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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
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Humanitarian
- Person(s) affected
- Ethnic minorities
- Year
- 2010
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
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 added
- Aug 19, 2019
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 added
- Aug 19, 2019
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 added
- Aug 19, 2019
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 added
- Aug 19, 2019
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 added
- Aug 19, 2019
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 added
- Aug 19, 2019
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 added
- Aug 19, 2019
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 added
- Aug 19, 2019
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 added
- Aug 19, 2019
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 added
- Aug 19, 2019
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 added
- Aug 19, 2019
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 added
- Aug 19, 2019
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 added
- Aug 19, 2019
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 added
- Aug 19, 2019
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 added
- Aug 19, 2019
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 added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
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 added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Protection of minority rights in conflict prevention 2010, para. 63
- 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
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Humanitarian
- Person(s) affected
- Ethnic minorities
- Year
- 2010
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Protection of minority rights in conflict prevention 2010, para. 64
- Paragraph text
- The tragic events in Rwanda and in the former Yugoslavia gave new impetus to efforts by the United Nations to protect minorities - described by the Secretary-General as "genocide's most frequent targets" - and other vulnerable population groups. In 2004, the Secretary-General established the mandate of the Special Adviser on the Prevention of Genocide. The principal objective of the Special Adviser is to advise the Secretary-General and the Security Council on actions to protect vulnerable populations from genocide. The Office of the Special Adviser also attempts to identify a range of potential threats to minority populations at an early stage and make recommendations regarding the more constructive management of cultural diversity issues.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on minority issues
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Person(s) affected
- Ethnic minorities
- Year
- 2010
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Protection of minority rights in conflict prevention 2010, para. 74
- Paragraph text
- The mandate of the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) does not explicitly encompass conflict prevention; however, UNICEF both generates and monitors country-specific data that reveal situations of emerging conflict. Its activities focusing on the most marginalized and vulnerable women and children position it uniquely to play the kind of early prevention role with respect to minority rights that is contemplated by this report. Given that minority children are often the most disadvantaged, there is a sound basis for the engagement of UNICEF in minority issues. With a wide network of offices worldwide, UNICEF is in an important position to encourage the introduction of minority issues on Government public policy agendas, to support Government efforts and directly deliver assistance to minority children and women. The UNICEF field presence is common in conflict zones, and its focus on protection issues makes it an institution with key relevance to conflict prevention. At UNICEF headquarters, there is a cluster of professionals whose portfolios include minority rights issues.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on minority issues
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Humanitarian
- Person(s) affected
- Children
- Ethnic minorities
- Women
- Year
- 2010
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
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 added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Minorities and effective political participation: a survey of law and national practices 2010, para. 58
- Paragraph text
- The right to effective participation is meaningless unless a group has the ability and the resources to exercise it. An important precondition for the political participation of minorities is the capacity to participate. The capacity of minority communities to participate in the public life encompasses a broad range of issues. It hinges on the ability of persons belonging to minorities to exercise the full gamut of cultural, economic and social rights, among them language rights, the right to education, the right to work, the right to health, the right to food, the right to housing, and others. In the view of the Human Rights Committee, States should take positive measures to overcome specific difficulties.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on minority issues
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Health
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- Ethnic minorities
- Year
- 2010
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Minorities and effective political participation: a survey of law and national practices 2010, para. 59
- Paragraph text
- Legal, cultural or linguistic biases may also hinder effective minority participation in public life. High electoral thresholds usually have an adverse effect on the ability of minority communities to secure political representation and can constitute indirect discrimination. Requirements for the registration of political parties can restrict in an unreasonable and disproportionate way the ability of persons belonging to minorities to exercise their freedom of assembly and association. The delineation of electoral districts may distort the distribution of voters, thus having a discriminatory effect on a particular group or resulting in gerrymandering. Constitutional provisions on minority participation are alone insufficient to guarantee effective participation. Specific laws and policies enabling the implementation of such constitutional principles are necessary. The implementation of the latter must, in turn, be monitored and minority participation in their articulation, implementation and monitoring must be secured.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on minority issues
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Civil & Political Rights
- Equality & Inclusion
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- Ethnic minorities
- Year
- 2010
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Minorities and effective political participation: a survey of law and national practices 2010, para. 61
- Paragraph text
- The collection of data disaggregated by ethnicity, age, gender, geographical distribution and other relevant categories is an important precondition for the development of adequate and efficient models of participation of persons belonging to minorities. Such data make it possible to monitor the participation of minorities and ascertain whether fair and representative participation mechanisms have been put in place. The collection of disaggregated data must take place in accordance with international standards on personal data protection, as well as respecting the right of persons belonging to minorities to choose freely to be treated or not as minorities. Representatives of minorities should be involved in the process of data collection, and the data collection methods should be designed in close cooperation with them.
- 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 added
- Aug 19, 2019
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 added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Minorities and effective political participation: a survey of law and national practices 2010, para. 69
- Paragraph text
- Access to membership in viable political parties is important for the effective mobilization of minorities in the political process, both in elections and in the conduct of the business of the legislature and administrative bodies. In some countries ethnicity-based or faith-based political parties are prohibited by law or greatly discouraged. In other countries, minorities or religious groups may either have their own political parties, or their interests may be represented by mainstream parties. The nature of the electoral system may impact on the nature of political parties and the way in which minority interests are, or are not, addressed. Both types of parties have advantages and disadvantages for minorities: minority-focused parties may address minority issues but they will risk having fewer resources and less political influence and may, if narrowly focused, increase the public perception of minorities and minority issues as marginal. Of course, political party platforms that are racist in content violate international law whether adopted by minority or majority parties.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on minority issues
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Civil & Political Rights
- Equality & Inclusion
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Ethnic minorities
- Year
- 2010
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Minorities and effective political participation: a survey of law and national practices 2010, para. 71
- Paragraph text
- Minorities also face challenges when participating in majority parties. Even if they do address minority issues, majority parties may not prioritize in their broader agendas, or may lose sight of, those issues important to minority communities. Certain types of electoral systems or political structures may make it advantageous or necessary for political parties to obtain the support of a broad spectrum of voters; this can create incentives for mainstream parties to address minority interests and/or select minority candidates to broaden their appeal. Mainstream political parties may also have internal diversity programmes, including training and mentoring, in order to encourage an increase in the number of minority politicians and activists. Where the electoral system requires parties to present a list of candidates for election, as opposed to single-candidate constituencies, there may be a legal or policy requirement that the list be ethnically mixed or have a minimum number of minority candidates. Other special measures may be applied, especially to facilitate the election of women candidates.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on minority issues
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- Ethnic minorities
- Women
- Year
- 2010
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Minorities and effective political participation: a survey of law and national practices 2010, para. 73
- Paragraph text
- Some types of electoral systems may be more conducive than others to the election of minority representatives, and mechanisms specifically designed to enhance minority representation may also be incorporated into the electoral system. The electoral system prescribes how votes are translated into seats and different systems can lead to different outcomes on the same number of votes. The Human Rights Committee has stressed that "[t]he principle of one person, one vote, must apply, and within the framework of each State's electoral system, the vote of one elector should be equal to the vote of another". As a matter of general principle, therefore, each voter has one vote. However, in certain circumstances, in particular where the minority is small and as a special measure to improve the integration of a minority into the political system, members of minorities may have the right to vote for both a minority representative with a reserved seat and a general non-minority representative.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on minority issues
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Civil & Political Rights
- Equality & Inclusion
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- Ethnic minorities
- Year
- 2010
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Minorities and effective political participation: a survey of law and national practices 2010, para. 74
- Paragraph text
- A common mechanism used to facilitate minority representation is the allocation of special seats in the legislature to representatives of certain minorities (reserved seats). This is usually done under majority electoral systems which otherwise cannot guarantee minority representation, but is sometimes also used in proportional representation or mixed systems. Usually, members of the minority group, who have to register as such for this purpose, elect these representatives. The number of reserved seats generally seeks to reflect the proportion of the minority in the overall population, so it is likely to be small. If there are a number of very small minorities, they may be assigned a combined seat, although it may not be easy for one representative to represent genuinely the interests of all such groups. Mainstream parties may have an interest in mobilizing the reserved seats.
- 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 added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph