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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
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. 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
Hate speech and incitement to hatred against minorities in the media 2015, para. 115
- Paragraph text
- Education to promote intercultural understanding, mutual respect and tolerance among population groups is essential to eliminating stereotypes and prejudices against minority communities. Human rights education should be an important part of school curricula, which should also include the history, culture and traditions of minority groups as well as their important contribution to enriching our societies.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on minority issues
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Education
- Equality & Inclusion
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- Ethnic minorities
- Year
- 2015
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Hate speech and incitement to hatred against minorities in the media 2015, para. 109
- Paragraph text
- The establishment of institutions dedicated to minority issues, with mandates to train, monitor and act on issues relevant to intercommunal relations and harmony, objective portrayal of and peace between diverse population groups, especially regarding relevant threats, such as incitement to religious or racial hatred, is desirable.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on minority issues
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- Ethnic minorities
- Year
- 2015
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Hate speech and incitement to hatred against minorities in the media 2015, para. 104
- Paragraph text
- Several factors influence the extent and prevalence of hate speech in the media, including the absence of or unclear legislation on incitement to hatred, negative and stereotyped portrayal of minorities, limited access and representation of minorities in the media, structural inequalities, the changing media landscape and the emerging and more organized forms of extremist and populists movements.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on minority issues
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- Ethnic minorities
- Year
- 2015
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Preventing and addressing violence and atrocities against minorities 2014, para. 92
- Paragraph text
- Violence has far-reaching impacts on individuals, communities and societies. The immediate impact may be death, injury, destruction of property, displacement and sexual violence against minorities. The longer-term impact on minorities, their enjoyment of human rights and fundamental freedoms and their relations with other groups in society may last for generations after incidents of violence.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on minority issues
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Violence
- Person(s) affected
- Ethnic minorities
- Year
- 2014
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
The role and activities of national institutional mechanisms in promoting and protecting minority rights 2012, para. 99
- Paragraph text
- Recent examples of interreligious tensions and violence demonstrate the need for dedicated institutional attention to religious minorities and interfaith dialogue. Efforts to improve understanding and build positive relationships between faith groups should engage religious leaders, institutions and communities from all faith groups.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on minority issues
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- Ethnic minorities
- Year
- 2012
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
The role and activities of national institutional mechanisms in promoting and protecting minority rights 2012, para. 88
- Paragraph text
- The Declaration and other relevant international and regional minority rights standards should be incorporated into domestic law, thereby providing a strong legal basis for institution-building and strengthening in the area of minority rights.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on minority issues
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- 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. 85
- Paragraph text
- To fulfil their human rights obligations and also as a measure to increase stability and improve inclusive governance, States should implement fully the Declaration on the Rights of Persons Belonging to National or Ethnic, Religious and Linguistic Minorities, through a process of consultation and cooperation with minority groups.
- 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
- 2011
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Protection of minority rights in conflict prevention 2010, para. 93
- Paragraph text
- To fulfil their human rights obligations and also as a measure to increase stability and improve inclusive governance, States should implement fully the Declaration on the Rights of Persons Belonging to National or Ethnic, Religious and Linguistic Minorities, through a process of consultation and cooperation with minority groups.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on minority issues
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- Ethnic minorities
- Year
- 2010
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Rights of linguistic minorities 2013, para. 82
- Paragraph text
- The views of young people from minority communities must be taken into account. While young people face different challenges and have different perceptions of their identity, and some may have weaker commitments to minority language and culture, many have a strong desire to maintain their language. They may wish to find new opportunities and expressions of their cultures and identity, for example in the arts, music and theatre, and those needs must be accommodated to the fullest extent possible.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on minority issues
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- Ethnic minorities
- Youth
- Year
- 2013
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Minority rights-based approaches to the protection and promotion of the rights of religious minorities 2013, para. 89
- Paragraph text
- Minority rights-based approaches require concrete policy measures and positive actions by the State to create substantive equality in all areas and to protect and promote the rights of religious minorities. The broad scope of international legal requirements for religious minorities contrasts sharply with the multiple restrictions that States impose and which even risk the viable continuity of religious minorities at the national level.
- 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
- 2013
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
The role and activities of national institutional mechanisms in promoting and protecting minority rights 2012, para. 90
- Paragraph text
- Expertise on minority issues should be mainstreamed into the mandates of all relevant ministries and governmental organs and national human rights institutions. Those particularly relevant to minority concerns, including in the fields of education, employment, health, housing and culture, should collaborate in the development of joint initiatives and programmes targeted towards disadvantaged minorities.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on minority issues
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Education
- Equality & Inclusion
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- Ethnic minorities
- Year
- 2012
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
The role and activities of national institutional mechanisms in promoting and protecting minority rights 2012, para. 87
- Paragraph text
- There are no one-size-fits-all solutions and the most appropriate approaches to minority protection depend on national circumstances, and the situations of minority groups, as well as cultural, geographical, historical, political and socioeconomic factors. Whatever approach is taken, the principles of recognition of minorities, and of consultation with and effective participation of minorities should be fully complied with.
- 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
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
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Minorities and discrimination based on caste and analogous systems of inherited status 2016, para. 129
- Paragraph text
- States should conduct awareness-raising campaigns at the national and local levels, targeting both affected communities and the wider public to sensitize them against caste discrimination and analogous forms of such discrimination. These campaigns should inform the public about the various manifestations, legal prohibitions and penalties associated with caste discrimination, and victims should be informed of their rights and available means of legal recourse to bring to light caste-based discriminatory practices and obtain redress.
- 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
Preventing and addressing violence and atrocities against minorities 2014, para. 95
- Paragraph text
- The comprehensive implementation of minority rights, non-discrimination and equality standards constitutes an important foundation for the prevention of violence against minority communities and helps to establish the conditions for stability and harmonious relations among population groups. States should implement fully the Declaration on the Rights of Persons Belonging to National or Ethnic, Religious and Linguistic Minorities and other regional and international standards.
- 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
- 2014
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
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
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
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
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
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
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
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
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
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
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
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
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Minorities and discrimination based on caste and analogous systems of inherited status 2016, para. 132
- Paragraph text
- Women and girls are particularly vulnerable to caste discrimination, as they suffer from multiple and intersecting forms of discrimination owing to both their gender and unprivileged caste status. They are disproportionately subjected to dire human rights violations, including violence and, particularly, sexual violence, trafficking, early and/or forced marriage and harmful traditional practices. They face obstacles in accessing justice and redress and are excluded or relegated to a secondary or subordinate role in decision-making processes. Caste-affected States should urgently take robust action to eradicate such violations through, inter alia, the enactment and effective implementation of specific legislation and the adoption of special measures, policies and programmes to address the entrenched situation of marginalization and exclusion experienced by women and girls owing to their caste status.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on minority issues
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- Ethnic minorities
- Girls
- Women
- Year
- 2016
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Minorities and discrimination based on caste and analogous systems of inherited status 2016, para. 124
- Paragraph text
- Discrimination based on caste and analogous systems is deeply embedded in interpersonal and communal relationships in caste-affected countries. Therefore, overcoming it will require not only legal and political responses, but also community based approaches aimed at changing the mindsets of individuals and the collective conscience of local communities. In this regard, formal and informal community education and open dialogue from an early age are essential elements to ensure that the principles of human dignity and equality generally are accepted and respected.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on minority issues
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Education
- 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. 123
- Paragraph text
- Discrimination based on caste and analogous systems is a global phenomenon, affecting more than 250 million people worldwide. This serious human rights violation infringes upon the basic principles of universal human dignity and equality, as it differentiates between "inferior" and "superior" categories of individuals because of their inherited caste status. It also leads to extreme exclusion and dehumanization of caste-affected communities, who are often among the most disadvantaged populations, experience the worst socioeconomic conditions and are deprived of or severely restricted in the enjoyment of their civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights.
- 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 in the criminal justice system 2015, para. 100
- Paragraph text
- Conditions of detention or imprisonment, and the relevant staff, should reasonably accommodate the cultural, dietary, religious and linguistic characteristics of minority prisoners.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on minority issues
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- Ethnic minorities
- Persons on the move
- Year
- 2015
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Ensuring the inclusion of minority issues in post- 2015 development agendas 2014, para. 85
- Paragraph text
- The post-2015 framework of new goals should be based on human rights, including minority rights as established in the Declaration on the Rights of Persons Belonging to National or Ethnic, Religious and Linguistic Minorities, and the principles of equality, non-discrimination and participation. A focus on disadvantaged minorities and specific minority groups, including Roma, people of African Descent, Dalits, and disadvantaged religious and linguistic minorities worldwide would potentially bring much needed development attention to millions of the most excluded and impoverished peoples globally.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on minority issues
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- Ethnic minorities
- Year
- 2014
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph