III • Minorities and effective participation in economic life
B.
National human rights institutions
42. National human rights institutions should review the implementation of
domestic legislation on discrimination in access to employment, labour rights, health
and other social services, social security, financial services, land and property rights,
education and training. They should make recommendations that respond to gaps in
implementation or legislation.
43. National institutions should focus particular attention on the performance of
Government services with regard to non-discrimination and equality measures in civil
service employment. Data should be gathered and published annually.
Civil society
44. Civil society actors focused on key aspects of economic participation should
cooperate closely with minority groups that prioritize these issues in their advocacy to
strengthen civil society initiatives and ensure that proposed reform measures fulfil the
rights of minorities and are not harmful. Civil society organizations should form
coalitions and networks to strengthen national, regional and international advocacy
on the protection of minority rights and should widely disseminate the
recommendations of the Forum.
45. Civil society organizations are encouraged to form coalitions or networks to
strengthen national, regional and international advocacy on the protection of
minority rights. Particular attention should be paid to providing legal counselling,
advice and, where necessary, representation in legal proceedings to help secure
economic and social rights for minorities.
46. Civil society efforts at budget monitoring should integrate attention to minority
rights into monitoring activities. To improve the economic participation of minorities,
special attention should be paid to monitoring the equity of budget allocations in
regions where there are significant minority populations and to special measures or
other policy initiatives that address discrimination against minorities in access to
education and training, employment, financial services, social security and land
tenure and property rights.
47. Civil society initiatives relating to businesses and corporate social
responsibility should integrate attention to minority rights issues into their campaigns,
into dialogues with private sector actors and into recommended legislative and
policy reforms. Particular attention should be paid to eradicating discrimination in
access to work and labour rights, and to preventing corporate exploitation of
minority lands, resources, cultures and traditional knowledge.
Compilation of Recommendations of the First Four Sessions 2008 to 2011
37
ECONOMIC LIFE
C.