Foreword Minority rights are an integral part of human rights law, yet their recognition and acceptance by governments, and indeed in international law, has been slow. The main minority specific instrument, the UN Declaration on the Rights of Persons Belonging to National or Ethnic, Religious and Linguistic Minorities, is not legally binding; while Europe is the only region which has developed a general treaty dedicated to their protection. In spite of this seeming reluctance to shape and determine minority rights standards, strategic litigation before international and regional human rights bodies has produced an emerging jurisprudence which, drawing upon existing universal standards, has started to establish important norms for the promotion and protection of the rights of minorities and indigenous peoples. Written by the International Human Rights & Group Diversity Programme at Liverpool Law School in cooperation with Minority Rights Group International (MRG) legal cases programme, this publication focuses on key areas of MRG’s work, including non-discrimination, political participation, land rights and women’s rights. As such, it contains a welcome and thorough compilation of the major developments in minority rights litigation. Lucy Claridge Head of Law, MRG November 2010 MINORITY GROUPS AND LITIGATION: A REVIEW OF DEVELOPMENTS IN INTERNATIONAL AND REGIONAL JURISPRUDENCE 3