Special Rapporteur on Minority Issues Releases Call for Input

Image: OHCHR

The UN Special Rapporteur on minority issues, Fernand de Varennes, has released a call for input to inform a thematic report to be delivered to the 52nd session of the UN Human Rights Council on moving forward in recognizing and protecting the rights of minorities at the United Nations.

"The report will assess to what extent persons belonging to ethnic, religious and linguistic minority communities benefited or were excluded from available UN initiatives such as UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Frameworks (UN Development Assistance Frameworks (UNDAF)) for 2021 and 2022 in the UN system. In addition, the report will aim at identifying best practices in preventing/addressing contemporary forms of discrimination affecting persons belonging to minority communities while it will also highlight persisting protection gaps in the UN system. On that basis, the report´s purpose will be to provide practical recommendations on how to better protect persons belonging to minority communities by using all available UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Frameworks."

In particular, input from individuals and organisations representing minorities, human rights defenders, civil society, lawyers, academics, policy experts, National Human Rights Institutions, UN agencies, international and regional organisations, and States is sought in order to respond to the questions below:

1. How would you describe since 2013 the efforts to mainstream “across all UN pillars and activities” minority rights? Can you identify specific initiatives which have flowed from the UN Secretary General’s call, or describe specific instances of new measures put into place since then?

2. Please enumerate, if possible, examples of mainstreaming of minority rights in UN pillars and activities, particularly at the local or regional level. Please also indicate if, in your opinion, these have been appropriate or adequate for respecting, protecting and promoting the human rights of minorities?

3. What has been your experience or understanding of the integration of minority rights into the work of the UN system at global, regional and country level, including through coordination mechanisms? Can you describe concretely what these have been, including their relevance and impact?

4. Please describe noteworthy initiatives involving UN offices and measures, including specific training or other programmes, or that mainstream minority rights or integrate them in the work of the UN, their significance, and how these could be expanded or improved.

5. What specifically should be done to better mainstream the human rights of minorities at the United Nations?

6. What specific initiatives should be in place to strengthen and better recognise and protect minority rights at the United Nations?

Written submissions of up to 3,000 words should be sent to [email protected], preferably before 8 December 2022, Thursday, at 6pm (CEST), indicating in the subject line: Submission for Special Rapporteur’s Report for the 52nd Human Rights Council.

The full call for input can be found on the website of the OHCHR.