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Minorities and discrimination based on caste and analogous systems of inherited status
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on minority issues
- Legal status
- Non-negotiated soft law
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Year
- 2016
- Document code
- A/HRC/31/56
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Document
Hate speech and incitement to hatred against minorities in the media
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on minority issues
- Legal status
- Non-negotiated soft law
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Year
- 2015
- Document code
- A/HRC/28/64
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Document
The role of minority rights protection in promoting stability and conflict prevention
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on minority issues
- Legal status
- Non-negotiated soft law
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Year
- 2011
- Document code
- A/HRC/16/45
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Document
The human rights situation of Roma worldwide, with a particular focus on the phenomenon of anti-Gypsyism
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on minority issues
- Legal status
- Non-negotiated soft law
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Year
- 2015
- Document code
- A/HRC/29/24
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Document
Minorities in the criminal justice system
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on minority issues
- Legal status
- Non-negotiated soft law
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Year
- 2015
- Document code
- A/70/212
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Document
Minorities in situations of humanitarian crises
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on minority issues
- Legal status
- Non-negotiated soft law
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Year
- 2016
- Document code
- A/71/254
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Document
Preventing and addressing violence and atrocities against minorities
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on minority issues
- Legal status
- Non-negotiated soft law
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Year
- 2014
- Document code
- A/69/266
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Document
Protection of minority rights in conflict prevention
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on minority issues
- Legal status
- Non-negotiated soft law
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Year
- 2010
- Document code
- A/65/287
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Document
Reflections on the six-year tenure of the Special Rapporteur
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on minority issues
- Legal status
- Non-negotiated soft law
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Year
- 2017
- Document code
- A/HRC/34/53
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Document
Ensuring the inclusion of minority issues in post- 2015 development agendas
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on minority issues
- Legal status
- Non-negotiated soft law
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Year
- 2014
- Document code
- A/HRC/25/56
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Document
Minority rights-based approaches to the protection and promotion of the rights of religious minorities
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on minority issues
- Legal status
- Non-negotiated soft law
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Year
- 2013
- Document code
- A/68/268
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Document
Priorities for the work of the Independent Expert and the twentieth anniversary of the Declaration on the Rights of Persons Belonging to National or Ethnic, Religious and Linguistic Minorities
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on minority issues
- Legal status
- Non-negotiated soft law
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Year
- 2012
- Document code
- A/HRC/19/56
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Document
The role and activities of national institutional mechanisms in promoting and protecting minority rights
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on minority issues
- Legal status
- Non-negotiated soft law
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Year
- 2012
- Document code
- A/67/293
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Document
Minorities and effective political participation: a survey of law and national practices
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on minority issues
- Legal status
- Non-negotiated soft law
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Year
- 2010
- Document code
- A/HRC/13/23
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Document
Rights of linguistic minorities
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on minority issues
- Legal status
- Non-negotiated soft law
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Year
- 2013
- Document code
- A/HRC/22/49
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Document
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
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Preventing and addressing violence and atrocities against minorities 2014, para. 79
- Paragraph text
- The Secretary-General has laid out a three-pillar strategy for the implementation of the responsibility to protect (see A/63/677), drawn from paragraphs 138 and 139 of the 2005 World Summit Outcome. The first pillar emphasizes the primary responsibility of States to protect their populations by preventing genocide, war crimes, ethnic cleansing and crimes against humanity (atrocity crimes). The second highlights the commitment of the international community to assist States to meet their obligations and to provide necessary support and capacity-building measures when a State is unable to meet its obligation to protect populations. Under the third pillar, the international community must use appropriate diplomatic, humanitarian and other means to protect populations from these crimes but must be prepared to take additional collective action to protect populations, in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations. The three pillars are not sequential and each pillar is of equal importance. They are also mutually reinforcing: while appointing a special envoy to a country to monitor a deteriorating situation is a response on its own, it is also a preventative tool as it might help to stop the violence from escalating.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on minority issues
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Humanitarian
- Person(s) affected
- N.A.
- Year
- 2014
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Minorities in the criminal justice system 2015, para. 63
- Paragraph text
- Minority victims of crimes are entitled to equal access to justice and reparation; indeed, the special needs of minorities should be taken into account in the provision of victim services and assistance. In practice however, these rights are often not respected or fulfilled.
- 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
- 2015
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Reflections on the six-year tenure of the Special Rapporteur 2017, para. 90
- Paragraph text
- Next year will mark the tenth anniversary of the creation of the Forum on Minority Issues, and the Special Rapporteur considers this to be an ideal opportunity to further reflect on the above-mentioned challenges and ways to better promote and achieve the goals of the Forum.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on minority issues
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Year
- 2017
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Reflections on the six-year tenure of the Special Rapporteur 2017, para. 57
- Paragraph text
- In the following paragraphs, the Special Rapporteur highlights issues that have consistently emerged during the course of her work, including country visits, which she considers as requiring greater attention by Governments, the international community and minority groups.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on minority issues
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Ethnic minorities
- Year
- 2017
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Reflections on the six-year tenure of the Special Rapporteur 2017, para. 42
- Paragraph text
- The Special Rapporteur welcomed the work of her predecessor relating to the rights and status of members of minorities in all regions that find themselves denied or deprived of citizenship, and has continued to raise awareness on these specific communities.
- 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
- 2017
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Minorities and discrimination based on caste and analogous systems of inherited status 2016, para. 86
- Paragraph text
- In 2009, a survey by the Ministry of Health in Nepal found that the maternal mortality rates for Dalit women and women from the Therai and Madhesi castes were significantly higher than those for women from higher castes.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on minority issues
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Gender
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Women
- Year
- 2016
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Minorities and discrimination based on caste and analogous systems of inherited status 2016, para. 85
- Paragraph text
- Women in lower castes present the worst health outcomes. For instance, a study in India demonstrated stark disparities between Dalit and non-Dalit women in terms of life expectancy and access to prenatal and postnatal care.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on minority issues
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Economic Rights
- Gender
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Women
- Year
- 2016
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Minorities and discrimination based on caste and analogous systems of inherited status 2016, para. 44
- Paragraph text
- Caste-affected groups have also been identified in other countries, such as Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Côte d'Ivoire, the Gambia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Madagascar, Mali and Sierra Leone.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on minority issues
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Gender
- Year
- 2016
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Minorities in situations of humanitarian crises 2016, para. 76
- Paragraph text
- Owing to multiple and intersecting forms of discrimination, specific challenges face minority women and girls affected by humanitarian crises. According to the General Recommendation on women in conflict prevention, conflict and post-conflict situations of the Committee for the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (see CEDAW/C/GC/30, para. 36), during and after conflict specific groups of women, including, inter alia, internally displaced and refugee women, women of diverse caste, ethnic, national or religious identities, or of other minorities, are at a particular risk of violence, especially sexual violence. These groups of women "are often attacked as symbolic representatives of their community". The Committee has further noted that stateless women and girls face heightened risk of abuse during conflict, owing to, among other factors, their minority status (ibid, para. 60). Minority women may be particularly at risk of sexual and gender-based violence and other forms of violence, including slavery and trafficking. The Special Rapporteur was deeply troubled and saddened when she listened to the testimonies of Yezidi women in Iraq of sexual and gender-based violence committed against them by Daesh, which acts must be fully investigated and their perpetrators prosecuted.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on minority issues
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Humanitarian
- Violence
- Person(s) affected
- Ethnic minorities
- Girls
- Persons on the move
- Women
- Year
- 2016
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
The human rights situation of Roma worldwide, with a particular focus on the phenomenon of anti-Gypsyism 2015, para. 76
- Paragraph text
- The Special Rapporteur observes that there are often underlying attitudes that contribute to the lack of focus on empowerment of Roma communities and organizations. They can be outright discriminatory attitudes, such as when decision-making authorities adopt the paternalistic attitude that they are better equipped to make decisions on behalf of Roma. However, there are also more subtle forms of bias, including the tendency to focus on Roma as passive victims of discrimination, which may have the effect of perpetuating erroneous assumptions about their inability to contribute to society. This in turn hampers the shift from a perception of Roma as primarily passive victims of discrimination to an acknowledgment of their role as active agents of transformation who can participate in policy decisions that affect them. The Special Rapporteur notes that effective, meaningful participation must be a transformative process that becomes an inclusive experience, facilitating Roma involvement, empowerment and active citizenship. Such a participatory approach must also guarantee that those whose voices are rarely heard are empowered, including Roma women and young people.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on minority issues
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Person(s) affected
- Women
- Youth
- Year
- 2015
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
The human rights situation of Roma worldwide, with a particular focus on the phenomenon of anti-Gypsyism 2015, para. 22
- Paragraph text
- The Special Rapporteur also remains concerned by the failure of public authorities to protect Roma from violent attacks. That includes the lack of systematic intervention and condemnation by public figures when political and public discourse perpetuates racist and extreme views about Roma, and the failure of law enforcement authorities to protect Roma from the perpetrators of crimes against them. For example, a violent police crackdown on a Roma community in Slovakia in 2013 was condemned by a number of special procedures mandate holders, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, and the country's Ombudswoman. Nevertheless, the Minister of the Interior of Slovakia publically labelled the Roma victims of that intervention as criminals, and investigation into the police misconduct has been slow, with no charges brought against the police to date. Such failures by authorities to protect Roma adequately and to distance themselves from all manifestations of anti-Gypsyism not only promote a climate of distrust, dissuading Roma from reporting violent crimes against them to authorities, but also create an atmosphere of impunity and may encourage further acts of violence against Roma.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on minority issues
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Violence
- Year
- 2015
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Hate speech and incitement to hatred against minorities in the media 2015, para. 45
- Paragraph text
- The International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights prohibits "any propaganda for war" as well as "any advocacy of national, racial or religious hatred that constitutes incitement to discrimination, hostility or violence" (art. 20).
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on minority issues
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Civil & Political Rights
- Equality & Inclusion
- Person(s) affected
- All
- Year
- 2015
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Minorities in the criminal justice system 2015, para. 110
- Paragraph text
- The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights should consider producing guidelines on integration with diversity in policing, thereby resuming the process initiated under the former Working Group on Minorities.
- 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
- 2015
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Minorities in the criminal justice system 2015, para. 106
- Paragraph text
- States should ascertain whether minorities are subjected to harsher penalties in sentencing or execution of sentence, identify any role that direct or indirect discrimination plays in this regard, and take measures to eliminate it.
- 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
- 2015
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Minorities in the criminal justice system 2015, para. 98
- Paragraph text
- States should establish mechanisms, policies and practices for community-oriented policing which bring together police agencies and minorities to participate in the administration of justice, and to foster trust, dialogue and partnership.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on minority issues
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Ethnic minorities
- Year
- 2015
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Minorities in the criminal justice system 2015, para. 92
- Paragraph text
- Sources cited throughout this report provide States with many practical recommendations on how to improve the situation of minorities in the criminal justice system. Space considerations permit the Special Rapporteur to highlight only a few:
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on minority issues
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Person(s) affected
- Ethnic minorities
- Year
- 2015
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Minorities in the criminal justice system 2015, para. 74
- Paragraph text
- Rules of general application concerning formalities, such as appropriate dress in the courtroom (removal of headwear for instance), may, if applied without exception, be perceived as means of excluding or denigrating minorities, negatively impacting on their participation, cooperation and attitude towards the court.
- 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
- 2015
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Minorities in the criminal justice system 2015, para. 51
- Paragraph text
- Independent professional bodies for judges, prosecutors and lawyers should ensure that codes of conduct prohibit discrimination against minorities, that complaints of discrimination are promptly and impartially investigated, and that disciplinary proceedings follow whenever complaints are well founded.
- 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
- 2015
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Priorities for the work of the Independent Expert and the twentieth anniversary of the Declaration on the Rights of Persons Belonging to National or Ethnic, Religious and Linguistic Minorities 2012, para. 82
- Paragraph text
- The independent expert looks forward to fulfilling the requirements of her Human Rights Council mandate and to constructive and fruitful cooperation with diverse stakeholders in all regions towards that end. She particularly notes her desire for a constructive engagement with United Nations Member States and encourages Member States to respond positively to her requests for information or for country visits, while emphasizing that her mandate remains available to provide assistance to States and respond to their requests, including in the area of technical cooperation, to the fullest extent possible. Equally, the independent expert reiterates the importance that she places on the role and views of non-governmental organizations and representatives of minority communities themselves, including in providing information to her and engaging and assisting her fully as she conducts her work on minority issues and with and on behalf of minority communities.
- 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
- 2012
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Priorities for the work of the Independent Expert and the twentieth anniversary of the Declaration on the Rights of Persons Belonging to National or Ethnic, Religious and Linguistic Minorities 2012, para. 70
- Paragraph text
- The issues and concerns of minority women frequently receive a lower priority than the efforts made to ensure minority rights for the group in general. Women belonging to minority groups often struggle within their communities to advocate for their rights, which can be set aside as a result of the prioritization of the general concerns of the group. Barriers to the empowerment of some minority women, including lack of social or economic contact, networks or minority women's support groups, and scarcity of female minority role models have an important impact on the enjoyment by minority women and girls of their human rights. Minority women may hesitate to voice their gender-specific grievances even within their groups, let alone outside them. Minority women's rights could also benefit from increased attention by the broader movement for women's rights. In turn, the women's rights movement would also benefit from the specific experiences of minority women in their overall struggle for equality.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on minority issues
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Gender
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- Ethnic minorities
- Girls
- Women
- Year
- 2012
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Priorities for the work of the Independent Expert and the twentieth anniversary of the Declaration on the Rights of Persons Belonging to National or Ethnic, Religious and Linguistic Minorities 2012, para. 53
- Paragraph text
- During the course of 2012 the independent expert looks forward to participating in a variety of events to mark the 20th anniversary. Among these events will be a series of sub-regional conferences organized by the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights and hosted by some of its regional offices. These events will seek to bring together a variety of stakeholders from the regions in question including representatives of national Governments, civil society actors working in the field of minority rights, and regional staff from OHCHR and United Nations specialized agencies. The events will promote awareness of the Declaration and consider specific issues most relevant to minorities in the region in question. Regional events will also provide a valuable opportunity for the independent expert and OHCHR to deliver the recommendations of the Forum on Minority Issues and other relevant recommendations, guidelines and resources to decision makers and stakeholders in a sub-regional context.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on minority issues
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Ethnic minorities
- Year
- 2012
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Priorities for the work of the Independent Expert and the twentieth anniversary of the Declaration on the Rights of Persons Belonging to National or Ethnic, Religious and Linguistic Minorities 2012, para. 38
- Paragraph text
- The independent expert emphasizes that full implementation by all States of the Declaration on Minorities should be considered a key measure to promote equality and political and social stability and as an essential component of good governance in diverse societies. She will pay particular attention to early signs of potential conflicts among different communities, such as indicators of increasing alienation or hatred against certain groups. Examination of challenges and positive practices relating to hate speech and hate crime legislation will be an area of focus. She will seek consultations with diverse stakeholders including in countries where inter-ethnic or interreligious tensions or conflict have previously occurred in order to identify ongoing challenges as well as learn about positive practices, preventative strategies and peace-building initiatives. In particular she draws attention to the need for minorities to be appropriately represented and to participate effectively in public life.
- 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
- 2012
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
The role of minority rights protection in promoting stability and conflict prevention 2011, para. 100
- 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
- 2011
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Protection of minority rights in conflict prevention 2010, para. 37
- Paragraph text
- Equally, efforts must be made to give voice to the diversity of members within minority communities, including women, youth and the elderly, and to interest groups such as returning internally displaced persons. The participation of civil society in debates over models for inclusion is essential.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on minority issues
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Movement
- Person(s) affected
- Persons on the move
- Women
- Youth
- Year
- 2010
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
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
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Reflections on the six-year tenure of the Special Rapporteur 2017, para. 87
- Paragraph text
- During her tenure, the Special Rapporteur has promoted the work of and the recommendations emanating from the Forum on Minority Issues in other forums. As a regional follow-up activity to the Forum, she travelled to Banjul in April 2013 to attend the fifty-third ordinary session of the African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights where, among other activities, she organized a public side event with the participation of Commissioner Soyata Maïga, who served as Chair of the fifth session of the Forum. That event provided an opportunity to brief the participants about the mandate and the Forum, and to share information related to minorities with different African human rights mechanisms. In November 2015, the Special Rapporteur organized a side event during the eighth session of the Forum to consider, inter alia, ways to improve the structure and working methods of the Forum, to share best practices on how to better mainstream its recommendations and to discuss how United Nations mechanisms, in particular the Forum, could remain relevant for and accessible to minorities on the ground. In October 2016, on the occasion of the presentation of her report to the General Assembly, she convened a consultative session in New York that served as an opportunity to discuss the draft recommendations of the Forum ahead of its ninth session as well as to raise awareness of the work of the Forum outside Geneva and engage relevant stakeholders in New York.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on minority issues
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Ethnic minorities
- Year
- 2017
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Reflections on the six-year tenure of the Special Rapporteur 2017, para. 86
- Paragraph text
- The mandate of the Special Rapporteur thus complements and enhances the work of the Forum, and the Special Rapporteur has fostered the complementary and mutual reinforcement of both mechanisms throughout her tenure. She has guided a total of six sessions of the Forum on the following themes: "Guaranteeing the rights of minority women" (2011), "Implementing the United Nations declaration on minority rights: identifying positive practices and opportunities" (2012), "Guaranteeing the rights of religious minorities" (2013), "Preventing and addressing violence and atrocity crimes targeted against minorities" (2014), "Minorities in the criminal justice system" (2015) and "Minorities in situations of humanitarian crises" (2016). Since 2013, the Special Rapporteur has devoted her annual thematic report to the General Assembly to the same topic as the Forum session, as a means to contribute to and inform the discussions within the Forum. The Special Rapporteur notes that the themes she selected for the annual sessions focused on areas that had emerged as particularly concerning or problematic for minorities and where they believed that minority rights should be better applied and mainstreamed. She believes that the Forum makes a vital contribution to deepening international understanding on these important and topical areas as well as to international standard and norm setting.
- 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
- Women
- Year
- 2017
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Reflections on the six-year tenure of the Special Rapporteur 2017, para. 84
- Paragraph text
- 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 consider 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
- Person(s) affected
- Ethnic minorities
- Year
- 2017
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Reflections on the six-year tenure of the Special Rapporteur 2017, para. 64
- Paragraph text
- In some instances, States are reluctant to recognize the existence of minority groups within their territories, and therefore reject the concept of "minority" and the recognition of minority status for those groups. In other cases, States legally recognize certain groups as minorities in their constitution, but apply restrictive definitions or discriminatory criteria, for example, when introducing citizenship as a distinguishing criterion for granting minority rights (ibid., para. 10).
- 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
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Reflections on the six-year tenure of the Special Rapporteur 2017, para. 62
- Paragraph text
- In certain regions, she has found that groups that fall or would fall under the legal category of "minorities" because of the distinct cultural, linguistic, religious or other identity of their members reject the use of the term, which they regard as "derogatory", "discriminatory", or establishing a "second-class" category of citizens. In these cases, groups tend to use alternative nomenclature to refer to themselves, such as "religious groups", "communities", "societal components" and others.
- 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
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Reflections on the six-year tenure of the Special Rapporteur 2017, para. 60
- Paragraph text
- The Special Rapporteur is concerned that in some regions and in several countries, minority rights protection is not seen to be important, or even relevant, owing to deliberate denial or lack of understanding of its legitimacy. There is a need for stronger awareness-raising on what the entire minority rights protection regime entails, that it also includes wide-ranging issues around religious and linguistic identity, and that the effective promotion and protection of the rights of minorities contribute to the political and social stability of States and, therefore, are always timely and important. It is essential to understand that majority-minority relations should be assessed not only from a national perspective but also specifically in the context of smaller territorial and local levels, where the dynamics and dimensions of identity, ethnicity, religion, language and access to power and resources are frequently more important and play a greater role in the daily lives of individuals and communities. The notions of "majority" and "minority" may be interchangeable and depend on the particular context, as a group that constitutes a dominant majority nationally or regionally may be numerically inferior and non-dominant in another region. Therefore, minority rights standards must also be applied to those groups constituting de facto minorities in the localities where they live.
- 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
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Reflections on the six-year tenure of the Special Rapporteur 2017, para. 50
- Paragraph text
- The Special Rapporteur sought further opportunities to build on the work of the previous mandate holder on the role of minority rights protection in conflict prevention presented to the General Assembly in 2010 and the Human Rights Council in 2011, and dedicated her report to the General Assembly in 2014 (A/69/266) as well as the seventh session of the Forum on Minority Issues to preventing and addressing violence and atrocities against minorities.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on minority issues
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Humanitarian
- Violence
- Person(s) affected
- Ethnic minorities
- Year
- 2017
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Reflections on the six-year tenure of the Special Rapporteur 2017, para. 46
- Paragraph text
- The Special Rapporteur dedicated the first Forum on Minority Issues under her leadership, the fourth session, to the topic "Guaranteeing the rights of minority women". The Forum participants recognized that it was particularly important that the voices and views of minority women be heard and that they be consulted and have the opportunity to participate fully in all aspects of life, both within their communities and in the wider society. Barriers to the empowerment of some minority women, including lack of social or economic contacts, networks or minority women's support groups, and scarcity of female minority role models had an important impact on the enjoyment by minority women and girls of their human rights. The Forum considered specific thematic areas in detail, for example, the access of minority women and girls to education; their ability to take part effectively in economic life and to have access to labour markets; and issues relating to their participation in social, cultural and political life. It recommended that Governments should seek and encourage opportunities for women's participation and work together with minority communities as well as minority and women's rights organizations to develop and implement programmes to sensitize minority women about their rights, and men about minority women's rights. All the relevant documents, including statements, the final recommendations and the summary report, are available on the Forum's website.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on minority issues
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Person(s) affected
- Ethnic minorities
- Girls
- Women
- Year
- 2017
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Reflections on the six-year tenure of the Special Rapporteur 2017, para. 38
- Paragraph text
- In her report, the Special Rapporteur emphasized that for minorities, language was a central element and expression of their identity and of key importance in the preservation of group identity. Language was often particularly important to non-dominant communities seeking to maintain their distinct group and cultural identity, sometimes under conditions of marginalization, exclusion and discrimination. Minority language rights and language use were frequently a source of tensions, both between and within States. Proponents of linguistic rights had sometimes been associated with secessionist movements or had been seen as a threat to the integrity or unity of a State. The Special Rapporteur pointed out that it was often only when minorities asserted their rights to identity and language that discrimination or persecution started. Fulfilling the rights of minorities, including their language rights, was an essential means to prevent tensions from emerging and was a key element of good governance and conflict prevention. If not appropriately addressed at an early stage, such tensions had led to protracted conflicts and deepening of divisions between linguistic groups. Where conflicts had ceased or peacebuilding initiatives were under way, it was essential that all groups in society should play a full role in discussions, negotiations and decision-making processes.
- 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
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Reflections on the six-year tenure of the Special Rapporteur 2017, para. 35
- Paragraph text
- The Forum on Minority Issues continued to serve as a unique platform for dialogue between minority representatives, civil society, academia, United Nations agencies and Member States on the challenges and progress made relevant to minority rights protection. In section E below the Special Rapporteur discusses the current state of the Forum and makes recommendations on how to improve it further.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on minority issues
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Ethnic minorities
- Year
- 2017
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Reflections on the six-year tenure of the Special Rapporteur 2017, para. 31
- Paragraph text
- As she approaches the end of her tenure as mandate holder, the Special Rapporteur has undertaken a review of the major developments relating to her work, particularly with respect to the thematic priorities she had decided to focus on at the beginning of her mandate (A/HRC/19/56), as well as the major challenges and emerging issues in the field of minority rights protection that she came across during her tenure.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on minority issues
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Civil & Political Rights
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- N.A.
- Year
- 2017
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Minorities and discrimination based on caste and analogous systems of inherited status 2016, para. 138
- Paragraph text
- The draft United Nations principles and guidelines for the effective elimination of discrimination based on work and descent should be promoted by States and endorsed by the Human Rights Council.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on minority issues
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Person(s) affected
- N.A.
- Year
- 2016
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Minorities and discrimination based on caste and analogous systems of inherited status 2016, para. 137
- Paragraph text
- States should extend invitations to special procedure mandate holders to assess the situation of caste-affected communities in their respective countries and request their assistance for technical cooperation.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on minority issues
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Movement
- Person(s) affected
- Ethnic minorities
- Year
- 2016
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Minorities and discrimination based on caste and analogous systems of inherited status 2016, para. 135
- Paragraph text
- Human rights education in schools should be a mandatory subject. Language in school textbooks should be revised to eliminate stereotypical and prejudicial portrayals of caste-affected communities and contest the social construction of caste and caste-like systems and related notions, including untouchability and segregation.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on minority issues
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Education
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- Ethnic minorities
- Year
- 2016
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Minorities and discrimination based on caste and analogous systems of inherited status 2016, para. 131
- Paragraph text
- Special measures, including reservations, quota systems and/or schemes, should be put into place and enforced in specific areas, including employment, education, and public and political institutions, in order to guarantee the effective participation and representation of affected communities in public life.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on minority issues
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Movement
- Person(s) affected
- All
- Year
- 2016
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Minorities and discrimination based on caste and analogous systems of inherited status 2016, para. 128
- Paragraph text
- States should adopt specific legislation prohibiting discrimination on the grounds of caste and/or analogous systems. Existing legal frameworks to combat caste discrimination must be adequately and fully implemented and include appropriate penalties for acts of caste-based discrimination.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on minority issues
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Person(s) affected
- Ethnic minorities
- Year
- 2016
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Minorities and discrimination based on caste and analogous systems of inherited status 2016, para. 127
- Paragraph text
- The Special Rapporteur believes that relevant elements and standards emanating from the minority rights framework, including equality, non discrimination, consultation, participation and special measures, can contribute to the protection of the rights of caste-affected communities and should be applied to combat discrimination based on caste and analogous systems.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on minority issues
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- Ethnic minorities
- Year
- 2016
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Minorities and discrimination based on caste and analogous systems of inherited status 2016, para. 126
- Paragraph text
- Discrimination on the basis of caste and analogous systems is a major cause of poverty, inequality and social exclusion of affected communities. In the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, States should consider including caste-specific indicators to ensure that the Sustainable Development Goals and their targets address the situation of affected groups.
- 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
- 2016
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Minorities and discrimination based on caste and analogous systems of inherited status 2016, para. 122
- Paragraph text
- In Yemen, the All Youth Network for Community Development was set up by young people belonging to the Akhdam minority (Muhamasheen) to work at the local level to eliminate caste discrimination. Its programmes target education, political participation, human rights education and capacity-building.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on minority issues
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Education
- Equality & Inclusion
- Person(s) affected
- Ethnic minorities
- Youth
- Year
- 2016
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph