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Working Group on MinoritiesThis is to inform you that there will be no further meeting of the Working Group on Minorities. The Human Rights Council will meet in September and decide on any future mechanism on minority issues. The Twelfth session of the Working Group on Minorities met in August 2006 in the Palais des Nations in Geneva. Documents: Final report: A/HRC/Sub.1/58/19 (English / French / Spanish / Russian / Chinese) Provisional agenda (E/CN.4/Sub.2/AC.5/2006/1) (English / French / Spanish / Russian) Note by the Secretariat on the Minority Profile and Matrix on the Human Rights Situation of Minorities (E/CN.4/Sub.2/AC.5/2006/3) (English / French / Spanish / Russian) Pamphlet of the United Nations Guide for Minorities: “Minorities and the United Nations: Human Rights Treaty Bodies and Individual Complaint Mechanisms” (E/CN.4/Sub.2/AC.5/2006/4) (English / French / Spanish / Russian) Pamphlet for inclusion in the United Nations Guide for Minorities: “The Independent Expert on Minority Issues” (E/CN.4/Sub.2/AC.5/2006/6) (English / French / Spanish / Russian) Working papers: Working paper submitted by Tom Hadden on the Integration with Diversity in Security, Policing and Criminal Justice (E/CN.4/Sub.2/AC.5/2006/WP.1) (English only) Working paper submitted by All For Reparations and Emancipation (AFRE) (English only) Item 3 (a) : Reviewing the promotion and practical realization of the Declaration on the Rights of Persons belonging to National or Ethnic, Religious and Linguistic Minorities - Terik Council of Elders (Kenya) - Statement to WGM Christine Chan (Myanmar) - Feminist Dalit Organization (FEDO) - Jagaran Media Center (Nepal) - Holistic Turnaround Management Foundation (India) - Office of Justice and Peace (West - Papua) - Social Action Forum against Repression (India) - National Federation of Dalit Woman (India) - Canadian Egyptian Organization for Human Rights (Canada) - All for Reperations and Emancipation (USA) - YASA, Kurdish Centre for Legal Studies & Consultancy - University of Hanover (Germany) - Mon Youth Progressive Organization (Myanmar) - Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People - Iraqi Turkmen Human Rights Research Foundation - Roma Democratic Development Association 1 (The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia) - Roma Democratic Development Association 2 (The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia) - Western Thrace Minority University (Greece) - Karenni Development Research Group (Thailand, Myanmar) - Iraqi Council of Representatives (Statement in Arabic) - Reply from the Greek Government - Reply from the Hungarian Government - Statement from the Syrian Government (Statement in Arabic) - Reply from the Nepalese Government - Reply of the Government of Bulgaria Item 3 (b): Examining possible solutions to problems involving minorities, including the promotion of mutual understanding between and among minorities and Governments - Iraqi Turkman Human Rights Research Foundation - Canadian Egyptian Organization for Human Rights - International Minority Rights Group (Kosovo) - Reply from the Egyptian Government Item 3 (c): Recommending further measures, as appropriate, for the promotion and protection of the rights of persons belonging to national or ethnic, religious and linguistic minorities - The OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities - Tom Hadden, Presentation of working paper (Ireland) - Statement from the Russian Government (statement in Russian) - Statement from Canadian Egyptian Organization for Human Rights Item 4 : Future activities and cooperation with the IE on minorities issues and international organizations - Government of the Republic of Hungary Item 5 : Other matters including conclusions and recommendations - Decisions and Recommendations The Working Group on Minorities, which was established in 1995 pursuant to Economic and Social Council resolution 1995/31 of 25 July 1995 , is a subsidiary organ of the Sub-Commission on the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights (previously called the Sub-Commission on Prevention of Discrimination and Protection of Minorities). The Working Group on Minorities meets in Geneva , once a year, for five working days. The Working Group aims at being a forum for dialogue. Firstly, to facilitate greater awareness of the differing perspectives on minority issues and, consequently, to seek better understanding and mutual respect among minorities and between minorities and Governments. Secondly, it can act as a mechanism for hearing suggestions and making recommendations for the peaceful and constructive solution to problems involving minorities, through the promotion and protection of their rights. Nearly all countries in the world have minorities within their population. There are varied experiences regarding minority issues within different countries dependent on specific historical, economic, social, political, geographic and other factors. Despite this reality, common problems affecting minority communities are identifiable. Often these are related to the existence of structures or systems that have the effect of either perpetuating the marginalisation of minority communities from decision-making or of unfairly benefiting majority populations or dominant groups in the economic, social and political life of the country. An appreciation of these problems has led to recommendations for the protection of the identity of minorities and respect for diversity. Acceptance of diversity on the part of the majority or dominant groups often requires better understanding about the culture, customs, language and history of minority communities, which in turn has led to the recommendation that inter-cultural and human rights education curricula and programmes be developed. Social, economic and political inequality between communities and groups has also been identified as a root cause of conflict. Equality, social justice and fair representation, as called for under minority rights protection and promotion, are increasingly perceived as a conflict prevention measures. Thus, discussions and documents adopted in various UN fora support the approach of the Working Group by advocating for the establishment of mechanisms for dialogue and arrangements for participation to address the exclusion and marginalization of minority communities. In summary, the Working Group is becoming a more important focus for UN activities regarding minority issues and some of the issues discussed in its meetings which may interest its various partners are:
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