A/72/165 7. 2017: Reflections on the six-year tenure of the Special Rapporteur (A/HRC/34/53) 41. In her final report to the Human Rights Council, the Special Rapporteur provides some reflections on her six-year tenure. In particular, she analyses the eight priority areas identified at the beginning of her mandate and provides updates on achievements in those areas. 42. She notes with concern that a number of major challenges persist in the promotion and protection of minority rights. In particular, she expresses concern that with increasing hate speech, xenophobic rhetoric and incitement to hatred against minorities, coupled with the rise of extremists and far-right political parties, the progress achieved during the past decades in the field of minority rights protection is under threat. She therefore urges that swift and concrete guarantees be put in place to preserve those achievements and to allow further improvement. Such guarantees must come in the form of strengthened legislative and institutional frameworks for minority rights protection, as well as demonstrating an unequivocal political will to foster conditions for a cohesive society where there is unity in diversity. 43. The Special Rapporteur has observed challenges to the use of the term “minority” for certain distinct communities. She considers that further awareness raising is required to fully convey the meaning, scope and implications of the term, so that it can be reclaimed and used with the empowering intent that it actually holds. Moreover, she recalls that the existence of an ethnic, religious or linguistic minority in a given State does not depend upon a decision by the Governmen t but needs to be established using objective criteria. 44. The Special Rapporteur remains gravely concerned at the limited or often complete lack of a minority presence in political and public offices. She has repeatedly stressed the need to ensure that minorities are included in all decisionmaking processes, including in municipal and government structures, law enforcement bodies, the judiciary, legislative bodies, criminal justice systems and all other relevant bodies and mechanisms, especially when their decisions affect minorities. Without their participation, such bodies are less able to take vital decisions for the benefit of the entire society and may be less trusted by minorities, who may be reluctant to access them or discouraged from doing so. M oreover, good and inclusive governance, which includes minorities and measures to ensure equality, are key conflict-prevention prerequisites. 45. Lastly, she notes the importance of the role of the United Nations in the protection of minorities, including through the establishment of specific minority focal points within the Secretariat and ensuring minority representation in United Nations staffing. III. Follow-up to country visits 46. In October 2016, the Special Rapporteur wrote to all States 1 visited officially by her predecessor and herself to inquire about the implementation of the recommendations contained in the country visit reports. She wishes to thank Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Canada, Colombia, France, Greece, Hungary, Rwanda and Viet Nam for their responses. The Special Rapporteur provides below an __________________ 1 17-12138 Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Bulgaria, Cameroon, Canada, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Ethiopia, France, Greece, Guyana, Hungary, Kazakhstan, Nigeria, Rwanda, Ukraine and Viet Nam. The country visits conducted in 2016 (Iraq, Republic of Moldova and Sri Lanka) have not been included. 11/22