A/HRC/18/24 and penalties for discriminatory practices, while others had established State institutions to specifically handle issues of minorities and vulnerable groups, such as women, children, persons with disabilities, the poor, indigenous groups, the elderly, detainees, sexual minorities, migrants or non-nationals and ethnic minorities. Such institutions include NHRIs, ombuds-institutions, equality commissions and others which are aimed at ensuring equal treatment and equal opportunities for all in addition to fighting against discriminatory treatments and practices. 48. States had put in place programmes and policies aimed at integrating marginalized groups as well as encouraging tolerance, inclusive societies and cultural diversity. A number of countries in Europe had established programmes and policies for integrating and improving the conditions of Roma people, especially the children and youth. 49. A significant number of respondents also had established specialized government ministries and programmes as well as strategies to address specific issues, such as a strategy for the social inclusion of persons with disabilities, national programmes on gender equality, programmes on integrated social service systems, and programmes for preventing and combating discrimination. Some countries had established specific administrative offices, such as commissioners against discrimination, with the mandate to propose administrative and penal measures against perpetrators of discriminatory acts. 50. Several States had set up specialized departments or units addressing discrimination, including departments focused on racial discrimination (20 States), migrant workers (7 States), disability issues (40 States), religious discrimination (10 States), ethnic discrimination (9 States), linguistic discrimination (2 States), discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered persons (5 States), and HIV/AIDS (5 States). Some participants indicated that the limited range of groups protected through the creation of special departments raises the concern that other groups are not being adequately recognized as suffering discrimination. Some notable omissions included departments dedicated to the prevention of discrimination based on age, economic status, gender and migration. VI. Conclusions and recommendations 51. The implementation of Human Rights Council resolution 14/5, through a questionnaire and an interactive workshop, revealed that States, NHRIs, NGOs and experts recognize the importance of the role of prevention in the promotion and protection of human rights. The participants agreed that, while the core work of the Council tends to be more focused on addressing situations of violation, the long-term effectiveness of the Council will depend on its work on prevention. In this way, the prevention of human rights violations must be central. 52. The participants indicated that, despite this good will and commitment, many actors were not clear as to what prevention means in practice, which limited their ability to act on this agenda. Although at the international level there has been discussion about prevention, with multiple references to it in different human rights instruments, there is no one clear picture of what that means and how to apply it in a domestic or national context. 53. Compounding this lack of knowledge about what role prevention should play, the participants indicated that States are tending not to take strategic action to address human rights violations across all their functions. With some States having action plans, but few using human rights-based approaches, it appeared as if many of the activities undertaken to prevent human rights violations or to promote and protect human rights were limited in scope. Discussions on the Optional Protocol to the 12