A/HRC/20/6 44. A delegate referred to the robust system of laws of the State being represented, and specified that the promotion of civil rights, non-discrimination and equal opportunity were fundamental for ensuring universal respect for human rights. Great effort was made by the State to promote and protect the rights of minority individuals in many areas, including in law enforcement, housing, education, employment and political participation. In this connection, the State remained committed to ensuring full political participation through the enforcement of its voting rights laws. The State was engaged in resolving allegations of widespread patterns or practices of discrimination against qualified minority borrowers, and had entered into a comprehensive settlement agreement that resolved allegations of severe and pervasive harassment of minorities. 2. Religious identity 45. One delegate declared that, as a result of policies and cultural practices in some States, the identity of ethnic and religious minorities living in those States were under threat. In this regard, the adoption of anti-hijab legislation was cited as an example of a violation of the rights of minorities under the Declaration. 46. Another delegate affirmed that the existence of minorities was most threatened in times of great social changes, as was the case today in several regions of the world. In the light of this sensitive situation, the country had launched a project through its foreign policy that would pay special attention to religious minorities, while bearing in mind the overlapping between religious minorities and ethnic or national minorities. The project would be rooted in the rule of law, as human rights protection must be built on law. 47. Speaking on behalf of a group of States, a delegate highlighted the view that diversity management at the national and international levels was a key factor in addressing the challenges faced by national or ethnic, religious and linguistic minorities. Governments were to provide minorities with due political, social, economic and cultural space in their societies, including access at the decision-making level. Regarding religious minorities in particular, stigmatization and negative profiling were hampering the exercise of their fundamental human rights to manifest and practice their religions. 48. Another delegate expressed deep concerns at the increase in acts of intolerance and violence against members of minorities worldwide, and the State being represented condemned in particular the attacks against religious communities of any religion and belief. The delegate stated that, in a world increasingly intertwined and globalized, societies that succeeded in positively integrating minorities often prospered, while those that pursued exclusion along national, ethnic, religious or cultural lines were exposed to internal conflicts and were likely to decline. The State in question considered minority issues to be among its priorities. It was in this vein that it had created a ministry for international cooperation and integration. 3. Language rights 49. One State referred to its multi-ethnic population and its history of tolerance towards minorities. In this regard, cultural autonomy had been granted to all of its national minorities, and it provided support for strengthening distinct identities. Speaking on behalf of the State, the delegate stressed the importance of education in minority languages as a precondition for the preservation of minority cultural identities. The State was taking a proactive stance in providing education opportunities for education in minority languages, thereby developing the multilingual proficiency of the young. The State financed obligatory primary and secondary education in eight national minority languages with the aim of creating an education system able to offer equal opportunities in the labour market for graduates from both majority and minority schools. 11