E/CN.4/2003/21 page 21 that are dealing with the situation of people of African descent and that have been able to address the negative heritage of slavery and to build integrated multicultural and multiracial societies. The experts believe that the meetings of the Working Group would provide a useful forum for such an exchange. 26. The Working Group encourages Member States to reform their educational systems to reflect the history and culture of people of African descent and the history of slavery. States are also urged to consider whether the educational system reflects the image and identity of people of African descent, and whether it serves to encourage multi-ethnic, multiracial and pluralistic societies. 27. The Working Group proposes that a study be undertaken on the media and people of African descent that would focus in part on stereotypes, negative imagery and issues of invisibility. The study should also focus on how the media makes and can continue to make positive contributions to combating racial stereotypes and prejudice and to enriching cultural diversity and multicultural societies. The experts encourage independent media organizations to consider undertaking such studies as well. The elaboration of short-, medium- and long-term proposals for the elimination of racial discrimination against people of African descent, including proposals for a mechanism to monitor and promote all their human rights, bearing in mind the need for close collaboration with international and development institutions and the specialized agencies of the United Nations system in this regard. The human rights of people of African descent could be promoted, inter alia, by: (a) Devoting special attention to their needs, inter alia, through the preparation of specific programmes of action; 28. The Working Group encourages States and national institutions to include people of African descent, in particular, in the elaboration and implementation of national plans of action to combat racism and racial discrimination, as recommended in the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action. 29. The Working Group encourages Governments, with the assistance of specialized agencies and international development and financial institutions as appropriate, to collect and compile reliable statistical data on the political, economic and social conditions of people of African descent and to widely disseminate such information, not only in order to undertake specific development projects but also to empower all stakeholders in the fight to improve the situation of these people. 30. The Working Group suggests that all agencies of the United Nations, in particular, UNDP in its Human Development Report, UNESCO, UNICEF, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), the World Health Organization and ILO, as well as international development and financial institutions to adopt in their reports and in their data collection the practice of presenting statistical data and other indicators disaggregated by gender and race, whenever possible.