A/HRC/43/28 Africa region in order to identify the root causes of discrimination and inequalities faced by the various ethnic and religious groups, including ways to address gaps in their protection, participation and access to rights. The study was initiated in September 2019 and is expected to be finalized in 2020. It involves legal and sociocultural mapping and analysis of the current situation of ethnic and religious groups in the Middle East and North Africa Region. The study specifically incorporates a gender lens to identify forms of intersectional discrimination and inequalities faced by women and girls belonging to ethnic and religious groups. 51. The United Nations human rights monitoring mission in Ukraine documented limitations on the freedom of religion or belief of multiple religious communities in territory controlled by armed groups and in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol, Ukraine, temporarily occupied by the Russian Federation. 44 OHCHR advocated for the police to take measures to ensure the safety of religious groups, which often faced threats to their safety, particularly during religious holidays.45 52. On the International Day Commemorating the Victims of Acts of Violence Based on Religion or Belief, several United Nations human rights experts issued a statement condemning religious intolerance and discrimination and calling on States to step up efforts to combat discrimination and violence based on religion or belief. A number of communications were also issued by such experts, raising concerns about discrimination, persecution and violence against persons belonging to minorities and barriers to registration of minority faith-based organizations. E. Empowerment and participation 53. As an integral part of the work of OHCHR on mainstreaming minority issues and capacity-building for minority rights advocates, the annual Minorities Fellowship Programme – composed of three linguistic components, English, Russian and Arabic – provided 16 women and 14 men from 28 countries with an in-depth knowledge of the United Nations human rights machinery and reinforced their advocacy skills to better use international human rights standards and mechanisms. 54. In order to reinforce complementarity, sustainability and continuity of the work on minority issues, the national/regional component of the Fellowship Programme, the main objective of which is to provide on-the-job experience to some of the outstanding alumni from the previous year, was carried out in the OHCHR office in Tunisia. Meanwhile, three former fellows were posted as senior minority fellows in OHCHR in Geneva. 55. Furthermore, the separate OHCHR fellowship programme for people of African descent is an integral component of the Programme of Activities of the International Decade for People of African Descent. Some 12 young activists of African descent from 11 countries participated in the fellowship programme in 2019. 56. In 2019, OHCHR disseminated and promoted the implementation of the guidelines for States on the effective implementation of the right to participate in public affairs. 46 OHCHR conducted several advocacy activities on the guidelines, including in the context of the participation of minority youth. 57. The OHCHR Regional Office for Central Asia collaborated with the State Personnel Agency of Kyrgyzstan, as well as Osh State University and Kyrgyz-Uzbek University, to increase the share of ethnic and other minorities represented in State structures. The Regional Office expanded and further developed an internship programme with national and local civil services. 44 45 46 10 General Assembly resolution 73/263, para. 11. OHCHR, “Report on the human rights situation in Ukraine 16 May to 15 August 2019”. Available at www.ohchr.org/Documents/Countries/UA/ReportUkraine16May-15Aug2019_EN.pdf. See A/HRC/39/28.