A/HRC/13/59 Recommendations 69. The Working Group urges the Government to address the condition of widespread poverty of Afro-Ecuadorian people with investment targeted at this particular group. 70. The Working Group calls upon the Government to adopt a specific law to combat ethnic, racial and gender discrimination and to establish a monitoring mechanism to examine cases of discrimination against people of African descent. 71. The Working Group urges the Government to enhance its efforts to promote respect for Afro-Ecuadorian people, their culture, traditions and contribution to Ecuadorian society. To this end, a national campaign should be initiated to promote multiculturalism and respect for the dignity of the Afro-Ecuadorian people, their culture and traditions. 72. The Working Group calls upon the Government to take measures to reduce the educational gap that exists between Afro-Ecuadorians and the wider population and counter inequalities in educational outcomes. 73. The Working Group emphasizes that all health and other basic services should be made readily accessible, as rapidly as possible, to all Ecuadorians of African descent. 74. The Working Group considers that ethno-education is needed to familiarize people of African descent with their own history and culture, and also expose the wider community to the histories and cultures of others. 75. The Working Group underlines that Afro-Ecuadorian civil society organizations, as well as the Afro-Ecuadorian people themselves, have an essential role to play in the construction of a just and democratic multicultural society. The Working Group recommends that associations of people of African descent should devise strategies for cooperating and establishing a common platform to act as an interface with the governmental authorities to voice the concerns and needs of people of African descent in Ecuador. They should also plan concerted actions directed at improving the situation of people of African descent in the country. 76. The Working Group considers that the media has a particular responsibility, and important role, in combating discrimination and racism directed at the AfroEcuadorian population. In the absence of adequate legislation, the Working Group urges the media to adopt measures for monitoring and self-regulation, in order to eliminate all vestiges of racism and ethnic discrimination in their programmes and other content. Equally, the Government should support specific training of the media on overcoming discrimination against Afro-Ecuadorian people. 77. The Working Group urges the Government to redouble its efforts to ensure the full participation of Afro-Ecuadorian people in public affairs and instruct relevant authorities to take appropriate measures to ensure that Afro-Ecuadorian people participate at all levels of public administration. 78. The Working Group encourages universities and research institutions to make greater efforts to study the culture of Afro-Ecuadorian people. Institutional policies should be developed to include the largest possible number of Afro-Ecuadorian researchers and professionals in these projects. The Working Group calls on the Government to support the establishment of a centre for Afro-Ecuadorian studies as a tool for preserving the history, traditions and culture of the Afro-Ecuadorian people. GE.10-10207 17