A/HRC/19/56/Add.1 I. Introduction 1. The independent expert conducted an official visit to Rwanda from 31 January to 7 February 2011. She consulted with senior representatives of the Ministries of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Justice, Local Government, Community Development and Social Affairs, and Education. She met with the National Unity and Reconciliation Commission, the National Commission for the Fight against Genocide and the Commission in charge of Social Affairs, Human Rights and Social Issues in the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate. In addition she met with the Rector and faculty from the National University of Rwanda, the Ombudsman, the National Human Rights Commission, the Rwanda Demobilization and Reintegration Commission, and IBUKA, an umbrella organization for genocide survivor associations. The independent expert was honoured to visit the Gisozi Memorial Centre and pay her respects to the victims of genocide. 2. The independent expert thanks the Government of Rwanda for extending an invitation to her and for its cooperation with her mandate in the preparation and conduct of her visit. The independent expert also wishes to thank the numerous non-governmental organizations (NGOs), both national and international, academic institutions, and others that have provided information and assistance to her. 3. The independent expert travelled to Kigali and to different regions where she consulted with people in their communities, some of whom self-identify as Batwa and others formerly recognized as Hutu and Tutsi. She visited villages in the vicinity of Kigali, near Musanze in the Northern Province, and around Butare in the Southern Province. At the invitation of the National Unity and Reconciliation Commission, she visited a community in Gahini in the Eastern Province. At the invitation of the National Human Rights Commission, she visited another community in Muhanga in the Southern Province. II. Methodology 4. The independent expert‟s evaluation of minority issues in Rwanda is based on the 1992 Declaration on the Rights of Persons Belonging to National or Ethnic, Religious and Linguistic Minorities and other relevant international standards, from which she has identified four broad areas of concern. These are: (a) the protection of a minority‟s survival, through combating violence against them and preventing genocide; (b) the protection and promotion of the cultural identity of minority groups and the right of national, ethnic, religious or linguistic groups to enjoy their collective identity and to reject forced assimilation; (c) the guarantee of the rights to non-discrimination and equality, including ending structural or systemic discrimination and the promotion of affirmative action when required; and (d) the guarantee of the right to effective participation of members of minorities in public life, especially with regard to decisions that affect them. She applies a gender perspective in all areas of her work. 5. The independent expert does not rely solely on numerical factors in her assessment of which groups constitute a minority within societies. The independent expert focuses her work on national, ethnic, religious and linguistic groups whose generally non-dominant positions within their societies demand protection to allow them to exercise all their rights, including minority rights to the fullest. In some countries, a distinct group constituting a numerical majority may be oppressed by a smaller group which is using its political or economic dominance to deny certain rights to other groups. 4