A/70/335 11. Although the major international legal instruments do not explicitly refer to data collection as a means for realizing human rights for all on an equal footing, signatory States are requested to take the necessary measures to ensure non-discrimination in the enjoyment of human rights and promote the development of policies and the adoption of specific measures for the implementation of their obligations. Further, States parties are requested to submit reports on the measures they have adopted, which give effect to those rights, while indicating the factors and difficulties, if any, which have affected or are affecting implementation. 3 In that respect, the Committee on Economic Social and Cultural Rights in its general comment No. 1 (1989) on reporting by States parties asserted that the essential first step towards promoting the realization of economic, social and cultural rights was diagnosis and knowledge of the existing situation. It further recommended that States parties monitor the actual situation in order to be aware of the extent to which the various rights were, or were not, being enjoyed by all individuals under their jurisdiction. 12. The Committee also emphasized that the preparation of aggregate nation al statistics was not sufficient, as special attention should be given to any specific groups or subgroups which appeared to be particularly vulnerable or disadvantaged and that qualitative, as well as quantitative, data were required in order for an adequate assessment of the situation to be made. It further stated that while monitoring was designed to give a detailed overview of the existing situation, the principal value of such an overview was to provide the basis for the elaboration of clearly stated and carefully targeted policies, including the establishment of priorities through an inclusive process fostered by effective sharing of accurate and thorough information with all stakeholders at the national level. More specifically, in its general comment No. 20, the Committee emphasized that, in order for States parties to “guarantee” that the Covenant rights would be exercised without discrimination of any kind, discrimination must be eliminated both formally and substantively, thus requiring sufficient attention to be paid to groups of individuals who suffered historical or persistent prejudice instead of merely comparing the formal treatment of individuals in similar situations. The Committee has advised that national strategies, policies and plans should use appropriate indicators and benchmarks, disaggregated on the basis of the prohibited grounds of discrimination. 13. The Human Rights Committee noted in its general comment No. 18 (1989) on non-discrimination that when reporting on articles 2 (1), 3 and 26 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, States should also report on whether there remained any problems of discrimination in fact, which might be practised either by public authorities, by the community, or by private persons or bodies. The Committee therefore called for the submission by States parties of information about legal provisions and administrative measures directed at diminishing or eliminating such discrimination. Taken together with the jurisprudence of the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, it could be inferred that the collection of disaggregated data on human rights indicators are crucial for monitoring the realization, protection and promotion of human rights for all and upholding the principles of non-discrimination and equality. __________________ 3 6/24 See International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, article 40 (1), and International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, article 16. 15-14106