A/HRC/15/30 5. Living in the community and housing 5.1 States should promote the enjoyment of the same rights for persons affected by leprosy and their family members as for everyone else, allowing their full inclusion and participation in the community. 5.2 States should identify persons affected by leprosy and their family members living in isolation or segregated from their community because of their disease, and should give them social support. 5.3 States should enable persons affected by leprosy and their family members to choose their place of residence and should ensure that they are not obliged to accept a particular living arrangement because of their disease. 5.4 States should allow any persons affected by leprosy and their family members who were once forcibly isolated by State policies in effect at the time to continue to live in the leprosariums and hospitals that have become their homes, if they so desire. In the event that relocation is unavoidable, the residents of these places should be active participants in decisions concerning their future. States should, however, improve living conditions in those leprosariums and hospitals. With due regard to the wishes of the persons affected by leprosy and their family members, and with their full participation, States should also design, promote and implement plans for the gradual integration of the residents of such places in the community and for the gradual phasing out of such leprosariums and hospitals. 6. Participation in political life States should ensure that persons affected by leprosy, and their family members, enjoy voting rights, the right to stand for election and the right to hold public office at all levels of government, on an equal basis with others. Voting procedures must be accessible, easy to use and adapted to accommodate any individuals physically affected by leprosy. 7. Occupation States should encourage and support opportunities for self-employment, the formation of cooperatives and vocational training for persons affected by leprosy and their family members, as well as their employment in regular labour markets. 8. Education States should promote equal access to education for persons affected by leprosy and their family members. 9. Discriminatory language States should remove discriminatory language, including the derogatory use of the term “leper” or its equivalent in any language or dialect, from governmental publications and should revise expeditiously, where possible, existing publications containing such language. 10. Participation in public, cultural and recreational activities 10.1 States should promote the equal enjoyment of the rights and freedoms of persons affected by leprosy and their family members, as enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the international human rights instruments to which they are party, including, the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. 5