Search Tips
sorted by
30 shown of 189 entities
Ensuring the inclusion of minority issues in post- 2015 development agendas 2014, para. 68
- Paragraph text
- Globally, minorities often suffer disproportionately from the impact of conflict. Many examples demonstrate clearly the impact of conflict upon minorities and their development and rights, which in some cases has been devastating and has set progress towards development goals back by years for certain groups.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on minority issues
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Humanitarian
- 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
- Topic(s)
- 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. 70
- Paragraph text
- In Rakhine State in Myanmar, conflict between the Rakhine Buddhists and Muslim Rohingya communities erupted in 2012 and resulted in the killing of hundreds, the destruction of homes and property and the internal displacement of over 130,000 people, mostly minority Muslims. Tens of thousands of displaced people, and many thousands of others in villages affected by the conflict and insecurity, now have no access to livelihood activities or income, are dependent on humanitarian assistance for food, shelter, health care, education and water and sanitation. The conflict has had a catastrophic impact on their rights, access to essential services and development, forcing many into a condition of extreme poverty and insecurity. The Government of Myanmar does not recognize the Rohingya as citizens with implications for their enjoyment of all their human rights.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on minority issues
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Humanitarian
- Poverty
- Water & Sanitation
- Person(s) affected
- Persons on the move
- Year
- 2014
Paragraph
Ensuring the inclusion of minority issues in post- 2015 development agendas 2014, para. 71
- Paragraph text
- According to the report of the United Nations System Task Team on the Post-2015 United Nations Development Agenda: "Deepening resilience among vulnerable populations and reducing risks of disasters and other shocks must be central to limiting the social and economic costs of disasters, in terms of death, hunger, malnutrition, displacement and forced migration." Equally, Claus H. Sorensen, Director-General of the European Commission Directorate General for Humanitarian Aid and Civil Protection stated: Those who are most vulnerable and marginalised need primary attention when a disaster strikes, both because the impact of the disaster is likely to be higher on them than others, and because of the likelihood that they find themselves excluded from response and recovery efforts. By systematically addressing in each action the inclusion of those who are marginalised (in particular, persons affected by caste discrimination, minorities, as well as persons with disabilities, women, and the elderly), lives have been saved, the suffering of those in need has been alleviated, and their dignity protected.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on minority issues
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Health
- Humanitarian
- Movement
- Person(s) affected
- Ethnic minorities
- Persons with disabilities
- Women
- 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
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Humanitarian
- Movement
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- Ethnic minorities
- Year
- 2014
Paragraph
Hate speech and incitement to hatred against minorities in the media 2015, para. 41
- Paragraph text
- Social media is a fertile ground for radical and terrorist groups to spread hateful messages. ISIL uses online platforms, including Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and Youtube, to deliver updates on their actions as well as to reach out to potential donors and recruits, including posting videos and graphic material. The misuse of social media by ISIL has been described by the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights as "the product of a perverse and lethal marriage of a new form of nihilism with the digital age".
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on minority issues
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Humanitarian
- Violence
- Year
- 2015
Paragraph
Hate speech and incitement to hatred against minorities in the media 2015, para. 64
- Paragraph text
- Studies reveal that poor reporting by the media on features such as ethnicity and religion involves, inter alia, labelling, selected use of data, generalizing incidents, negative stereotyping, giving one side of a story, use of derogatory words, mixing facts and views, absence of fact checking, and mismatching of the content of the text and headlines, images and sound. Lack of knowledge about ethnic and religious issues by media reporters, absence of in-house training, poor financial situation of media outlets, heavy workload and scarce time to prepare reports were highlighted as obstacles to good, unprejudiced reporting.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on minority issues
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Humanitarian
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Year
- 2015
Paragraph
Hate speech and incitement to hatred against minorities in the media 2015, para. 85
- Paragraph text
- Dedicated institutional attention to minority issues, including monitoring and responding to hatred targeted against minorities, is essential to prevent atrocities and reinforce unity and stability. This is even more important following violence or conflict, as part of transitional justice and reconciliation processes.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on minority issues
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Humanitarian
- Person(s) affected
- Ethnic minorities
- Year
- 2015
Paragraph
Hate speech and incitement to hatred against minorities in the media 2015, para. 95
- Paragraph text
- Studio Ijambo was launched in 1995 by the organization Search for Common Ground to address inter-ethnic violence in Burundi. The programme aimed to establish a platform to promote dialogue and tolerance through radio, in contrast to hate speech and incitement in radio programmes in neighbouring Rwanda. The station uses different formats, including debates and discussion programmes, soap operas, sketches and interactions between political leaders and youth, for example. Twenty years on, the model is considered a success and has been replicated in other African countries, including the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where radio has been used to promote constructive messages about conflict resolution.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on minority issues
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Humanitarian
- Person(s) affected
- Youth
- Year
- 2015
Paragraph
Minorities and discrimination based on caste and analogous systems of inherited status 2016, para. 93
- Paragraph text
- Research has found that, when emergencies arise, such communities are often not only the most affected but are also less likely to receive humanitarian aid and rehabilitation. Analysis of emergency responses to natural disasters in South Asia, including in India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and, most recently, Nepal, have demonstrated that Dalits suffer from acute caste discrimination throughout all the phases of disaster response, from rescue to rehabilitation. They are also the most affected by climate change due to their living in flood- and drought-prone areas.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on minority issues
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Humanitarian
- Person(s) affected
- Ethnic minorities
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Minorities and discrimination based on caste and analogous systems of inherited status 2016, para. 94
- Paragraph text
- Reports indicate that discriminatory practices against Dalits in humanitarian response include priority given to dominant castes in rescue operations; denial of or unequal access to relief camps, food, water, health services, shelter, housing and education; segregation in camp facilities; prohibition of use of the common sanitation facilities; segregation in commensal groups; lack of compensation or restitution of assets due to lack of documentation to claim entitlements related to land and property; and lack of participation of affected communities in decision-making regarding reconstruction.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on minority issues
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Humanitarian
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Water & Sanitation
- Person(s) affected
- Persons on the move
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Minorities and discrimination based on caste and analogous systems of inherited status 2016, para. 136
- Paragraph text
- Specific measures should be developed to tackle discrimination, including on the grounds of caste, in all development and disaster recovery actions and programming. Implementation of caste-analysis methodology in the humanitarian assistance framework to adequately identify affected communities, as well as the implementation mechanisms to ensure that humanitarian relief is equally distributed, is fundamental to prevent caste-based discrimination from being replicated in humanitarian response actions.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on minority issues
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Humanitarian
- Person(s) affected
- Ethnic minorities
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Minorities in situations of humanitarian crises 2016, para. 15
- Paragraph text
- According to the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), the scale of global humanitarian needs is higher than ever. As of December 2015, there were an estimated 125 million people in need of humanitarian assistance worldwide. Ongoing humanitarian crises in the Syrian Arab Republic, South Sudan and Iraq, and other natural disasters and medical outbreaks, including the Ebola virus disease outbreak in West Africa, have affected the lives of tens of millions of people. Large numbers of people continue to suffer as a result of other new, chronic or recurrent conflicts, crises and disasters. Moreover, currently there are unprecedented numbers of persons displaced worldwide with situations of protracted conflict and violence creating increasingly large numbers of both refugees and internally displaced persons. According to the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner Refugees, by the end of 2015, 65.3 million individuals were forcibly displaced worldwide; the highest number to date, as a result of persecution, conflict, generalized violence, or human rights violations. Furthermore, an estimated 107.3 million people (also the highest to date) were displaced by disasters.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on minority issues
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Health
- Humanitarian
- Person(s) affected
- Persons on the move
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Minorities in situations of humanitarian crises 2016, para. 16
- Paragraph text
- There is, however, no exact data on how many minorities are affected by crises and where: many people go unreached and uncounted for as situations change swiftly and population data are often lacking in the most crisis-prone settings. Nevertheless, during the course of her mandate, the Special Rapporteur on minority issues has observed that minorities, whether ethnic, national, religious or linguistic, can be disproportionately affected, either directly or indirectly, owing to their minority status, during the crisis itself or in the aftermath when seeking protection. The mandate of the Special Rapporteur has repeatedly addressed the plight of such minorities in situations of humanitarian crises through country visits, consultations, side events and thematic reports, and in response to emergent and emergency situations through communications, and press statements. However, despite these contributions, the Special Rapporteur notes there remains a dearth of research and understanding regarding the specific needs and vulnerabilities of minorities in situations of humanitarian crises at the global level.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on minority issues
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Humanitarian
- Person(s) affected
- Ethnic minorities
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Minorities in situations of humanitarian crises 2016, para. 17
- Paragraph text
- This was perhaps most recently reflected by the recent World Humanitarian Summit convened in 2016 by the Secretary-General in response to the recognition that civil strife and conflicts are driving suffering and humanitarian need to unprecedented levels. Seeking to bring together humanitarian actors to think about ways to improve the international humanitarian system to address the magnitude of challenges currently facing the world, the slogan "Leave no one behind" was a core tenet of the Summit. It was also core responsibility 3 in the Secretary-General's report (see A/70/709, annex), and was included in the Chair's summary as a key goal of the Summit. Nevertheless, the Special Rapporteur notes with regret that very few discussions during the Summit actually included reference to the specific situation, and the greater level of vulnerability of minorities. Moreover, in the Chair's Summary, there was no mention of minorities in humanitarian situations.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on minority issues
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Humanitarian
- Person(s) affected
- Ethnic minorities
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Minorities in situations of humanitarian crises 2016, para. 18
- Paragraph text
- [In this context the Special Rapporteur on minority issues has decided to dedicate her final report to the General Assembly to this important topic, considering two guiding questions:] In the context of humanitarian crises or disasters, what are the additional challenges that minorities face when seeking protection, even when the trigger of their displacement or changed situation is not directly linked to their affiliation as members of that minority group?
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on minority issues
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Humanitarian
- Movement
- Person(s) affected
- Ethnic minorities
- Persons on the move
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Minorities in situations of humanitarian crises 2016, para. 18
- Paragraph text
- [In this context the Special Rapporteur on minority issues has decided to dedicate her final report to the General Assembly to this important topic, considering two guiding questions:] Are minorities more likely to be affected by humanitarian crises or by disasters, and therefore experience greater hardship, displacement, or increased need to seek refuge in another country?
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on minority issues
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Humanitarian
- Movement
- Person(s) affected
- Ethnic minorities
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Minorities in situations of humanitarian crises 2016, para. 19
- Paragraph text
- The present report is based on a desk review of existing literature, findings from the Special Rapporteur's country visits and information received in the context of her communications procedure. Sources drawn upon include United Nations publications, and reports of other international organizations, non-governmental organizations, and academia. The report gives an overview of some of the most pressing issues at stake by analysing trends and recurring patterns worldwide regarding specific challenges facing minorities affected by crises. The challenges described below are non-exhaustive and it is important to note that minorities often face a range of additional human rights challenges owing to their very specific situation during complex emergencies.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on minority issues
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Humanitarian
- Person(s) affected
- Ethnic minorities
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Minorities in situations of humanitarian crises 2016, para. 20
- Paragraph text
- While recognizing the great diversity in the experiences of minorities affected by humanitarian crises, the Special Rapporteur has adopted a global approach, focusing on common themes and patterns experienced by displaced minorities across regions. The Special Rapporteur also refers to particular examples to highlight specific challenges facing minorities. These cases are intended to be illustrative and are in no way exhaustive.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on minority issues
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Humanitarian
- Person(s) affected
- Ethnic minorities
- Persons on the move
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Minorities in situations of humanitarian crises 2016, para. 21
- Paragraph text
- The Special Rapporteur hopes, through her analysis, to contribute to the better understanding of the forms of discrimination and violence that minorities face during crises and in their aftermath, and that her report can contribute to improving methods to ensure that in the context of humanitarian crises, minorities are treated in accordance with international human rights law.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on minority issues
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Humanitarian
- Person(s) affected
- Ethnic minorities
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Minorities in situations of humanitarian crises 2016, para. 22
- Paragraph text
- Although some studies on specific displacement situations affecting minorities do exist, the Special Rapporteur has observed that there is a lack of accurate, global, disaggregated data that would allow for a clearer global picture of how minorities are affected by humanitarian crises, whether driven by conflict or owing to disasters. While some ad hoc case studies are available on specific situations, much work remains to be done to better document this phenomenon globally through the collection of comprehensive disaggregated data.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on minority issues
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Humanitarian
- Person(s) affected
- Ethnic minorities
- Persons on the move
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Minorities in situations of humanitarian crises 2016, para. 23
- Paragraph text
- The Special Rapporteur is aware that there are a number of reasons underlying the lack of readily available data in this field. First, there is the likely reluctance of minorities displaced or affected by crises to identify themselves as ethnic, national, religious or linguistic minorities for fear of further discrimination or violence. Second, States may be unwilling to collect such data, insofar as they do not recognize the affected minority group members as citizens, do not recognize their minority status, do not recognize they have been displaced or do not want to draw attention to specific difficulties faced by members of their societies. Finally, in displacement contexts, humanitarian agencies tend to disaggregate data mainly by sex and age, and rarely address other categories, including minority status or special needs. The lack of accurate data and needs assessment of specific groups such as minorities has therefore had an impact on the ability to develop humanitarian programmes that target and address comprehensively discrimination facing minorities in the context of crises.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on minority issues
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Humanitarian
- Movement
- Person(s) affected
- Ethnic minorities
- Persons on the move
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Minorities in situations of humanitarian crises 2016, para. 24
- Paragraph text
- Greater research and data is therefore required to reveal the full impact of humanitarian crises and disasters on minority communities. In particular, it is necessary to disaggregate data not only by sex and age but also by diversity categories, such as ethnicity and religion that should be determined by contextual realities. Such information, fully adhering to international standards of data protection and use, should be voluntary, and would help to predict and prevent disproportionate impacts of crises conflicts and disasters against certain communities and contribute to the development of much-needed risk assessment and early warning mechanisms.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on minority issues
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Humanitarian
- Person(s) affected
- Ethnic minorities
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Minorities in situations of humanitarian crises 2016, para. 25
- Paragraph text
- A humanitarian crisis can be defined as the experience of a country, region or society of a total or considerable breakdown of authority resulting from internal or external conflict and which requires an international response that goes beyond the mandate or capacity of any single agency and/or the ongoing United Nations country programme.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on minority issues
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Humanitarian
- Person(s) affected
- All
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Minorities in situations of humanitarian crises 2016, para. 26
- Paragraph text
- At the national level, this may involve internal armed conflict or hostilities within a State. At the international level, this may involve international armed conflict between two or more armed forces of different countries. Such outbreaks of conflict may cause large-scale mass movements of people, as they flee violence and chaos. This can lead to internal displacement, as well as international migration flows, as affected individuals and communities flee their homes within their own country as internally displaced persons, or migrate abroad, including through seeking asylum. Conflict may also lead to other large-scale humanitarian crises such as epidemics, food or water insecurity, among others.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on minority issues
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Humanitarian
- Movement
- Person(s) affected
- Persons on the move
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Minorities in situations of humanitarian crises 2016, para. 27
- Paragraph text
- The Special Rapporteur also includes disasters in her report, whether natural or man-made (see section H below). Defined as calamitous events that seriously disrupt the functioning of a community or society, disasters cause human, material and economic or environmental losses that exceed the community's or society's ability to cope using its own resources. These can be a result of spontaneous natural hazards, such as hurricanes, tsunamis, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and wildfires, or be a result of more frequent slow-onset and mega disasters such as recurring droughts or floods. Disasters can result in the devastation of communities, loss of lives, leading to displacement, or migration, and can also lead to more complex emergencies such as loss of livelihoods, famine, housing crises and medical pandemics, which can also lead to mass displacement.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on minority issues
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Environment
- Humanitarian
- Movement
- 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
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Humanitarian
- Person(s) affected
- Ethnic minorities
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Minorities in situations of humanitarian crises 2016, para. 34
- Paragraph text
- Underlying International Humanitarian Law are the principles of humanity, impartiality, neutrality, and independence, and the key norm of "Do no harm". In the context of minority rights, this is inherently interlinked with the principle of non discrimination, and therefore all humanitarian action should therefore strive to treat minorities equally, without adverse distinction.
- 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
- 2016
Paragraph
Minorities in situations of humanitarian crises 2016, para. 35
- Paragraph text
- The Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC), the primary mechanism for inter-agency coordination of humanitarian assistance, has developed Operational Guidelines on protection of persons in situations of natural disaster. This document also contains important references to minorities and an annex on the protection of specific groups, cross-referencing the relevant guidelines.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on minority issues
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Humanitarian
- Person(s) affected
- Ethnic minorities
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Minorities in situations of humanitarian crises 2016, para. 36
- Paragraph text
- The International Federation of the Red Cross has also developed a Strategic Framework on Gender and Diversity for 2013-2020 which includes some important points regarding the inclusion of minorities in humanitarian relief work. The Framework specifically notes the importance of diversity, and highlights that through embracing diversity, it is possible to reduce the impact of many other humanitarian problems, including violence, inequitable health care and the negative consequences of disasters.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on minority issues
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Gender
- Humanitarian
- Person(s) affected
- Ethnic minorities
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph