A/HRC/16/64 against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance concerning parameters for measuring racism in different regions. 53. One delegate raised the issue of linking, in an operational manner, the collection of disaggregated data with the DDPA. Several delegates and members of NGOs strongly affirmed that racism was not in decline, but rather, new manifestations of racism were emerging. 54. Responding to questions raised by delegates, Mr. Sadi specified that, although the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights did not use the term structural discrimination, it was working on the phenomenon of structural discrimination. B. National action plans as a tool to address issues pertaining to structural discrimination 55. Alvaro Bello, Director of the School of Anthropology of the University of Tumaco, made a presentation on national action plans as a tool to address issues pertaining to structural discrimination. Kgamadi Kometsi, National Coordinator on racism and nondiscrimination of the Human Rights Commission of South Africa, made a presentation which outlined research done on one of the disadvantaged communities in South Africa. 56. Following the presentations of Mr. Bello and Mr. Kometsi, discussions were held on the importance of data collection, outreach and communication, and the need to implement national action plans for States who have not yet done so. One delegate called for States to recognize the reality of racism and racial discrimination and the long-term impact of colonialism on societies. 57. Following questions raised by delegates, Mr. Kometsi said that the choice of the various actors who would participate in the drafting of the national action plan as well as a lack of resources were among the challenges faced by the drafters of the South African national action plan. Responding to a question by a delegate, Mr. Kometsi stressed the importance of establishing an independent body specifically mandated to monitor the national action plan. C. Approaches at regional and national levels 58. Marcello Scarone Azzi, Chief of the Struggle against Discrimination and Racism Section in UNESCO, made a presentation on the organization’s efforts against discrimination in education and the fight against discrimination at a structural level. João Carlos Nogueira, Vice-Minister of the Secretariat of Policies for the Promotion of Racial Equality in Brazil, made a presentation highlighting his country’s policies for the promotion of racial equality. Jerald Joseph, Executive Director of Dignity International, Malaysia, made a presentation on the South–East-Asian regional response to discrimination 59. Following the presentations made by the panellists, several delegates paid tribute to the efforts of Brazil in the fight against discrimination and, more specifically, the enactment of the Statute of Racial Equality. Responding to a question raised by a delegate, João Carlos Nogueira stressed the positive impact of affirmative action policies in the fight against discrimination, referring in particular to the access of Afro-Brazilian students to higher education. In response to a point raised by a panellist, a delegate explained that, although his country had not ratified the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination, it complied with the standards thereof. 60. In further discussions between delegates and panellists, it was stated that the fight against discrimination implied a wide participation by civil society actors and 13