A/HRC/31/27 C. Strengthening the capacity of United Nations country teams 23. A training course on minority rights held in the Philippines on 16 and 17 June 2015 strengthened the capacity of the United Nations country team effectively to support the State in the implementation of international and national standards in the areas of indigenous peoples and minority rights. The training session, organized in collaboration with the Special Rapporteur on the rights of indigenous peoples, followed up to the outcome document of the World Conference on Indigenous Peoples. 24. In December 2015, a training session was organized for the United Nations country team in Myanmar with the aim of better integrating anti-discrimination and minority rights into the work of the United Nations system at the country level. The session was to be followed by workshops on international standards and mechanism pertaining to minorities for national institutions and civil society actors in Myanmar. D. Forum on Minority Issues 25. The Forum on Minority Issues held its eighth session on 24 and 25 November 2015, focusing on the theme “Minorities in the criminal justice system”. The Forum identified ways to engage with stakeholders, including minority communities themselves, for the purpose of preventing and addressing bias and discrimination against minorities at each stage of the criminal justice system. Discussions focused on measures for the effective promotion and realization of the provisions set out in the Declaration on the Rights of Persons Belonging to National or Ethnic, Religious and Linguistic Minorities. III. United Nations network on racial discrimination and protection of minorities 26. The United Nations network on racial discrimination and protection of minorities pursued its efforts to boost dialogue and cooperation between relevant United Nations departments, agencies, funds and programmes in accordance with the four-year plan of action adopted in 2014. 27. The network contributed to the comprehensive study of the human rights situation of Roma worldwide, with a particular focus on the phenomenon of anti-Gypsyism prepared by the Special Rapporteur on minority issues and presented to the Human Rights Council at its twenty-ninth session (A/HRC/29/24). In November 2015, the network submitted a paper on the challenges of criminal justice systems and practical measures in addressing the needs and demands of minorities to the Forum on Minority Issues at its eighth session, pursuant to its plan of action. 28. In addition, the network prepared guidance for the United Nations system on the key challenges, priorities and strategic approaches to combating discrimination based on work and descent, taking into account the outcome of consultations held in October 2015, with participation of experts from United Nations human rights bodies and agencies, academia, and civil society. In December 2015, OHCHR organized a consultation workshop for the United Nations country team in Mauritania to seek further inputs on to the Guidance Tool. The workshop will also look at entry points to address the situation of affected communities in the country, through the exchange of experiences and best practices on combatting discrimination based on work and descent. 29. In 2015, a webpage dedicated to the network on racial discrimination and the protection of minorities was posted on the United Nations Practitioners’ Portal on Human 6