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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
- Means of adoption
- N.A.
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Humanitarian
- Person(s) affected
- Ethnic minorities
- Year
- 2010
Paragraph
The role of minority rights protection in promoting stability and conflict prevention 2011, para. 28
- Paragraph text
- Minorities are often the targets, rather than the perpetrators, of violence. When minority rights are violated, members of minorities may be at a greater risk of being subjected to systematic violence, even when they are bystanders to a conflict involving other parties. Such incidents can happen as a result of minorities' poverty and exclusion from political decision-making processes, or because their often remote communities, poorly served by State infrastructure, can become targets for occupation for strategic purposes or for exploitation of natural resources. Furthermore, owing to the suspicion and prejudice with which they are often viewed by both members of the majority and security forces, minorities may be targeted with impunity.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on minority issues
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Means of adoption
- N.A.
- Topic(s)
- Humanitarian
- Violence
- Person(s) affected
- Ethnic minorities
- Year
- 2011
Paragraph
The role of minority rights protection in promoting stability and conflict prevention 2011, para. 30
- Paragraph text
- The views of the independent expert have been developed through visits to countries in almost every region of the world, thematic reports and policy debates that she has facilitated at the Forum on Minority Issues. She has consulted widely with Governments, experts and non-governmental organizations. She has participated in seminars and forums in the field of early warning and conflict prevention. In addition, she has held consultations with numerous key actors, including the Special Adviser on the Prevention of Genocide and the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, including discussions relating to, inter alia, how efforts could be coordinated to identify potential threats to the existence of minorities and how to better coordinate conflict prevention work.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on minority issues
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Means of adoption
- N.A.
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Humanitarian
- Person(s) affected
- Ethnic minorities
- Year
- 2011
Paragraph
The role of minority rights protection in promoting stability and conflict prevention 2011, para. 51
- Paragraph text
- Respecting the right of minorities to political participation at times of peace contributes to harmonious societies and opens non-violent avenues for the grievances of minorities to be addressed. When violent conflict does occur in diverse societies, applying a minority rights-based approach to consultations regarding peace agreements will require that all communities affected by the conflict, including those that are not active parties to it, be able to participate in the settlement process. That approach should counteract a tendency common in many conflict situations, whereby Governments, and the international community, focus predominately on addressing the demands of communities that are linked to armed movements, which may result in peace agreements that guarantee rights for some communities at the expense of others.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on minority issues
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Means of adoption
- N.A.
- Topic(s)
- Humanitarian
- Person(s) affected
- Ethnic minorities
- Year
- 2011
Paragraph
The role of minority rights protection in promoting stability and conflict prevention 2011, para. 65
- Paragraph text
- According to a statistical assessment carried out by Minority Rights Group International, over 55 per cent of violent conflicts of a significant intensity between 2007 and 2009 had at their core violations of minority rights or tensions between communities. In a further 22 per cent of conflicts, minority issues had emerged or receded in the course of the evolution of the conflict. Those figures indicate that Governments, donors and intergovernmental organizations need to allocate significant attention and resources to minority issues as sources of conflict. However, the current picture in this regard is mixed.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on minority issues
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Means of adoption
- N.A.
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Humanitarian
- Person(s) affected
- Ethnic minorities
- Year
- 2011
Paragraph
Preventing and addressing violence and atrocities against minorities 2014, para. 30
- Paragraph text
- Caught between warring factions, minorities in Iraq have been the targets of violence for more than a decade. In 2014, the targeting of minorities has continued and intensified under the so-called Islamic State which took control of much of the country. The Special Rapporteur, along with another United Nations expert, issued a press release in July 2014, in which she expressed her grave concern about the physical safety of several minority groups in Iraq, including Christians, Shia, Shabaks, Turkmen and Yazidis, who were being persecuted on the grounds of their religion and ethnicity. She urged the Iraqi Government and the international community to do their utmost to protect vulnerable civilians and minorities.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on minority issues
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Means of adoption
- N.A.
- Topic(s)
- Humanitarian
- Violence
- Person(s) affected
- Ethnic minorities
- Year
- 2014
Paragraph
Preventing and addressing violence and atrocities against minorities 2014, para. 8
- Paragraph text
- In Colombia, which was visited by the former Independent Expert on minority issues in 2010, Afro-Colombians reported ongoing violence, selective murders, disappearances, threats and communities forced to flee, despite Government claims that the armed conflict had ended. The Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions found that indigenous and Afro-Colombian communities had been victimized by all parties to Colombia's conflicts and that, historically, paramilitaries, sometimes in collusion with State forces, had appropriated land and committed massacres to intimidate local populations (A/HRC/14/24/Add.2, para. 76). Resource exploitation, agriculture and mega-projects have created new motivations for violence.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on minority issues
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Means of adoption
- N.A.
- Topic(s)
- Humanitarian
- Violence
- Person(s) affected
- Ethnic minorities
- Year
- 2014
Paragraph
Ensuring the inclusion of minority issues in post- 2015 development agendas 2014, para. 69
- Paragraph text
- The huge impact of conflict and instability on minorities in Iraq has been documented, including for Muslim minorities, Baha'is, Christians, Armenians, Chaldo-Assyrians, Faili Kurds, Palestinians, Jews, Sabian Mandaeans, Yazidis and others. Minority Rights Group states that: "Minorities in Iraq have continued to be targeted on the grounds of their religion or ethnicity since the US-led invasion and fall of Saddam Hussein in 2003. They have suffered from killings, kidnappings, torture, harassment, forced conversions and the destruction of homes and property." Persecution, human rights violations and targeted attacks have led to vast numbers of internally displaced persons and a mass exodus of minority communities to neighbouring countries, where they continue to experience severe challenges and poverty. Equally, in Egypt and the Syrian Arab Republic, the full extent of unrest and conflict on minorities is becoming evident and has far-reaching implications for their rights and security.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on minority issues
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Means of adoption
- N.A.
- Topic(s)
- Humanitarian
- Violence
- Person(s) affected
- Ethnic minorities
- Persons on the move
- Year
- 2014
Paragraph
Minorities in situations of humanitarian crises 2016, para. 59
- Paragraph text
- Minorities affected by crises and disasters may be specifically targeted and may be at particular risk with regard to their physical safety and security both during crises and in their aftermath. Indeed, and regrettably, many contemporary conflicts are based on superiority ideologies in which targeting minorities is one of the key drivers of the conflict (see A/68/266). Challenges facing minorities during conflict may include, inter alia, violence and xenophobic attacks against them, whether physical or verbal attacks. This could be attributed to a breakdown of law and order during conflict, or the targeting of the minority group may in fact play a role in the source conflict. In some cases, the physical integrity of minorities during conflict can even be a key aspect of the conflict, and amounting to ethnic cleansing, crimes against humanity or atrocity crimes.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on minority issues
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Means of adoption
- N.A.
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Humanitarian
- Person(s) affected
- Ethnic minorities
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Minorities in situations of humanitarian crises 2016, para. 60
- Paragraph text
- Minorities may also experience particular restrictions on their freedom of movement during conflict and humanitarian crises, including more frequent stops or because of their identity even being blocked at border and checkpoints when attempting to flee conflicts, as well as intimidation, discrimination or even violence against them when trying to flee. For example, it has been well documented that sub-Saharan African migrants and asylum seekers, seeking to transit through countries in North Africa en route to Europe have been particularly targeted on account of their race, and suffered violence. In some instances, minorities seeking asylum status may be arbitrarily detained and forcefully deported to their home countries without adequate assessment of their asylum claims and/or may encounter particular obstacles to be registered as asylum seekers based on their minority characteristics.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on minority issues
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Means of adoption
- N.A.
- Topic(s)
- Humanitarian
- Movement
- Person(s) affected
- Ethnic minorities
- Persons on the move
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Minorities in situations of humanitarian crises 2016, para. 104
- Paragraph text
- In terms of disasters, all actors should strive to mitigate the adverse impact of natural hazards on communities, for example through effective disaster risk reduction and mitigation measures, especially in areas prone to recurrent disasters, through including minorities in disaster risk reduction programmes from the outset. Overall, the Special Rapporteur notes that much can be done to anticipate and address the needs of at risk minorities during catastrophic events. Adequate planning will go far to minimize the extent to which these groups suffer disproportionately and experience devastating outcomes. Responsible emergency preparedness and response efforts that incorporate a minority rights approach, ensuring that minority voices can raise their concerns and opinions regarding relief and recovery efforts, can be critical to preventing disasters from having a disproportionate impact on, or further ravaging the lives of minority communities.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on minority issues
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Means of adoption
- N.A.
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Humanitarian
- Person(s) affected
- Ethnic minorities
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Minorities in situations of humanitarian crises 2016, para. 80
- Paragraph text
- The reasons for the differentiated experience of minorities in the context of disasters are multiple. In terms of increased vulnerabilities, the Special Rapporteur notes that this may be due to the fact that disadvantaged minorities may reside in remote and marginal areas that are more susceptible to disasters, or have fewer resources to evacuate easily. For example, the location of minority homes and settlements may be on the periphery of more established neighbourhoods in areas more susceptible to disasters such as floodplains, coastal towns, and unstable hillsides, or more closely situated next to landfills or other undesirable sites that may be potential locations of man-made disasters. Marginalized minorities may also reside in slum areas or shantytowns, or more remote regions which often are lacking basic infrastructure, and may therefore be particularly at risk during disasters (see A/HRC/31/56, para. 92).
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on minority issues
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Means of adoption
- N.A.
- Topic(s)
- Environment
- Humanitarian
- Person(s) affected
- Ethnic minorities
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Minorities in situations of humanitarian crises 2016, para. 77
- Paragraph text
- Furthermore, during conflicts, natural disasters and other emergencies, sexual and reproductive health needs are easily overlooked: This may be particularly compounded for minority women who may be less able to access already limited humanitarian services during crises, for many of the reasons noted above.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on minority issues
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Means of adoption
- N.A.
- Topic(s)
- Health
- Humanitarian
- Person(s) affected
- Ethnic minorities
- Women
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Minorities in situations of humanitarian crises 2016, para. 75
- Paragraph text
- In particular, it can be especially challenging for minorities affected by crises to obtain documentation or the replacement of lost or destroyed documentation given their status as minorities and as displaced persons (see A/HRC/26/33/Add.2, para. 21).
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on minority issues
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Means of adoption
- N.A.
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Humanitarian
- Person(s) affected
- Ethnic minorities
- Persons on the move
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Protection of minority rights in conflict prevention 2010, para. 110
- Paragraph text
- Communications between the human rights institutions in Geneva and the peace and security institutions in New York should be strengthened further. Regular communications at a working level between the country desk officers of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and their colleagues in the Department of Political Affairs and the Department of Peacekeeping Operations would promote the sharing of information and common understanding of minority rights situations in countries.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on minority issues
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Means of adoption
- N.A.
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Humanitarian
- Person(s) affected
- Ethnic minorities
- Year
- 2010
Paragraph
Minorities in situations of humanitarian crises 2016, para. 99
- Paragraph text
- In this regard, the Special Rapporteur believes that the international community must better recognize the vulnerability of minorities in crisis situations, develop more targeted strategies and invest more to respond to them. Although the identification of minority groups in a situation of crises might be difficult, protection mechanisms, including humanitarian assistance programmes, need to be designed in a way which addresses their specific needs and enable these groups to avoid undue disparate impacts as well as retain their identity.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on minority issues
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Means of adoption
- N.A.
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Humanitarian
- Person(s) affected
- Ethnic minorities
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Minorities in situations of humanitarian crises 2016, para. 32
- Paragraph text
- Core international human rights treaties further develop the principles of the inherent dignity and equality of all persons, and enshrine the rights to equality and non-discrimination. Indeed, the principles of non-discrimination and equality are the fundamental pillars of human rights and minority protection. Similarly, the right to liberty and security of person, prohibition of torture and other ill treatment, and the right to life are relevant for the treatment of minorities in the context of humanitarian crises.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on minority issues
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Means of adoption
- N.A.
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Humanitarian
- Person(s) affected
- Ethnic minorities
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Protection of minority rights in conflict prevention 2010, para. 66
- Paragraph text
- As an essential tool of the early warning aspects of the mandate, the Special Adviser's office is privy to an enormous flow of information generated by sources inside and external to the United Nations system. The Special Adviser's gauge for sifting through that information flow is calibrated for precursors to genocide: an extremely important focus but one that is limited, fortunately, to a small number of situations. Clearly, therefore, there is a need for additional tools that focus on chronic abuses of minority rights at the earliest stages, to identify situations needing more upstream preventive action.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on minority issues
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Means of adoption
- N.A.
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Humanitarian
- Person(s) affected
- Ethnic minorities
- Year
- 2010
Paragraph
Protection of minority rights in conflict prevention 2010, para. 86
- Paragraph text
- Substantial steps have been taken over recent years to reposition international engagement with conflict situations from the point of reaction to a point of identification of early warnings. There is mounting evidence that one of the earliest indicators of potential violence is the chronic disregard of minority rights. Early warning systems must have the necessary expertise to be alert to such indicators. While there is already a substantial flow of information to early warning mechanisms within the United Nations system, a focus on minority rights should be strengthened.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on minority issues
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Means of adoption
- N.A.
- Topic(s)
- Humanitarian
- Person(s) affected
- Ethnic minorities
- Year
- 2010
Paragraph
The role of minority rights protection in promoting stability and conflict prevention 2011, para. 33
- Paragraph text
- In his landmark report to the Millennium Assembly of the United Nations in 2000, the Secretary-General stated that in many countries at war, the condition of poverty was coupled with sharp ethnic or religious cleavages, and that almost invariably, the rights of subordinate groups were insufficiently respected, the institutions of Government were insufficiently inclusive and the allocation of society's resources favoured the dominant faction over others. He added that the solution was clear: to promote human rights, to protect minority rights and to institute political arrangements in which all groups were represented, and that every group needed to become convinced that the State belonged to all people (A/54/2000, paras. 202-203).
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on minority issues
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Means of adoption
- N.A.
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Humanitarian
- Poverty
- Person(s) affected
- Ethnic minorities
- Year
- 2011
Paragraph
The role and activities of national institutional mechanisms in promoting and protecting minority rights 2012, para. 37
- Paragraph text
- The prevention of mass atrocities, intergroup tensions and conflict, including when owing to violations of minority rights, is an important impetus for institutionalizing attention to minority issues, particularly where tensions or conflict exists or has previously occurred. The former Secretary-General, Kofi Annan, remarked that "[W]e must protect especially the rights of minorities, since they are genocide's most frequent targets". The General Assembly in the preamble to the Declaration considered "that the promotion and protection of the rights of persons belonging to … minorities contribute to the political and social stability of States in which they live". This statement was echoed by Heads of State and Government in paragraph 130 of the 2005 World Summit Outcome, where they also committed themselves to the responsibility to protect populations from genocide, war crimes and ethnic cleansing (paras. 138 and 139), the importance of which is emphasized by the Independent Expert in relation to minorities at risk.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on minority issues
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Means of adoption
- N.A.
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Humanitarian
- Person(s) affected
- Ethnic minorities
- Year
- 2012
Paragraph
Preventing and addressing violence and atrocities against minorities 2014, para. 18
- Paragraph text
- Academic studies point to linkages among a low growth rate, inequality and the higher chance of conflict in developing countries. The likelihood of unrest and violent conflict is higher where there are significant horizontal inequalities in political or economic status between different ethnic or culturally defined groups. Indicators demonstrate how higher rates of educational attainment can lower the risk of internal conflict. In 2009, of the world's 101 million children out of school, an estimated 50 to 70 per cent were members of minorities or indigenous peoples. It is essential that minorities be integrated and able to benefit from development policies. The Special Rapporteur dedicated her annual report to the Human Rights Council in 2014 (A/HRC/25/56) to the importance of including minorities in the planning, implementation and evaluation of new development goals in the post-2015 development agenda, as a means to reduce inequalities.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on minority issues
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Means of adoption
- N.A.
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Humanitarian
- Person(s) affected
- Children
- Ethnic minorities
- Year
- 2014
Paragraph
Preventing and addressing violence and atrocities against minorities 2014, para. 34
- Paragraph text
- Political or regime change can create a new political and social order and conditions under which minorities may be placed at a heightened risk of violence. The Arab Spring in several countries, while initially hailed as a popular revolution against hard-line, autocratic regimes, in practice created new uncertainties for some minorities and, in some cases, increased hostility and violence against minorities, including minority Muslims and Christians. In September 2013, mandate holders addressed a communication to the Government of Egypt, concerning an upsurge of violence against Christian minorities by supporters of ousted President Mohamed Morsi in locations across Egypt. Some 61 churches had been attacked, vandalized and desecrated. Mobs had attacked Christian schools, businesses and homes, and deaths and injuries had been reported.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on minority issues
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Means of adoption
- N.A.
- Topic(s)
- Humanitarian
- Violence
- Person(s) affected
- Ethnic minorities
- Year
- 2014
Paragraph
Preventing and addressing violence and atrocities against minorities 2014, para. 37
- Paragraph text
- Multiple or intersectional discrimination may increase vulnerability to violence. Minority women and girls are particularly affected by violence, targeted for rape and other forms of sexual violence, torture and killings because of their ethnic or religious identity and their gender. In 2011, the Forum on Minority Issues focused on the rights of minority women and girls and, in its recommendations, highlighted the need for peacekeeping operations and national security forces in regions affected by conflict to pay particular attention to minority women and girls, including through training of staff and police and military personnel on the needs and vulnerability of minority women and girls. Minority women should be included in processes of conflict settlement and post-conflict reconstruction.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on minority issues
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Means of adoption
- N.A.
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Humanitarian
- Violence
- Person(s) affected
- Ethnic minorities
- Girls
- Women
- Year
- 2014
Paragraph
Preventing and addressing violence and atrocities against minorities 2014, para. 49
- Paragraph text
- [Violence against minorities may be difficult to predict and rapidly develop based on a particular event or trigger. However, in some cases warning signs are evident long before violence breaks out and opportunities exist to prevent it at an important early stage. What is essential is that early warning indicators lead to early action to avert violence. The Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination has elaborated indicators relating to the threat of genocide. These and similar indicators can and should be used to identify lower-level risk of violence against minorities. Fifteen indicators were elaborated to assess the existence of factors known to lead to conflict and genocide (see A/60/18, chap. II), and can be summarized as follows:] Prevention of delivery of essential services or assistance, targeting specific groups.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on minority issues
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Means of adoption
- N.A.
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Humanitarian
- Violence
- Person(s) affected
- Ethnic minorities
- Year
- 2014
Paragraph
Preventing and addressing violence and atrocities against minorities 2014, para. 48
- Paragraph text
- In December 2013, along with other independent United Nations experts, the Special Rapporteur urged all parties in the Central African Republic to call an immediate and unconditional halt to the violence in the country, much of which was targeting minorities. In April 2014, along with the Special Rapporteur on the human rights of internally displaced persons, the Special Rapporteur again voiced her grave concern over the situation of the mainly minority Muslim internally displaced persons in the Central African Republic and urged that minority rights protections be applied. She stressed that the situation in the country was extreme and that saving lives must be a paramount concern.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on minority issues
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Means of adoption
- N.A.
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Humanitarian
- Violence
- Person(s) affected
- Ethnic minorities
- Persons on the move
- Year
- 2014
Paragraph
Preventing and addressing violence and atrocities against minorities 2014, para. 67
- Paragraph text
- The threat of violence against minorities may be such that it requires an immediate operational security response in order to prevent imminent violence or to quickly respond to it. In some situations, a pattern of violent attacks can be identified which allows law enforcement bodies to better predict the occurrence of further attacks. It is the responsibility of the national authorities and law enforcement bodies to act decisively and appropriately. While it may be difficult to predict when or where violent incidents might take place, it must not be a justification for inaction; several concrete measures can be taken.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on minority issues
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Means of adoption
- N.A.
- Topic(s)
- Humanitarian
- Violence
- Person(s) affected
- Ethnic minorities
- Year
- 2014
Paragraph
Preventing and addressing violence and atrocities against minorities 2014, para. 49
- Paragraph text
- [Violence against minorities may be difficult to predict and rapidly develop based on a particular event or trigger. However, in some cases warning signs are evident long before violence breaks out and opportunities exist to prevent it at an important early stage. What is essential is that early warning indicators lead to early action to avert violence. The Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination has elaborated indicators relating to the threat of genocide. These and similar indicators can and should be used to identify lower-level risk of violence against minorities. Fifteen indicators were elaborated to assess the existence of factors known to lead to conflict and genocide (see A/60/18, chap. II), and can be summarized as follows:] Significant flows of refugees and internally displaced persons belonging to ethnic or religious groups
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on minority issues
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Means of adoption
- N.A.
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Humanitarian
- Violence
- Person(s) affected
- Ethnic minorities
- Persons on the move
- Year
- 2014
Paragraph
Ensuring the inclusion of minority issues in post- 2015 development agendas 2014, para. 80
- Paragraph text
- Population dynamics may be deeply affected by discrimination and social exclusion exercised by one population group against another. The dynamics between and across different population groups should therefore also be given greater attention. For example, conflict between communities and enforced population movement due to conflict results in internal displacement that may affect minorities disproportionately and have a greater and longer-term impact on their rights, their access to livelihood, income and basic services. Globally, millions of people are affected by displacement and they are often minorities who are numerically fewer, politically and militarily non-dominant and the most vulnerable to social and political unrest and the impact of conflict. A fundamental message of the Independent Expert is that protection of minority rights and the creation of a culture of minority rights within wider society promotes conditions of stability under which human rights and development crises and setbacks, and huge population impacts, are less likely to occur.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on minority issues
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Means of adoption
- N.A.
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Humanitarian
- Movement
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- Ethnic minorities
- Year
- 2014
Paragraph
Minorities in situations of humanitarian crises 2016, para. 91
- Paragraph text
- There are long-lasting consequences for failing to properly integrate principles of non-discrimination and the protection of minorities into disaster response planning. If minorities perceive themselves to have received lesser treatment during such disasters, this may fuel not only distrust in authorities but could actively contribute to fuelling future ethnic conflicts and tensions between the minority communities and other communities or the State. Indeed, and in particular in fragile societies where relationships between minority communities and majorities are already strained, relief and reconstruction responses must not operate as stand-alone natural disaster responses, but also always consider the broader human rights implications of their approaches.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on minority issues
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Means of adoption
- N.A.
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Humanitarian
- Person(s) affected
- Ethnic minorities
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph