A/HRC/20/25 Ecuador to ensure that the law includes provisions to guarantee, including if necessary through the courts, the protection of human rights, in line with the country’s obligations under the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. 4. Indigenous peoples 38. Indigenous peoples continue to be among the poorest, most marginalized people in Ecuador, experiencing high levels of unemployment or underemployment. Recent statistics show that 60.1 per cent of indigenous people in Ecuador live in poverty, with a smaller decline in the indigenous poverty rate over recent years compared to other sections of the population.20 A combination of linguistic21 and geographical obstacles and structural discrimination limits the extent to which indigenous persons benefit from the social protection system. The Special Rapporteur calls on the Government of Ecuador to take immediate steps to further reduce the high prevalence of poverty among indigenous communities and address barriers which prevent these groups from participating in public life and accessing and benefiting from social protection measures on an equal footing. Ecuador must also ensure that development projects do not cause environmental damage that threatens the ecosystem in areas inhabited by indigenous peoples and ultimately their rights and welfare. 5. Afro-Ecuadorians 39. According to data received, the percentage of Afro-Ecuadorians living in poverty decreased from 50.6 per cent (2006) to 35.5 per cent (2011).22 According to the 2010 Census, the quality of life of Afro-Ecuadorians has also improved in several areas. Nonetheless, according to the Working Group of experts on people of African descent, which undertook an official mission to Ecuador in 2009, poverty is one of the most pernicious issues negatively affecting Ecuadorians of African descent (A/HRC/13/59, para. 34). The Special Rapporteur calls on the Government to intensify the efforts to ensure the social inclusion of AfroEcuadorians, and take specific measures to ensure their access to employment. III. Zambia 40. From 20 to 28 August 2009, the Special Rapporteur undertook a mission to Zambia (see A/HRC/14/31/Add.1). Since then, the country has experienced significant economic and political developments, including continued economic growth, the adoption of the Sixth National Development Plan 2011-2015 (SNDP) and the election of a new Government in September 2011. However, these changes have not been accompanied by equal advances in poverty alleviation; although updated poverty statistics are not available, poverty remains serious and widespread, particularly in rural areas, where more than half the population lives in extreme poverty.23 The situation in Zambia is a stark reminder that economic growth alone is not sufficient; human rights-based social policies, in particular comprehensive social protection systems, are essential to ensure that the most marginalized and disadvantaged in Zambia are able to realize their human rights. 41. In her mission report, the Special Rapporteur made numerous recommendations to Zambia in this regard, including improving the legal framework and consolidating the 20 21 22 23 National Secretariat for Planning and Development (Secretaría Nacional de Planificación y Desarrollo, SENPLADES), 5 años de Revolución Ciudadana (2012), p. 60. Despite the 2008 recognition of Kichwa and Shuar as official languages. SENPLADES, 5 años, p. 60. United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Zambia: Millennium Development Goals Progress Report 2011, p. iii. 9