A/HRC/35/38 their family members. The efforts made to date have often been fragmented and limited to certain government sectors, such as Ministries of Health or national human rights institutions, and not taken up in a holistic or coordinated manner that involve other actors in society, including persons affected by leprosy and their family members. Indeed, owing to a lack of effective and concerted State and societal action to implement the principles and guidelines, various forms of discrimination that impede the enjoyment of their fundamental human rights by persons affected by leprosy and their family members persist in many parts of the world. 68. Although there is a certain degree of awareness of the principles and guidelines in many countries, such awareness does not seem to be sufficiently disseminated within all sectors of government at all levels or among the population at large. The principles and guidelines are also not being used as an authority for combating stigma and discrimination against persons affected by leprosy and their family members. 69. In the majority of countries, there is no comprehensive strategy or action plan or policy framework as well as a designated body to follow up, monitor and report on the measures taken to implement the principles and guidelines. However, in some countries, one or more government institutions, such as the Ministry of Health or the national human rights institution, have taken fragmented actions to follow up the implementation of some aspects of the principles and guidelines. Moreover, full and meaningful participation of persons affected by leprosy and their family members at all levels of the decision-making process and in activities on matters that directly or indirectly impact their lives, including in following up the effective implementation of the principles and guidelines, seems to be lacking in most countries. 70. Although no specific discriminatory policies and laws were pinpointed, such policies and laws still exist in many countries and they should be reviewed and modified or repealed as necessary. Such policies and laws are not limited to leprosyendemic countries, but also exist in non-endemic countries where leprosy is considered very rare and a “forgotten” disease. Affirmative policies and laws that provide specifically for measures to eliminate stigma and discrimination against persons affected by leprosy and their family members and that promote social inclusion of such persons in line with the principles and guidelines are lacking in most countries. 71. Inappropriate and offensive language is still used to refer to persons affected by leprosy in both leprosy-endemic and non-endemic countries. This is sometimes perpetuated by the media and in popular culture in some countries. 72. At the international level, there is a clear absence of a specific mechanism within the human rights machinery to follow up, monitor and report on measures taken and progress made towards the effective implementation of the principles and guidelines. The importance of establishing such a mechanism at the international level, preferably within the human rights system, to follow up, monitor and report on measures taken by States towards the effective and full implementation of the principles and guidelines was highlighted. 73. Based on the above findings, the following recommendations are proposed for the wider dissemination and effective implementation of the principles and guidelines for the elimination of discrimination against persons affected by leprosy and their family members. A. At the national level 74. States and relevant government institutions at all levels should strengthen, promote and facilitate awareness-raising campaigns and widely disseminate the principles and guidelines as the main benchmark in the fight to eliminate stigma and discrimination against persons affected by leprosy and their family members. This should be done in collaboration with all relevant actors, such as organizations representing persons affected by leprosy and their family members, medical practitioners, educators, religious and community leaders, public figures, opinion makers and the media. In that respect, sustained and proactive public education and awareness campaigns should be conducted in order to dispel persisting myths and superstitions about leprosy, including in countries where leprosy is not a prominent 15