A/HRC/21/60 72. Representatives from States noted that historical memory was an essential element in the Programme of Action. The importance of mainstreaming a gender perspective in designing and monitoring public policies, taking into account the specific needs and realities of women and girls of African descent and adopting a holistic approach to ensure their rights was also discussed. The call for a declaration on the rights of people of African descent was also reiterated. 73. In his presentation the Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of racism, Mutuma Ruteere, expressed the importance of the theme of recognition, justice and development for achieving equality for people of African descent. He stressed that, while people of African descent had been recognized as victims of racism in the Durban process, the existence of racism was still often denied. He noted that the situation of people of African descent was rendered invisible by the lack of disaggregated data or recognition of their contributions to society. He asserted that recognition was essential for the achievement of justice for people of African descent in terms of recognizing past injustice and current rights violations. He highlighted that justice also required equality in enjoyment of rights and noted the discrimination that people of African descent faced in many areas of their lives, including education, employment, health, housing, political participation and administration of justice. 74. Mr. Ruteere linked recognition and justice to development, stating that racial discrimination remained an obstacle to development and that rights were central to the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals. He encouraged States to develop specific programmes regarding economic and social development and stressed the importance of adequate training to ensure people of African descent themselves can participate and be key actors in these processes. He stressed the importance of a comprehensive approach to the Programme of Action, which addressed civil and political as well as economic, social and cultural rights in relation to the specific areas of concern highlighted. He pointed to the need for legislation, affirmative-action policies, data collection, appropriate training for justice officials and other actors, and national action plans against racism. 75. Mr. Ruteere stressed that education and awareness raising should be pillars of the Decade and there must be cooperation between States, international and regional bodies including United Nations specialized agencies. He noted that the International Convention and the DDPA should be the cornerstones of the Decade. He concluded that the concepts of equality and dignity could be discussed as possible elements in the theme of the Decade. 76. Ms. Najcevska presented a detailed summary of the questionnaire based on General Assembly resolution 66/144, in which the Assembly encouraged the Working Group to develop a programme of action for the Decade. The Working Group requested inputs from Member States, United Nations agencies and bodies, regional organizations and civil society. Ms. Najcevska thanked the actors who had responded to the questionnaire. She reported back the examples of problems faced by people of African descent as presented in the questionnaire through which most respondents had shown concern for the issue and support for the Decade. The answers from all stakeholders were also taken in account in drafting the Programme of Action presented to the session. 77. Ms. Najcevska noted that most respondents had stressed the relevance of heritage, and recognizing the contributions and history of people of African descent. She also said that many respondents highlighted the fight against poverty as a key priority. Others mentioned the necessity of data collection to give visibility to the claims of people of African descent. Other issues raised in the replies were the need to counter hate speech, racial profiling and negative stereotyping in the media; to call for equal access to justice; and the need to counter discriminatory practices by law-enforcement authorities. 15