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Reflections on the six-year tenure of the Special Rapporteur 2017, para. 98
- Paragraph text
- The Special Rapporteur believes that similarly, United Nations staff in all offices and entities, particularly in the field, should better reflect the national, ethnic and religious make-up of the societies in which they operate. With established, strong networks of consultation with minorities and trust-building efforts between United Nations offices and minority communities, the Organization will be better equipped to fulfil its vital role in recognizing and responding to early warning signs of intercommunal tensions and be better prepared to prevent mass atrocity crimes and genocide, of which minorities are the most frequent targets.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on minority issues
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Civil & Political Rights
- Equality & Inclusion
- Person(s) affected
- Ethnic minorities
- Year
- 2017
Paragraph
Reflections on the six-year tenure of the Special Rapporteur 2017, para. 100
- Paragraph text
- The Special Rapporteur has repeatedly emphasized that the collection and statistical analysis of disaggregated data on minorities are crucial to obtain important baseline information on the actual situation and status of minority communities. Such data would allow for adequate policy responses to minority issues, including the establishment and monitoring of targeted actions and programmes to prevent and address poverty, exclusion and discrimination. The Special Rapporteur urges States to collect data disaggregated on the basis of, inter alia, gender, ethnicity, language and religious affiliation. Individuals should be able to self-identify and express multiple identities. Data collection should be periodic and comply with international standards of privacy and personal data protection.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on minority issues
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Poverty
- Person(s) affected
- Ethnic minorities
- Year
- 2017
Paragraph
Reflections on the six-year tenure of the Special Rapporteur 2017, para. 101
- Paragraph text
- Minorities remain among the poorest and the most socially and economically excluded and marginalized communities globally, yet targeted attention to their situations is lacking. The Special Rapporteur believes that the adoption of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, although it failed to include an explicit reference to minorities, provides important momentum for their inclusion in the actions to be undertaken for its implementation. She firmly believes that the successful implementation of the 2030 Agenda can only be achieved by taking into consideration the situation of minorities, and calls on States to fulfil in practice the principle of leaving no one behind.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on minority issues
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- Ethnic minorities
- Year
- 2017
Paragraph
Reflections on the six-year tenure of the Special Rapporteur 2017, para. 104
- Paragraph text
- The Special Rapporteur particularly encourages OHCHR to launch an awareness-raising and action campaign, including through the United Nations network on racial discrimination and the protection of minorities, on the occasion of the two anniversaries. Such a campaign should advocate for better mainstreaming of minority rights across United Nations departments and agencies and could highlight the most important emerging issues and best practices to assist Member States in strengthening their minority rights protection efforts.
- 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
- 2017
Paragraph
Reflections on the six-year tenure of the Special Rapporteur 2017, para. 103
- Paragraph text
- Next year also marks the tenth anniversary of the creation of the Forum on Minority Issues. This will provide a unique opportunity to discuss how to strengthen and support the functioning of this unique and global platform to facilitate dialogue and address relevant issues pertaining to minorities. The Forum should be provided with the necessary resources to fully implement its mandate. The Special Rapporteur encourages consideration to be given to raising the Forum's profile at the regional and international levels, following up the implementation of its recommendations, fostering ownership of the Forum's agenda by minorities and promoting a more interactive dialogue and discussions during the Forum's sessions.
- 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
- 2017
Paragraph
Reflections on the six-year tenure of the Special Rapporteur 2017, para. 97
- Paragraph text
- The Special Rapporteur is gravely concerned at the limited, or often complete lack, of a minority presence in political and public offices. She has repeatedly stressed throughout her tenure the need to ensure that minorities are included in all decision-making processes, including in municipal and government structures, law enforcement bodies, the judiciary, legislative bodies, criminal justice systems and all authorities, especially when their decisions affect minorities. Without their participation, such bodies are less able to take vital decisions for the benefit of the entire society and may be less trusted by minorities, who may be reluctant to access them, or discouraged from doing so. Moreover, good and inclusive governance, which includes minorities and measures to ensure equality, are key conflict-prevention prerequisites. Good governance includes legal, administrative and territorial arrangements that allow for peaceful and constructive group accommodation on the basis of equality in dignity and rights for all and that allows for the necessary pluralism to enable the persons belonging to the different groups to preserve and develop their identity.
- 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
- 2017
Paragraph
Reflections on the six-year tenure of the Special Rapporteur 2017, para. 95
- Paragraph text
- Legal frameworks on minority rights are essential but not sufficient to guarantee the actual implementation of the rights of persons belonging to minorities. Dedicated institutional attention in the form of specialized mechanisms at all levels need to be put in place to facilitate legislative and policy development and the design, implementation and monitoring of minority-related programmes.
- 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
- 2017
Paragraph
Implementation of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and the work of the Special Rapporteur on the rights of indigenous peoples 2017, para. 87
- Paragraph text
- The only way to move forward is by taking actions in good faith. This entails the holding of intercultural dialogues that are inclusive and carried out with full respect for international human rights standards. This is not to say that there has not been any progress. Many of the gains achieved so far have been outlined in the earlier sections of this report. It has to be recognized that most of these gains have been achieved because of the heightened awareness among indigenous peoples of their rights enshrined in the Declaration. They have actively organized themselves and engaged with Governments to push for the implementation of the Declaration. However, these gains do not match the expectations of indigenous peoples in terms of changes that could have taken place through an effective implementation of the Declaration.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the rights of indigenous peoples
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Ethnic minorities
- Year
- 2017
Paragraph
Implementation of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and the work of the Special Rapporteur on the rights of indigenous peoples 2017, para. 98d
- Paragraph text
- [The United Nations system has a particular role to play in the implementation of the Declaration. The Special Rapporteur would like to refer to the recommendations offered by the mandate holder in thematic and country reports to this effect, and to the communications and exchanges maintained with different United Nations bodies. Some key areas of work that could be considered are:] Prioritizing support for indigenous peoples’ own initiatives and providing support for their participation in decision-making in all actions developed by the system at the country level which may affect them;
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the rights of indigenous peoples
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Ethnic minorities
- Year
- 2017
Paragraph
Implementation of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and the work of the Special Rapporteur on the rights of indigenous peoples 2017, para. 98g
- Paragraph text
- [The United Nations system has a particular role to play in the implementation of the Declaration. The Special Rapporteur would like to refer to the recommendations offered by the mandate holder in thematic and country reports to this effect, and to the communications and exchanges maintained with different United Nations bodies. Some key areas of work that could be considered are:] Promoting the Declaration as the minimum human rights standard on the rights of indigenous peoples to be applied within the work of United Nations bodies related to the issue of business and human rights and that of international financial institutions.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the rights of indigenous peoples
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Ethnic minorities
- Year
- 2017
Paragraph
The right to adequate housing of persons with disabilities 2017, para. 82a (v)
- Original document
- Paragraph text
- [In that regard, the Special Rapporteur offers the following recommendations:] [In consultation with persons with disabilities and their organizations, States should:] Adopt a clear policy framework for the inclusion of all persons with disabilities in all areas of housing policy and design, ensuring that those living in poverty or homelessness, women, ethnic, religious or linguistic minorities, indigenous peoples, migrants and both young and older persons are fully included;
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on adequate housing as a component of the right to an adequate standard of living
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Poverty
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- Ethnic minorities
- Persons on the move
- Persons with disabilities
- Women
- Youth
- Year
- 2017
Paragraph
Implementation of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and the work of the Special Rapporteur on the rights of indigenous peoples 2017, para. 85
- Paragraph text
- The Declaration offers a historical opportunity to change the relationship of Member States with indigenous peoples from one of exclusion and marginalization into one of reconciliation, cooperation and respect. The adoption of the Declaration was, by itself, a first step by Member States, to start this new relationship and remedy past injustices and their contemporary consequences.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the rights of indigenous peoples
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- Ethnic minorities
- Year
- 2017
Paragraph
Implementation of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and the work of the Special Rapporteur on the rights of indigenous peoples 2017, para. 93
- Paragraph text
- The recommendation in the outcome document of the World Conference on Indigenous Peoples which urged States to develop national action plans, strategies and measures to achieve the ends of the Declaration should be implemented. This can be done in conjunction with the policies and measures taken to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals for indigenous peoples.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the rights of indigenous peoples
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Ethnic minorities
- Year
- 2017
Paragraph
Reflections on the six-year tenure of the Special Rapporteur 2017, para. 102
- Paragraph text
- Next year marks the twenty-fifth anniversary of the Declaration on the Rights of Persons Belonging to National or Ethnic, Religious and Linguistic Minorities. This anniversary constitutes a reminder of and a crucial opportunity to strengthen international standards on minority rights protection. The Special Rapporteur encourages United Nations offices and agencies, Member States and civil society and minority representatives to organize specific initiatives to mark this important anniversary to further promote awareness of the Declaration and to use the opportunity to revisit specific issues most relevant to minorities.
- 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
- 2017
Paragraph
Reflections on the six-year tenure of the Special Rapporteur 2017, para. 91
- Paragraph text
- The Special Rapporteur is concerned that, with increasing hate speech, xenophobic rhetoric and incitement to hatred against minorities, coupled with the rise of extremists and far-right political parties, the progress achieved during the past decades in the field of minority rights protection is under threat. Therefore, she urges that swift and concrete guarantees be put in place to preserve those achievements and to allow further improvement. Such guarantees must come in the form of strengthened legislative and institutional frameworks for minority rights protection, as well as demonstrating an unequivocal political will to foster conditions for a cohesive society where there is unity in diversity.
- 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
- 2017
Paragraph
Reflections on the six-year tenure of the Special Rapporteur 2017, para. 93
- Paragraph text
- The Special Rapporteur has observed challenges to the use of the term "minority" for certain distinct communities, either because they reject being referred as minorities on the basis of a perceived negative connotation, or because they self-identify as minorities but the State refuses to recognize them as such. She considers that further awareness-raising is required to fully convey the meaning, scope and implications of the term "minority", so that it can be reclaimed and used with the empowering intent it actually holds. Moreover, she recalls that the existence of an ethnic, religious or linguistic minority in a given State does not depend upon a decision by the Government but needs to be established by objective criteria. Members of those minorities need not be nationals or citizens, or even permanent residents. Therefore, she encourages States to be as inclusive as possible when designing protection measures for all disadvantaged minorities within their territories, including migrant workers and newly arrived minorities.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on minority issues
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- Ethnic minorities
- Persons on the move
- Year
- 2017
Paragraph
Reflections on the six-year tenure of the Special Rapporteur 2017, para. 94
- Paragraph text
- The Special Rapporteur is concerned that minorities are often disproportionately affected by statelessness as a result of discriminatory nationality and citizenship legislation that may deny citizenship for some ethnic, linguistic, racial or religious groups or deprive them of citizenship. Today, at least 10 million people around the world are denied a nationality and, although there are no disaggregated data, estimates indicate that many, if not most, of them belong to minority communities. Therefore, she welcomes current United Nations efforts, including the I Belong campaign to end statelessness of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, and urges Member States to pledge their full support and cooperation so statelessness can be ended and so that it will not be a further source of stigmatization and discrimination against minorities.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on minority issues
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Civil & Political Rights
- Equality & Inclusion
- Movement
- Person(s) affected
- Ethnic minorities
- Year
- 2017
Paragraph
Reflections on the six-year tenure of the Special Rapporteur 2017, para. 96
- Paragraph text
- The national dimension of the institutional attention to minority issues must be complemented and reinforced by solid regional and international mechanisms tasked with promoting domestication of minority rights as well as the protection and promotion of minority standards regionally and internationally. The Special Rapporteur encourages regional systems to adopt strong minority rights standards and establish dedicated mechanisms, where they do not yet exist, to protect and promote the rights of minorities.
- 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
- 2017
Paragraph
Implementation of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and the work of the Special Rapporteur on the rights of indigenous peoples 2017, para. 86
- Paragraph text
- Ten years after its adoption, and in spite of the reaffirmation of the commitment to the Declaration made at the World Conference on Indigenous Peoples in 2014, the Special Rapporteur has to conclude that there has been limited progress in the actual implementation of the rights of indigenous peoples. This is observed in particular with regard to the core rights of indigenous peoples to self-determination and their rights to their lands, territories and resources. This conclusion is based on the work of the mandate holder since 2007.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the rights of indigenous peoples
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Civil & Political Rights
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- Ethnic minorities
- Year
- 2017
Paragraph
Implementation of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and the work of the Special Rapporteur on the rights of indigenous peoples 2017, para. 94
- Paragraph text
- Indigenous governance institutions and justice systems should be recognized and supported. Permanent intercultural dialogues should be established to agree on the harmonization of indigenous institutions and justice systems with the overall institutional structure of the country and with the ordinary justice system. All necessary measures have to be adopted to ensure that indigenous peoples have access without discrimination to the justice system.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the rights of indigenous peoples
- 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
- 2017
Paragraph
Implementation of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and the work of the Special Rapporteur on the rights of indigenous peoples 2017, para. 95
- Paragraph text
- The enjoyment of the rights of the indigenous peoples to their lands, territories and resources is central for their survival as distinct peoples. This requires that special and urgent efforts to ensure that legal, policy and other measures fully recognize, protect and enforce these rights, including redress when violations have occurred. In this regard, relevant court decisions should be complied with.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the rights of indigenous peoples
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Civil & Political Rights
- Environment
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- Ethnic minorities
- Year
- 2017
Paragraph
Implementation of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and the work of the Special Rapporteur on the rights of indigenous peoples 2017, para. 98a
- Paragraph text
- [The United Nations system has a particular role to play in the implementation of the Declaration. The Special Rapporteur would like to refer to the recommendations offered by the mandate holder in thematic and country reports to this effect, and to the communications and exchanges maintained with different United Nations bodies. Some key areas of work that could be considered are:] Promoting awareness at all levels of the Declaration and of the main problems indigenous peoples face for the full enjoyment of their rights;
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the rights of indigenous peoples
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Ethnic minorities
- Year
- 2017
Paragraph
Implementation of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and the work of the Special Rapporteur on the rights of indigenous peoples 2017, para. 98e
- Paragraph text
- [The United Nations system has a particular role to play in the implementation of the Declaration. The Special Rapporteur would like to refer to the recommendations offered by the mandate holder in thematic and country reports to this effect, and to the communications and exchanges maintained with different United Nations bodies. Some key areas of work that could be considered are:] Promoting good faith intercultural dialogue between States and indigenous peoples on the key issues identified by indigenous peoples;
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the rights of indigenous peoples
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Ethnic minorities
- Year
- 2017
Paragraph
Implementation of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and the work of the Special Rapporteur on the rights of indigenous peoples 2017, para. 96
- Paragraph text
- Consultation and free, prior and informed consent are important safeguards of the fundamental rights of indigenous peoples and essential elements for establishing a good faith and respectful relation between them and the States. States and indigenous peoples should jointly develop the measures deemed necessary to make these rights effective.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the rights of indigenous peoples
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Civil & Political Rights
- Equality & Inclusion
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Ethnic minorities
- Year
- 2017
Paragraph
Implementation of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and the work of the Special Rapporteur on the rights of indigenous peoples 2017, para. 89
- Paragraph text
- Recognition of indigenous peoples as distinct peoples entitled to the collective and individual human rights enshrined in the Declaration is a precondition for its implementation.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the rights of indigenous peoples
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- Ethnic minorities
- Year
- 2017
Paragraph
Implementation of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and the work of the Special Rapporteur on the rights of indigenous peoples 2017, para. 90
- Paragraph text
- All measures and actions should be developed in cooperation with indigenous peoples, as stated in the Declaration.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the rights of indigenous peoples
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Ethnic minorities
- Year
- 2017
Paragraph
Report of the Working Group of Experts on People of African Descent on its nineteenth and twentieth sessions 2017, para. 57
- Paragraph text
- The Working Group is convinced that there is a clear connection between poverty and structural racism. Discrimination can both cause poverty and be a hurdle in alleviating poverty. It is not a coincidence that in countries with a history of the transatlantic trade in enslaved Africans, enslavement and colonialism, the poorest population group is composed of racial or ethnic minorities.
- Body
- Working Group of experts on people of African descent
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Poverty
- Person(s) affected
- Ethnic minorities
- Year
- 2017
Paragraph
Development cooperation and the human rights to water and sanitation 2017, para. 89c
- Paragraph text
- [Relating to funders’ policy, the Special Rapporteur recommends:] That the human rights to water and sanitation be emphasized in funders’ policy on specific groups, such as women, persons with disabilities and indigenous peoples, complementing overarching development cooperation policies;
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the human rights to safe drinking water and sanitation
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Water & Sanitation
- Person(s) affected
- Ethnic minorities
- Persons with disabilities
- Women
- Year
- 2017
Paragraph
Reflections on the six-year tenure of the Special Rapporteur 2017, para. 92
- Paragraph text
- The Special Rapporteur calls upon States to review their respective domestic legislation to ensure that it is fully in line with the Declaration on the Rights of Persons Belonging to National or Ethnic, Religious and Linguistic Minorities. She recalls the four pillars of minority rights protection that should be reflected in those laws: (a) the protection of a minority's survival by combating violence against its members and preventing genocide; (b) the protection and promotion of the cultural identity of minority groups, and their right to enjoy their collective identity and to reject forced assimilation; (c) the guarantee of the rights to non-discrimination and equality, including ending structural or systemic discrimination and the promotion of affirmative action, when required; (d) the right to effective participation of minorities in public life and in decisions that affect them. The Special Rapporteur wishes to stress that merely having non-discrimination clauses, according to which all members of the society are to be treated equally, without the aforementioned additional guarantees have often proven insufficient for effective protection of disadvantaged minorities.
- 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
- 2017
Paragraph
Reflections on the six-year tenure of the Special Rapporteur 2017, para. 99
- Paragraph text
- The United Nations in general should advocate more strongly for minority rights protection at both national and regional levels, to seek to ensure that States strengthen their legal, policy and institutional frameworks and that regional anti-discrimination and minority rights standards and mechanisms are put in place for the protection and promotion of minority rights, respectively. Equally, the Organization should consider strengthening existing mechanisms and platforms for minorities within the United Nations system, including the Forum on Minority Issues. It would be important for the United Nations network on racial discrimination and the protection of minorities to regularly update the Human Rights Council about its work. Furthermore, the establishment of a committee to monitor the implementation of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide is long overdue and would assist Member States in complying with the Convention. It would also be crucial to appoint a high-level official on minority issues within the Secretariat as well to establish senior positions within United Nations departments and agencies to look into issues of minority rights protection, diversity management and safeguarding pluralistic societies. The designation of minority focal points in all United Nations field offices would be another great step forward.
- 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
- 2017
Paragraph