A/HRC/38/42 often causes severe depression, resulting in a high incidence of self-isolation and selfexclusion, as well as mental illness.46 56. Not only are persons affected by leprosy stigmatized and discriminated against, their families are equally affected by courtesy stigma. Even though courtesy stigma may also affect caregivers,47 it is the family members of persons affected by leprosy that bear the brunt of the worst of discrimination. In many social and cultural contexts, entire families are discriminated against and stigmatization and discrimination may have an impact for two or even three generations. IV. Structuring the mandate A. Background 57. In 2010, the General Assembly, in a landmark move, adopted resolution 65/215 and took note of the principles and guidelines on the elimination of discrimination against persons affected by leprosy and their family members. In so doing, it established leprosy as a human rights issue and stressed that persons affected by leprosy and their family members should be treated as individuals with dignity and entitled to all human rights and fundamental freedoms under customary international law, the relevant conventions and national constitutions and laws. 58. The resolution and the principles and guidelines were preceded by resolutions 8/13 and 12/7 of the Human Rights Council, from which a report and a draft set of principles and guidelines resulted. In resolution 15/10, the Council took note with appreciation of the set of principles and guidelines and invited the General Assembly to consider, as appropriate, the issue of the elimination of discrimination against persons affected by leprosy and their family members, including possible ways to promote further the principles and guidelines. 59. In June 2015, the Council adopted resolution 29/5, mandating the Advisory Committee to undertake a study to review the implementation of the principles and guidelines and to submit a report containing practical recommendations for the wider dissemination and more effective implementation of the principles and guidelines. 60. While the progress report had failed to properly assess the implementation of the principles and guidelines in endemic States, it recommended, however, the establishment of a follow-up mechanism within the United Nations system to monitor and report on progress, and to encourage States and other relevant actors to bring their conduct into line with what was provided in the principles and guidelines. 61. In June 2017, the Council adopted resolution 35/9, establishing the mandate of the Special Rapporteur on the elimination of discrimination against persons affected by leprosy and their family members. It called on States and all relevant stakeholders to cooperate with the Special Rapporteur in the discharge of the mandate. It also requested the SecretaryGeneral and the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights to provide the means for the effective fulfilment of the mandate. Finally, it encouraged the High Commissioner and the Special Rapporteur, in collaboration with States and the relevant international organizations, as well as non-governmental organizations, to organize seminars on leprosy-related discrimination in order to widely disseminate the principles and guidelines, also ensuring substantial participation of persons affected by leprosy. 46 47 12 See https://www.ilepfederation.org/news-item/why-we-must-talk-about-leprosy-stigma-and-mentalhealth/. M. Dako-Gyeke, “Courtesy stigma: a concealed consternation among caregivers of people affected by leprosy”, Social Science and Medicine (January 2018), pp. 190–196.