, 16 and 18. A/HRC/51/26. A/HRC/54/30/Add.1, para. 33. A/HRC/54/30/Add.2, paras. 45–62. See https://www.ohchr.org/sites/default/files/documents/issues/slavery/sr/statements/eom-statementcanada-sr-slavery-2023-09-06.pdf. See also https://www.ohchr.org/en/documents/tools-and-resources/how-effectively-implement-rightparticipate-public-affairs-spotlight. See https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pjPX7McLKZY (in Arabic). A/HRC/54/66. 7