A/HRC/13/59 acting suspiciously. The same source explained that the men were, in fact, preparing for a football game. The case is widely seen as one of racial profiling by the police against Afrodescendents and caused much controversy. It is worth noting that the police carried out the operation accompanied by the media. The resulting media coverage in no way advanced the cause of combating the negative stereotyping of people of African descent. The experts were informed that a police superintendant had been sanctioned over the incident, but not the officer who was in charge of the operation. The experts recommend that an independent body be charged with the investigation of this and any other case of alleged racial profiling by the police. 33. The National Plan against Racism and Discrimination that is currently being formulated by the Government should include measures that address the portrayal of negative stereotypes of Afro-descendents in the media and promote positive change in societal attitudes towards this sector of the Ecuadorian community. The experts were informed that the National Ombudsman’s Office had taken action in the case of a racist radio advertisement in the lead-up to the last elections, referring the case to the relevant electoral body. The Ombudsman’s Office has a vital role to play in advancing the fight against discrimination in Ecuador, and the experts encourage the Office to contribute actively to the development of the National Plan against Racism and Discrimination. 5. Poverty 34. Of all issues negatively affecting Ecuadorians of African descent, the experts found that poverty is one of the most pernicious. During their visits to Afro-Ecuadorian communities in the province of Guayaquil, the experts found conditions of poverty where living standards were well below acceptable international standards. According to the 2001 census, 70.3 per cent of Afro-Ecuadorians live in poverty, while the national average is 61.3 per cent. There is also a notable difference between levels of poverty in urban centres and rural contexts. While the level of poverty of Afro-Ecuadorians in urban centres is 62.6 per cent, the level of poverty of Afro-Ecuadorians in rural areas is 87.2 per cent.4 35. Poverty among Ecuadorians of African descent is, to a large degree, caused by the high levels of unemployment that they experience. Where employment is found, it is often unskilled and poorly paid. A large number of households consist of a single mother and her children surviving on the sole, small salary that she obtains. The experts were informed that over 50 per cent of women of African descent who have employment engage in unstable, informal jobs. Some of these women expressed their concerns to the experts that new laws that combat the informal economy (illegal importation of goods) place their livelihoods at risk and their ability to support their families financially. While the experts recognize the Government’s responsibility to regulate imports, they suggest that projects for alternative means of income generation be explored as a way to minimize the impact on the families of African descent that have relied on the informal economy to sustain themselves. 36. During their meeting with the Quito authorities, the experts were informed that Afro-descendents living in the national capital also suffer from high levels of poverty. While the percentage of the general population living in poverty (measured on the basis of basic necessities unsatisfied) is 33.5 per cent, the number of Afro-descendents living in poverty in Quito is 44 per cent. In some neighbourhoods this level rises significantly: to 45 per cent in Calderon, 56.6 per cent in Tumbaco and 77 per cent in Quinche. In Quito, unemployment among Afro-descendents is also identified as a major cause of poverty. 4 GE.10-10207 Technical Secretariat of the Social Front, Los Afroecuatorianos en cifras (Afro-Ecuadorians in Numbers), 2006, p. 43. 11