A/HRC/19/56 social cohesion, development and growth. Government efforts to forge unity and social cohesion behind a Rwandan national identity and to diminish ethnicity as a mobilizing and destructive force in society are praiseworthy. Nevertheless, the independent expert considers that inter-group relations continue to have salience in Rwandan society and a candid discussion of those issues would be valuable to a process of promoting national unity that respects the rights of individuals and communities to freedom of expression and to freely identify as belonging to an ethnic group. The visit report is available as document A/HRC/19/56/Add.1. 61. The former independent expert visited Bulgaria from 4 to 11 July 2011. The independent expert addressed the situation of minorities, particularly the Roma, Turkish, Muslim and other religious minorities, and those identifying as Macedonian and Pomak. She consulted widely on Bulgaria’s legislation, policy and practice relevant to minority rights, anti-discrimination and equality. The Government was commended for its numerous laws, policies and programmes, including with respect to education, employment, housing and health care, which have the objective of promoting anti-discrimination and equality and the rights of minorities, including the Roma minority. Nevertheless, despite some policies having been in place for many years, the Roma remain at the very bottom of the socioeconomic ladder. They experience discrimination and exclusion in all walks of life which leaves them marginalized and in persistent poverty. The visit report is available as document A/HRC/19/56/Add.2. 62. The independent expert thanks the Governments of Rwanda and Bulgaria for their cooperation during the preparation and conduct of her visits and looks forward to continuing constructive dialogue with regard to her analysis and recommendations. She also thanks those NGOs and civil society actors which provided valuable information and assistance to her in the context of these country visits. VI. Update on the Forum on Minority Issues 63. The Forum on Minority Issues, established under resolution 6/15 of the Human Rights Council, is mandated to provide a platform for promoting dialogue and cooperation on issues pertaining to persons belonging to national or ethnic, religious and linguistic minorities, and to provide thematic contributions and expertise to the work of the independent expert. The independent expert is required to guide the Forum sessions, prepare its annual meetings and to report the recommendations of the Forum to the Human Rights Council. The Forum has been successful in identifying and analysing best practices, challenges, opportunities and initiatives for the further implementation of the Declaration on Minorities and has produced concrete and tangible outcomes in the form of thematic recommendations of practical value to all stakeholders. 64. As a practical measure to promote awareness and implementation of the recommendations of the Forum in every region, under the auspices of the mandate of the independent expert, a publication has been produced which compiles the recommendations of the first three annual sessions of the Forum in one accessible document. The publication will be widely disseminated and made available in online and CD-ROM formats. This publication will contribute to resources provided by OHCHR for events to mark the 20th anniversary of the United Nations Declaration and aims to make the recommendations of the Forum more accessible to Government and multiple stakeholders. Fourth session of the Forum: Guaranteeing the rights of minority women 65. The fourth annual session of the Forum took place on 29 and 30 November 2011 and considered the issue of guaranteeing the rights of minority women. The fourth session of the Forum focused on concrete measures and recommendations aimed at guaranteeing the rights of minority women and girls. Building on the work carried out during the first 16