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Protection of minority rights in conflict prevention 2010, para. 62
- Paragraph text
- Further issues of importance regarding patterns of discrimination are presented by international development cooperation. In some countries, programmes to promote development implemented by Governments and external donors fail to take into account the inequalities between communities, the unique circumstances of minorities or the possible need for special measures to ensure that minority communities also benefit from such initiatives. Further, minorities may be adversely affected, for example through displacement by large-scale projects such as dams and natural resource extraction, or as a result of the negative environmental impact of such projects. As noted in the report of the independent expert on minorities, poverty and the Millennium Development Goals, conflict prevention is one reason why monitoring poverty alleviation among persons belonging to minorities is crucial: if strategies are successful for some groups but not for minorities, inequalities will increase and so too may tension. Inclusive participation strategies for poverty reduction are proven and effective conflict prevention measures (see A/HRC/4/9, para. 43).
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on minority issues
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Poverty
- Person(s) affected
- Ethnic minorities
- Year
- 2010
- Date modified
- Feb 13, 2020
Paragraph
Rights of linguistic minorities 2013, para. 32
- Paragraph text
- In the regional context, protection of the rights of linguistic minorities via regional standards is well developed in Europe. The European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages provides principles and objectives upon which States parties must base their policies, legislation and practice relating to regional or minority languages. It also provides a series of concrete undertakings relating to specific areas relevant to minority language use, including education, engagement with judicial and administrative authorities, access to public services, media, cultural activities and facilities, economic and social life, and cross-border exchanges. The Charter has been ratified by 25 States and signed by another 8 States. A committee of experts monitors its implementation in each State and makes recommendations for improvements in legislation, policy and practice.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on minority issues
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Civil & Political Rights
- Education
- Equality & Inclusion
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Movement
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- Ethnic minorities
- Year
- 2013
- Date modified
- Feb 13, 2020
Paragraph
Rights of linguistic minorities 2013, para. 74
- Paragraph text
- The Declaration on the Rights of Persons Belonging to National or Ethnic, Religious and Linguistic Minorities and other international standards clearly establish the rights of linguistic minorities and the duties upon States. While they do not require that a State provide all activities and services in every language present within the State, in its assessment of how to fulfil its obligations, each State must take into account numerous factors relevant to linguistic minorities, including the number of language users and their distribution within the country. Each State can decide on approaches to how it implements the Declaration in practice, and it is reasonable to consider that greater attention and resources will be dedicated to certain traditionally present, commonly spoken, or geographically concentrated languages, for example, than are given to relatively newly established languages with few or dispersed users.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on minority issues
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Ethnic minorities
- Year
- 2013
- Date modified
- Feb 13, 2020
Paragraph
Preventing and addressing violence and atrocities against minorities 2014, para. 22
- Paragraph text
- Hate speech in public spheres, in mainstream and social media and by influential figures, including religious leaders, public officials or political groups, can lead directly or indirectly to violence against minorities. Increasing levels of hate speech can be an important indicator of possible violence. Monitoring hate speech and incitement to violence offers the opportunity to be aware of and respond appropriately to specific security risks. The Rwandan genocide provides clear evidence of the power of hate speech to infect societies, motivating thousands to kill neighbours and former friends. Equally, in the Central African Republic, hate speech is recognized as playing a role in inflaming and fuelling violence and has been described by United Nations officials as a possible precursor to serious human rights violations, including potential genocide.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on minority issues
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Violence
- Person(s) affected
- Ethnic minorities
- Year
- 2014
- Date modified
- Feb 13, 2020
Paragraph
Minorities and discrimination based on caste and analogous systems of inherited status 2016, para. 77
- Paragraph text
- In Pakistan, Dalits, who are mainly minority Hindus, are disproportionately affected by forced and bonded labour, particularly in the Sindh and Balochistan provinces.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on minority issues
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Economic Rights
- Violence
- Person(s) affected
- Ethnic minorities
- Year
- 2016
- Date modified
- Feb 13, 2020
Paragraph
Protection of minority rights in conflict prevention 2010, para. 32
- Paragraph text
- Conflict prevention is not the sole positive outcome of respect for minority rights. Societies flourish when all voices are heard, when all opinions are considered; when all citizens participate; and when the talent that exists in all communities is enabled to contribute to political institutions. Inclusion is good for societies as a whole, not just for those previously left out. Consequently, creating the conditions for the effective participation of minorities should be considered by States as an integral aspect of good governance and a key priority in their efforts to ensure equality and non-discrimination.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on minority issues
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- Ethnic minorities
- Year
- 2010
- Date modified
- Feb 13, 2020
Paragraph
Protection of minority rights in conflict prevention 2010, para. 33
- Paragraph text
- States are at times, however, diverted from acting consistently with this inclusive approach to national self-interest. Minorities are too often seen as a threat to the State and/or national unity. Governments may hold the erroneous views that national unity is fragile or that new States can be achieved only through the denial or disregard of distinctive aspects of the identity of minorities; that demands by minorities for an equal voice in policymaking will dissipate central authority; that respect for minority languages produces cleavages between ethnic groups or translates into prohibitive government expenditures; or that culturally defined production methods have no place in a modern economy.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on minority issues
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- Ethnic minorities
- Year
- 2010
- Date modified
- Feb 13, 2020
Paragraph
Protection of minority rights in conflict prevention 2010, para. 49
- Paragraph text
- The Declaration, in articles 4 (2) and 4 (3), establishes positive obligations requiring that States take measures to create favourable conditions to enable persons belonging to minorities to express their characteristics and develop their culture, language, religion, traditions and customs, except where specific practices are in violation of national law and contrary to international standards. It also requires that States take appropriate measures so that, wherever possible, persons belonging to minorities may have adequate opportunities to learn their mother tongue or have instruction in their mother tongue. In terms of good practice, the Constitution of South Africa provides a good example of how recognition of the diversity of identities in the country, and in particular language rights, has contributed to cohesion and a relatively peaceful transition to democracy.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on minority issues
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- Ethnic minorities
- Year
- 2010
- Date modified
- Feb 13, 2020
Paragraph
Protection of minority rights in conflict prevention 2010, para. 60
- Paragraph text
- Poor education and economic opportunities commonly affect women members of disadvantaged minorities disproportionately. Women may face a scarcity of employment opportunities and discriminatory hiring practices based on prejudice against their minority group. Women generally share a disproportionate burden of caregiving, especially when poverty denies any possible respite or help. The heavy burden imposed on individuals and entire communities by the lack of options often fuels a disturbing culture of domestic violence. Levels of economic exclusion can be compounded by discrimination in access to other rights, for example civil and political rights, leaving women very limited access to the criminal justice system for their domestic violence cases.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on minority issues
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Poverty
- Person(s) affected
- Ethnic minorities
- Women
- Year
- 2010
- Date modified
- Feb 13, 2020
Paragraph
Protection of minority rights in conflict prevention 2010, para. 55
- Paragraph text
- Several factors and challenges can exacerbate this exclusion of minorities, including deteriorating economic conditions, ethnic tensions and rising discrimination. In some countries, unequal regional distribution of resources and services as well as lack of basic infrastructure in regions where minorities live often have the effect of excluding them from fully exercising their economic and social rights. The past decade has also brought into the picture new and unanticipated challenges, including the global food and economic crises that have been proven to have a disproportionate impact on vulnerable groups and minorities.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on minority issues
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- Ethnic minorities
- Year
- 2010
- Date modified
- Feb 13, 2020
Paragraph
Protection of minority rights in conflict prevention 2010, para. 61
- Paragraph text
- A frequent source of conflict worldwide is discrimination and inequality in relation to land and property. For minority communities, often located in remote rural areas, the land and territories on which they live are a source of food security and income generation as well as being vital to the preservation of minority cultures, traditions and collective identity. However, some minorities find that their rights to own, occupy and use land are limited or violated and they may find themselves displaced or evicted, in some cases to make way for national economic development schemes, the activities of multinational corporations or for natural resources development. Land and property issues should consequently be given close attention in respect of conflict prevention.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on minority issues
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Environment
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- Ethnic minorities
- Year
- 2010
- Date modified
- Feb 13, 2020
Paragraph
Protection of minority rights in conflict prevention 2010, para. 56
- Paragraph text
- Consequently, the rights of minorities to participate effectively in economic life must be fully taken into account by Governments seeking to promote equality at every level. From implementing non-discrimination in employment to enforcing corporate responsibility principles and developing national economic development and international development assistance schemes, Governments face the constant challenge of ensuring that the rights of minorities are protected and that they benefit as equal stakeholders in society. In their response to the current global crisis, development agencies, financial institutions and other actors involved in international cooperation are also faced with the challenge of ensuring that measures taken to alleviate the effects of the crises do not negatively impact minority rights.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on minority issues
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Economic Rights
- Equality & Inclusion
- Person(s) affected
- Ethnic minorities
- Year
- 2010
- Date modified
- Feb 13, 2020
Paragraph
Protection of minority rights in conflict prevention 2010, para. 54
- Paragraph text
- Economic exclusion is a cause, a manifestation and a consequence of discrimination against persons belonging to minorities. Many minorities have historically been excluded from full and effective participation in economic life, both in the developed and in the developing world. Minorities are often discriminated against when they seek employment, for example, on the basis of their colour, their religion, their language, their names, or even their addresses. Minorities are often poorly represented even in public sector employment and despite legislation that bans discrimination in both public and private sectors. They may face barriers in accessing credit or loans to begin small businesses and may live in the poorest regions or remote areas that offer limited prospects for their economic development. Equally, large-scale economic development projects or commercial activities carried out on the lands and territories where minorities live without their prior consultation has had negative impacts, including displacement, the perpetuation of poverty and, in some cases, violence.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on minority issues
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Economic Rights
- Equality & Inclusion
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Movement
- Poverty
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- Ethnic minorities
- Year
- 2010
- Date modified
- Feb 13, 2020
Paragraph
Protection of minority rights in conflict prevention 2010, para. 58
- Paragraph text
- The adequate representation of minorities at all levels and in all branches of the criminal justice system can have particularly important implications for relations between disadvantaged communities and the Government. Negative encounters with police or security forces at the local level shape minority perceptions of their treatment and acceptance by the State. There may be a lack of understanding of issues facing a minority community or of sensitivities relevant to policing, especially in situations in which minorities experience wider societal discrimination. The policing of minority areas by exclusively majority police forces may inflame tensions and, under certain conditions, lead to the outbreak of violence.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on minority issues
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Violence
- Person(s) affected
- Ethnic minorities
- Year
- 2010
- Date modified
- Feb 13, 2020
Paragraph
Protection of minority rights in conflict prevention 2010, para. 41
- Paragraph text
- States have significant leeway to decide, in consultation with minority communities, the modalities by which political participation can be achieved. Those measures may include the devolution of certain powers by means of a federal or autonomy arrangement; an informal council of minority representatives or a statutory body, which is consulted by the executive on matters of concern to the minority; electoral systems based on proportional representation; a system of reserved seats for minorities in parliament; or the facilitated participation in the electoral process of political parties representing the interests of minorities.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on minority issues
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- Ethnic minorities
- Year
- 2010
- Date modified
- Feb 13, 2020
Paragraph
Protection of minority rights in conflict prevention 2010, para. 50
- Paragraph text
- Central to the identity of communities are their historical narratives. Inclusion in the national narrative was a central demand of members of minorities in every country the independent expert visited. Inclusion, in that respect, can be achieved through recognition in national policy statements, history textbooks for schools, museums that celebrate the varied cultures of a country and the contributions of all groups to the national identity, and national days of celebration, to name only a few models. Nevertheless, the histories and contributions of minorities are rarely adequately reflected, which contributes to a sense of alienation and exclusion for members of some minorities.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on minority issues
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- Ethnic minorities
- Year
- 2010
- Date modified
- Feb 13, 2020
Paragraph
Protection of minority rights in conflict prevention 2010, para. 108
- Paragraph text
- Effective steps should be taken to ensure that the national staff composition of the United Nations country teams is inclusive of persons from minority communities.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on minority issues
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Person(s) affected
- Ethnic minorities
- Year
- 2010
- Date modified
- Feb 13, 2020
Paragraph
Protection of minority rights in conflict prevention 2010, para. 52
- Paragraph text
- Some conflicts are rooted in the denial or deprivation of citizenship to certain identity groups. Disputes regarding citizenship often arise against the background of pre-existing ethnic or regional conflict, linked in many cases to broader factors of poverty, competition for scarce resources and political instability (A/HRC/7/23, para. 26). The denial of citizenship to a minority community has both a symbolic and practical impact, both of which can be central to the origins of conflict. It sends an unambiguous message about the exclusion of a community as part of the national identity. The denial of citizenship can also mean denial of access to schooling, to health treatment or other services and to political office as well as the constant threat of deportation.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on minority issues
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Poverty
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- Ethnic minorities
- Year
- 2010
- Date modified
- Feb 13, 2020
Paragraph
Protection of minority rights in conflict prevention 2010, para. 39
- Paragraph text
- The effective and meaningful participation of minorities in the political arena can be a pivotal element in avoiding violent conflict. While members of minorities have the right to participate in decision-making processes, particularly those that affect them, as established in article 2 (3) of the Declaration, the reality is often quite different. Minorities are greatly underrepresented in the political processes and governing institutions of most countries for a variety of reasons. They may be intentionally restricted from participation or inadvertently disadvantaged by laws or policies, or there may be a lack of political will to dismantle structural barriers to the full and equal participation of minorities.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on minority issues
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Civil & Political Rights
- Equality & Inclusion
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- Ethnic minorities
- Year
- 2010
- Date modified
- Feb 13, 2020
Paragraph
Protection of minority rights in conflict prevention 2010, para. 48
- Paragraph text
- At the core of minority rights are the protection and preservation of culturally distinctive identities within societies. The denigration or suppression of the defining identity of a person or group can be a powerful factor in generating conflict. Repressive measures to control or restrict religious or traditional practices or force assimilation can galvanize opposition and bridge other divides that may exist within the targeted communities, thereby creating a common platform around which they can rally. Language, in particular, is a potent vehicle of culture. The imposition on minority communities of a majority language, either through teaching in public schools or formal prohibitions on the use of minority languages, has been a spark that has ignited many violent clashes in every region of the world.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on minority issues
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- Ethnic minorities
- Year
- 2010
- Date modified
- Feb 13, 2020
Paragraph
Protection of minority rights in conflict prevention 2010, para. 59
- Paragraph text
- Economic exclusion and denial of access to quality education bring about a sense of despair and destroy hopes of upward mobility. As such they are often a central grievance and a source of tensions. International standards on non discrimination, including the Declaration, place an obligation on States to institute affirmative action policies to correct historical patterns of exclusion and enable members of minorities to achieve equality. Many States have recognized the corrosive nature of inequalities and have implemented such measures. Affirmative action programmes can, however, be a point of contention for majority communities, in particular when poorer members of majority communities perceive that they are losing out. It is important that Governments exercise leadership in educating the larger public, demonstrating that such programmes are based on the principles of justice and equal opportunity and result in fairer and more stable society.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on minority issues
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Education
- Equality & Inclusion
- Person(s) affected
- Ethnic minorities
- Year
- 2010
- Date modified
- Feb 13, 2020
Paragraph
Protection of minority rights in conflict prevention 2010, para. 44
- Paragraph text
- In November 2009, the second session of the Forum on Minority Issues focused on the issue of minorities and effective political participation. Representatives of minority communities, staff of the relevant funds, programmes and specialized agencies of the United Nations and experts on minority rights participated actively in the session. The Forum produced a set of practical recommendations and affirmed that ensuring meaningful and informed participation and the management by minorities of matters directly affecting them was a means to promote stability and integration in the societies where minorities live (A/HRC/13/25, para. 5). The Forum also recommended that States should consider what special arrangements were needed to ensure that minorities could participate in political processes during situations of transition or conflict (ibid., para. 24).
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on minority issues
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Ethnic minorities
- Year
- 2010
- Date modified
- Feb 13, 2020
Paragraph
Protection of minority rights in conflict prevention 2010, para. 42
- Paragraph text
- Modalities for inclusion should always ensure ample representation of minorities at all levels of the civil service, including the police and the judiciary (see A/HRC/13/23). Additionally, it is important to note that the Declaration does not endorse modalities that would violate the sovereignty or the territorial integrity of States. Most importantly, the modality for political inclusion must afford minorities genuine influence. Tokenism or State interference in the process of identifying political representatives, for example, may lead to deeper frustrations. Further, full respect for freedoms of expression and assembly is critical.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on minority issues
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Ethnic minorities
- Year
- 2010
- Date modified
- Feb 13, 2020
Paragraph
Protection of minority rights in conflict prevention 2010, para. 92
- Paragraph text
- In its work in the field the United Nations has developed some excellent practice with regard to minority issues. However, there is no mechanism for or consistent practice of ensuring that minority issues are mainstreamed across the in-country work of entities in the United Nations system, in accordance with article 9 of the Declaration, even in countries where those issues are at the core of local conflicts. At the Headquarters level, in the Department of Political Affairs and in the UNDP Bureau for Crisis Prevention and Recovery, know-how on minority rights could be enhanced to facilitate the development of policies and practices sensitive to minorities. Appropriate training programmes and resources are required for staff throughout the United Nations system, to assist in the early identification by decision makers at the highest level of tensions involving minorities.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on minority issues
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Humanitarian
- Person(s) affected
- Ethnic minorities
- Year
- 2010
- Date modified
- Feb 13, 2020
Paragraph
Minorities and effective political participation: a survey of law and national practices 2010, para. 48
- Paragraph text
- Human rights treaty bodies and courts have dealt with a range of cases involving the right to effective participation of minorities and the related prohibition of discrimination. As regards requiring proficiency in an official language, the Human Rights Committee has held that a Government's failure to introduce legislation to permit the use of other languages disproportionately affected certain minority communities, since it denied them the use of their mother tongue in administration, justice, education, public life and Government, thus constituting a violation of article 26 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. The Committee concluded that the State was under an obligation to provide the community with an effective remedy, namely by allowing its officials to respond in languages other than the official one in a non-discriminatory manner. In another case, barring a member of a minority from standing in local elections on the grounds that her proficiency in the official language was not adequate, when such an assessment was conducted in a deficient and arbitrary way and when in fact the person already held a language certificate, was deemed by the Committee to be a violation of articles 2 and 25 of the Covenant. On the same issue of barring a member of a minority from standing in elections because of allegedly inadequate proficiency in the official language, the European Court of Human Rights has found that this can constitute a violation of article 3 of Protocol No. 1 to the European Convention. In the particular case, the Court held that it had grave doubts as to the legal basis for subjecting candidates holding language certificates to further tests. The Court also considered that the testing lacked objectivity and procedural fairness.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on minority issues
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Education
- Equality & Inclusion
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- Ethnic minorities
- Year
- 2010
- Date modified
- Feb 13, 2020
Paragraph
Minorities and effective political participation: a survey of law and national practices 2010, para. 18
- Paragraph text
- In its resolution 6/15 of 28 September 2007, the Human Rights Council established a Forum on Minority Issues ("the Forum"), inter alia to provide a platform for promoting dialogue and cooperation on issues pertaining to national or ethnic, religious and linguistic minorities, as well as thematic contributions and expertise to the work of the independent expert on minority issues. The independent expert is required to guide the work of the Forum and prepare its annual meetings. The inaugural session took place on 15 and 16 December 2008 in Geneva with a thematic focus on "Minorities and the Right to Education".
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on minority issues
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Education
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Ethnic minorities
- Year
- 2010
- Date modified
- Feb 13, 2020
Paragraph
Minorities and effective political participation: a survey of law and national practices 2010, para. 64
- Paragraph text
- Although article 25 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights guarantees the exercise of the right to public participation to citizens, it has come to be widely recognized that citizenship requirements can hamper effective participation in certain fields of public affairs. While it remains accepted for States to impose certain restrictions on non-citizens concerning the right to vote and to be elected, such restrictions should not be applied more widely than necessary. Denial of citizenship has been used by States to exclude minorities from the enjoyment of their rights. States should consider allowing non-citizens belonging to minorities to vote, stand as candidates in local elections and be members of the governing boards of self-governing bodies, while making sure that access to citizenship is regulated in a non-discriminatory manner. Positive examples of this kind exist in a number of States.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on minority issues
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Civil & Political Rights
- Equality & Inclusion
- Person(s) affected
- Ethnic minorities
- Year
- 2010
- Date modified
- Feb 13, 2020
Paragraph
Protection of minority rights in conflict prevention 2010, para. 67
- Paragraph text
- By its resolution 60/1 of 16 September 2005, the General Assembly adopted the 2005 World Summit Outcome, in which the States Members of the United Nations conceptualized a principle that is of prime importance to the protection of minorities: the responsibility to protect populations from genocide, war crimes, ethnic cleansing and crimes against humanity, more commonly known as "the responsibility to protect". This concept recognizes the duty of the international community to intervene to protect populations when their own Governments cannot or lack the will to do so. It prioritizes above all the use of appropriate diplomatic, humanitarian and other peaceful means, before legitimate force is contemplated through Chapter VII of the Charter of the United Nations.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on minority issues
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Humanitarian
- Person(s) affected
- Ethnic minorities
- Year
- 2010
- Date modified
- Feb 13, 2020
Paragraph
Minorities and effective political participation: a survey of law and national practices 2010, para. 80
- Paragraph text
- The participation of minorities in administration, the judiciary, public bodies and public companies is another important aspect of the realization of the minority right to effective participation. Minority participation in decision-making is facilitated if members of minorities work as civil servants in a broad range of bodies, and are not confined exclusively to bodies dealing with minority issues. In some cases, there may be legal or constitutional requirements for proportional representation in the public administration bodies. Certain types of quotas have been deemed illegal in some States; however, the benefits of such special measures are evident.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on minority issues
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Ethnic minorities
- Year
- 2010
- Date modified
- Feb 13, 2020
Paragraph
Protection of minority rights in conflict prevention 2010, para. 77
- Paragraph text
- The Special Procedures of the Human Rights Council and the treaty monitoring bodies are well placed to identify the warning signs of impending conflicts, including those affecting minorities. In October 2009, a United Nations round table on Special Procedures entitled "Early Warning and Emerging Issues" was held in New York. The Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief emphasized the contribution that these mechanisms can make to a better understanding of complex situations, for example involving systemic exclusion and discrimination of certain minority groups. Other participants recommended strengthening the capacity of the Special Procedures to contribute to early warning, by ensuring that their recommendations were communicated more effectively to the United Nations field presences, by improving on follow-up to communications to States and by ensuring that data revealing patterns of severe abuses were communicated as early warnings.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on minority issues
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Humanitarian
- Person(s) affected
- Ethnic minorities
- Year
- 2010
- Date modified
- Feb 13, 2020
Paragraph