A/HRC/38/42 members (such as scientific research, public health programmes, health services, policymaking and collective organization); and (c) the right to participate in the elaboration, monitoring, evaluation and accountability mechanisms of public policies that might have an impact on the lives of persons affected by leprosy and their family members. 83. Participation in decision-making is not only a right, it is also pivotal for the production of more effective responses to problems. Persons affected by leprosy develop situated knowledge that differs from the knowledge produced by science or the State. Unlike science or State management, lay knowledge does not separate life into different spheres. Instead, it is able to create a synthesis between history, society, culture, etiology and disease. As such, it is particularly helpful in producing new and much needed geographies that might map the complex intersection between leprosy and social factors. By being close to communities, leprosy organizations also know first-hand the difficulties and needs of the persons affected, which are often invisible in State surveys. They are, as such, experts on health and equality data. Such situated knowledge generates alternative evidence, as demonstrated by popular epidemiology. Situated knowledge is also key to evaluation and accountability. Finally, the lay knowledge of organizations of persons affected by leprosy should be taken into consideration for the design of scientific research and policymaking. 84. Participation also means the right to an active voice in public life. Therefore, the strengthening of organizations of persons affected by leprosy is crucial in enabling such persons and their family members to be their own representatives in public spaces. The organizations also promote a positive identity among persons affected by leprosy. With a positive identity, people start making changes to their surroundings and they tend to make them in an effective way. That is a major contribution towards rights and dignity awareness, as well as towards changing public perceptions of the disease. Finally, such participation in public life is key in achieving the structural change in which the automatic social response of rejection gives way to an empathic understanding of similarities, that is to the recognition of equality. That is why affirmative action and intersectoral governance should create conditions in which persons affected by leprosy can be empowered in such a way as to become the leading protagonists in the elimination of leprosy-related stigmatization and discrimination and ensure its sustainability in the long term. D. Methodology 85. In the discharge of the mandate, the following methodology will be central to the Special Rapporteur’s work. Principles 86. Civic engagement: the Special Rapporteur will engage and hold regular dialogue with States, United Nations agencies, funds and programmes, civil society organizations and other relevant partners, including persons affected by leprosy and their family members and their representative organizations. 87. Participation: openness, consultation and participation will remain the driving principles of the Special Rapporteur’s working methods and will actively involve local actors, civil society activists and organizations of persons affected by leprosy in her work. 88. Inclusiveness: the Special Rapporteur will work in an inclusive manner and will pay attention to groups that are more vulnerable to leprosy-related discrimination, in particular women, children and persons affected by leprosy-related disabilities. Methods of work 89. Annual reports: as mandated by resolution 35/9, the Special Rapporteur will submit annual reports to the Human Rights Council on the activities undertaken in the fulfilment of her mandate and thematic issues. 90. Country visits: at the invitation of Governments, the Special Rapporteur will make country visits and engage with the country concerned on the implementation of the 16