A/HRC/10/66 page 12 minor or petty crimes; the death penalty and life imprisonment. Ms. Najcevska stressed that the conjunction between poverty, systematic and institutionalized discrimination and a lack of state interest result in a vicious circle in which children are trapped. 70. Finally, Ms Najcevska underlined the need for extended visibility of children of African descent by such means as birth registration, effective reporting systems on abuse and the development and implementation of systematic disaggregated national data. She also recommended the strengthening of international and national commitment and actions based on the clear recognition of the racial aspects of violence. Prevention, deinstitutionalisation of care (ensure institutionalisation is a last resort, and prioritise alternatives) should also de enhanced. Quality training of police, referral agencies, lawyers, judges, institution managers and staff should also be a priority so as to sensitize them to the issue of racism and violence as they affect children of African descent. Accessible and child-friendly reporting systems and services should be created and parents should have their capacity to care for their children supported. 71. Panellist Ms. Alma Jenkins, from the Regional Office of UNICEF Panama, made a presentation on “Children of African Descent, Violence and Discrimination in the Latin America and Caribbean Region”. She argued that the results of the World Conference against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related intolerance of 2001 were weakened by the fight against terrorism and the fact that development cooperation resources were scarce in middle income countries. The current development models do not cater properly to the fight against poverty and social exclusion. She also highlighted as new forms of racial discrimination the increase in hate crimes and the political instrumentalization and intellectual legitimization of racism. 72. Ms. Jenkins stated that 150 million Afro-descendents live in the region out of which 106 million are young people and 80 million are these are children. She also pointed out that the lack of disaggregated data disadvantages people of African descent, as neither a clear understanding of the state of affairs nor a viable and comprehensive solution can be arrived at without accurate disaggregate data. 73. The expert panelist underlined the importance of the application of international human rights law at the national level. She highlighted article 29 (c) of the Convention on the Rights of the Child according to which education of the child shall be directed to the development of respect for the child’s parents, his or her own cultural identity, language and values of the country in which the child is living, from the country from which he or she may originate, and for civilizations different from his or her own. 74. Ms. Jenkins also presented economic and social indicators, in particular those relating to income, resources, literacy, school attendance, education, employment, health and infant and maternal mortality that demonstrate that people of African descent are more severely affected in these areas than the average for the population in Latin America and Caribbean region. 75. Finally, Ms. Jenkins pointed out that not enough progress has been made towards the achievements of MDGs in the region. For instance, with regard to MDG 1 on halving extreme poverty, she said that there are still 194 million poor people in the region (36.5 per cent), and 71 million people in extreme poverty (13.4 per cent). The panellist emphasized that the failure to meet MDGs as regards people of African descent stems from the persistence of discrimination.