UN Special Rapporteur on Minority Issues to Present Thematic Report to UN General Assembly

The UN Special Rapporteur on minority issues will present a thematic report to the 80th Session of the General Assembly in October 2025, in which he urges the international community to place minorities at the center of the ongoing UN reform process. The report, entitled “Minorities in the context of the United Nations Reform Process”, examines how UN entities, funds, programmes, specialized agencies and related organizations implement Article 9 of the 1992 Declaration on the Rights of Persons Belonging to National or Ethnic, Religious and Linguistic Minorities.

The report finds that while some progress has been made, minority issues remain insufficiently acknowledged across the UN system. In many cases, actions affecting minorities are absorbed into broader frameworks—such as development or human rights initiatives—without being identified as specifically addressing minority communities. “The problem stems more from a lack of visibility than of activity,” the Special Rapporteur notes, stressing that recognition of minority rights must become an explicit priority rather than a secondary outcome.

As the UN undergoes significant institutional reform, the report identifies a critical opportunity to rethink and revitalize the organization’s approach to minority issues. Among its key recommendations are the convening of a World Summit on Minority Issues and the formal recognition of minorities across all three UN pillars: Human Rights, Peace and Security, and Development. These measures, the report argues, would help ensure that minorities are not only included but meaningfully represented in shaping global policy.

The Special Rapporteur will also host a side event in New York during the General Assembly session, co-sponsored by the Permanent Mission of Austria to the United Nations, under the theme “Minorities matter.” The event will bring together States, UN agencies, and civil society to discuss best practices, challenges, and ways to close persistent gaps in visibility and participation for minorities worldwide.

The report of the UN Special Rapporteur on minority issues is already available and can be accessed at: https://docs.un.org/en/A/80/186