minorities face in acquiring the official documentation necessary to participate in the formal labour market, such as administrative or other obstacles to registering their residence,124 because of undue language proficiency requirements, because the State does not recognize qualifications issued from minority-language educational or training providers, or for other reasons. Minority women, particularly young women, may be especially likely to work in the informal labour market and experience low pay, poor working conditions and a lack of social protection. Participation in informal labour markets can lead to exclusion from other areas of social and economic life. For example, environment-related health risks in some informal labour market activities may result in chronic health conditions. To address the social and economic inequalities that workers in the informal economy are more likely to experience, States should provide training and other assistance to enable them to obtain forms of employment where they can benefit from protections afforded by labour law, pension and social security programmes, and provide simplified licensing or registration procedures to bring minority-owned and other businesses currently in the informal economy into such legal protection schemes.125 States should also remove undue restrictions and implement effective policies to promote the inclusion of persons belonging to national minorities within the formal labour market. Residency registration processes must not discriminate against persons belonging to national minorities126 and must be readily accessible, with relevant information and assistance provided in a language that persons belonging to minorities can understand. Any language requirements for employment, particularly in the public sector, should be regularly reviewed and undue restrictions should be removed. Where proficiency in the official State or majority language is deemed a reasonable requirement – in the public service, for example – appropriate language training should be made available to persons belonging to national minorities.127 124 125 126 127 FCNM AC, Commentary on Participation, paragraph 54. OHCHR, FMI Recommendations, third session, paragraphs 33–34. FCNM AC, Commentary on Participation, paragraph 56. FCNM AC, Commentary on Participation, paragraph 55. Recommendations on the Effective Participation of National Minorities in Social and Economic Life 49