A/HRC/43/73 61. The representative of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) welcomed the discussion on women and girls of African descent and expressed the hope that the intersection between gender and race would be better reflected in the future. He recalled that UNFPA was working towards that goal, notably through the development of data for identifying people in situations of vulnerability. He stressed the importance of addressing issues faced by people of African descent, in particular women, within the framework of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development to ensure that people of African descent were not left behind. He stressed that the collection of data, disaggregated by relevant factors, documenting the patterns of discrimination faced by people of African descent was crucial to that purpose. 62. The representative of Brazil presented national policies and measures that had contributed to improving the situation of people of African descent in his country, including affirmative action measures. He mentioned the decision by the Supreme Court of Brazil that upheld the constitutionality of the quota policies to combat racism and inequalities and promote education and entrepreneurship. 63. The representative of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela presented measures that that country had taken to ensure equality and non-discrimination, including by encouraging the participation of women of African descent to participate in decision-making processes. 64. The representative of Namibia asked Mr. Modiri how the black economic empowerment legislation implemented in South Africa after independence had contributed to addressing some of the challenges of economic exclusion, including the exclusion of women of African descent. 65. The representative of the European Union recalled that women and girls of African descent were exposed to and faced intersecting and multiple forms of discrimination, including discrimination based on race, ethnicity, sex, nationality, migration status, sexual orientation, gender identity and any other social status. She explained that the first European Union week for people of African descent, which had taken place at the European Union parliament in 2018, showcased inspiring stories of many women and girls of African descent across the European Union. She stressed the urgency to take steps to ensure that public service providers, in particular in the fields of social protection, health, education and justice, adopted policies and procedures to eliminate all forms of discrimination and barriers faced by women of African descent. 66. The representative of Angola stressed the importance of not only addressing the challenges faced by women and girls of African descent, but also of highlighting the positive contributions made by women of African descent in history and today, as political leaders, diplomats and judges, among other important functions. 67. The representative of the Islamic Republic of Iran stated that the problems and challenges discussed by the panellists were not specific to African women or women of African descent, but were challenges shared by women in all parts of the world. He asked the panellists about the root causes that created those challenges and how to tackle those root causes, including changing the structures and behaviours underlying the manifestations of discrimination. 68. In response, Ms. Day recalled that the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action included consistent references to women and girls of African descent and to intersecting and multiple forms of discrimination that highlighted the duties of Member States in that respect. She agreed that women all over the world faced complex and serious challenges, irrespective of race, but also emphasized the need to take into account the specificity of intersecting forms of discrimination, especially discrimination based on race and gender. She explained that understanding the root causes of discrimination required thorough analysis of the context based on sound data, disaggregated by relevant factors. 69. In response, Mr. Modiri recalled that the debate on whether issues faced by specific groups, such as women of African descent and African women, should be addressed as part of the general problem, or as a specific problem that required specific policies and measures. In his view, the challenge was to find strategies that could speak to and accommodate the diversity of women, including African women and women of African descent, and their experiences. He argued that one of the main challenges for policymaking in Africa was to 10