Minorities

“We must do more to prevent conflicts happening at all. Most conflicts happen in […] countries, especially those which are badly governed or where power and wealth are very unfairly distributed between ethnic or religious groups. So the best way to prevent conflict is promote political arrangements in which all groups are fairly represented, combined with human rights, minority rights and broad-based economic development.”
 Kofi Annan, Secretary-General of the United Nations
(Statement on presenting his Millennium Report, 3 April 2000 )

In recent years, a well defined interest in tackling issues affecting minorities has emerged. Awareness is growing that by meeting the legitimate interests of national or ethnic, religious and linguistic groups the principles of the United Nations Charter may be furthered. Thus, minority rights are being increasingly recognized as an integral part of the United Nation's work for the promotion and protection of human rights, sustainable human development, peace and security.

In 1992, the General Assembly adopted the Declaration on the Rights of Persons Belonging to National or Ethnic, Religious and Linguistic Minorities, the only United Nations instrument which addresses the special rights of minorities in a separate United Nations document. The establishment, in 1995, of the United Nations Working Group on Minorities, is another important achievement to date.

In 2005, a new procedure that of the Independent Expert on Minorities Issues was established. Gay McDougall was appointed to this position by the High Commissioner for Human Rights. The mandate of the Independent Expert is contained in Commission on Human Rights resolution 2005/79. Further information will be available in the future on the work of this new procedure.

This site provides up-to-date information on the activities of the Working Group on Minorities, along with information on legal standards and procedures available for the protection and promotion of minority rights, especially at the international level. Further references on how to use such procedures is also available in the UN Guide for Minorities.