A/HRC/10/62 page 3 I. INTRODUCTION 1. In accordance with Human Rights Council resolution 8/13, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) organized an open-ended consultation on 15 January 2009, for an exchange of views on the impact of health-related discrimination, including against persons affected by leprosy and their family members, on the enjoyment of human rights (see annex I). In compliance with a request of the Council on the same resolution, OHCHR sought information on measures taken at the national level to eliminate discrimination against persons affected by leprosy and their family members.1 2. In order to facilitate the discussions of the Council and its Advisory Committee, the present report includes the conclusions and recommendations excerpted from the preliminary working paper on discrimination against leprosy victims and their families submitted by Prof. Yozo Yokota to the Subcommission on the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights at its fifty-seventh session (A/HRC/Sub.1/58/CRP.7) (see annex II). II. OUTCOME OF THE OPEN-ENDED CONSULTATION 3. On 15 January 2009, OHCHR convened an open-ended consultation to exchange views on the impact of discrimination on the human rights of persons affected by leprosy and their family members, particularly with regard to health status. The consultation was attended by Governments, independent experts, relevant United Nations bodies, specialized agencies and programmes, non-governmental organizations, medical experts, as well as representatives of and persons affected by leprosy. 4. The discussions focused on the principle of non-discrimination under international human rights law, health-related discrimination and more specifically discrimination against persons affected by leprosy and their family members. Comparisons were drawn from experiences of persons affected by HIV/AIDS and persons with disabilities in combating discrimination. 5. The discussions were wide-ranging and included experiences and testimonies relating to discrimination against persons affected by leprosy and their family members at the national and international levels. Several substantive issues emerged and there was general agreement on the need for a draft set of principles and guidelines to be developed by the Advisory Committee. These may be summarized as follows: (a) Despite significant medical advances that have successfully eliminated leprosy as a public health concern, deeply-rooted discrimination, misinformation and stigma persist in many countries, resulting in a range of human rights violations and the social exclusion of persons affected by leprosy and their family members; 1 For a more comprehensive summary of the meeting, see the OHCHR website at www.ohchr.org.