A/HRC/34/53/Add.2 Roma 105. Roma communities continue to experience economic, social and political marginalization and are often victims of discrimination, particularly when gaining access to the labour market, education and health-care services. The situation of Roma children and women and girls is of particular concern. 106. In order to tackle the long-term marginalization experienced by many Roma communities, it is essential that the new Roma Action Plan 2016-2020 be sufficiently financed and its implementation effectively monitored and assessed. The genuine involvement of and consultation with Roma representatives during the entire duration should be ensured and a specific gender dimension introduced. The creation of a focal point for Roma issues at the governmental and ministerial levels should be considered as a means of providing institutional support and visibility to Roma. 107. Given the importance of the work undertaken by Roma mediators and their positive results in advancing the rights of Roma, the Special Rapporteur strongly recommends that measures be taken to fill all vacant positions and that sufficient funding be allocated to secure their salaries. In that regard, she encourages dialogue between the central Government and the local administrations concerned to negotiate a solution to ensure that mediators can be hired and sufficiently paid in order to perform their functions. Political participation 108. Full and equal participation of minorities in public life, including political participation at the national, regional and local levels, is one of the fundamental pillars of minority rights. The Special Rapporteur urges the Government to consider adopting measures aimed at ensuring and strengthening the political participation of minorities in the Republic of Moldova and their full involvement in decision-making bodies, including through reserved seats or the redrawing of electoral districts to allow densely populated minority communities to elect their own representatives. 109. The Special Rapporteur recommends the mapping of minority communities and the development of a needs assessment in dialogue with them, in order to identify the communities’ needs and jointly consider possible measures to be implemented. In particular, she calls on Moldovan authorities to strongly take into account the minority dimension in its administrative reforms, including in any eventual administrative territorial reform. Media 110. Minority media plays an important role in preserving the language, culture and identity of minority groups. The Government should consider measures to increase the number of television programmes in minority languages broadcast in public media, in consultation with minority communities. 111. The Special Rapporteur encourages media outlets to maintain the highest standards of ethical journalism and avoid stereotyping individuals and groups, and to implement programmes to train, recruit and support media workers belonging to minority groups. Education and awareness-raising 112. National curriculum and textbooks should reflect the diversity of Moldovan society, including the contribution of ethnic minorities to the makeup of the country. A substantial review of the subject on civic education should be considered. 21