UN Human Rights Expert Demands Identity Documents Truly Reflect Minority Identity

The UN Special Rapporteur on minority issues has called on States to ensure that identity documents for persons belonging to minority groups authentically reflect their identity. The Special Rapporteur, Nicolas Levrat, emphasized that legal names, religions, and ethnic or national identities assigned through official documents must align with individuals’ own affiliations, including traditional names and patronyms, in accordance with Article 1 of the Declaration on the Rights of Persons Belonging to National or Ethnic, Religious and Linguistic Minorities.

Levrat highlighted the vital role of identity in preserving cultural continuity: traditional names, religious adherence, language, and cultural expression not only strengthen personal identity but also underpin the existence and cohesion of minority communities. “When States deny individuals the right to have their identity correctly recognized in official documents, they are denying not just a name, but an entire cultural heritage,” he said, warning that such practices undermine international human rights instruments including the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.

Levrat urged Member States to adopt inclusive practices that allow individuals to self-identify, embracing both their minority identity and state citizenship. Recognizing multi-layered identities, he noted, promotes social stability, democratic inclusiveness, and reduces tensions that arise when minority identities are denied within official frameworks. The full statement can be accessed on the website of the OHCHR: https://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2025/03/minorities-should-have-identity-documents-reflect-who-they-really-are-un