Regrettably, reports from around the world reveal that minorities too often face marginalization and stigmatization, and are enmeshed in conditions of structural vulnerability that can lead to discrimination, persecution, insecurity and, ultimately, violence. The consequences can be devastating, both for them and their communities, and for the wider social fabric of a country. To take the most glaring current case, we are all familiar with the current situation in Iraq, where religious and ethnic minorities, including Christians and Yazidis, are being subjected to atrocious human rights abuses by extremist Islamist groups. But discrimination and persecution also reign elsewhere. In Myanmar, Buddhist mobs have carried out targeted attacks against Muslim Rohyngas in Rakhine State since June 2012. In Ukraine, ethnic and religious minorities continue to be at risk in the context of wider armed violence. Each of these groups would directly benefit from efforts to fulfill the Responsibility to Protect. In 2009, the Secretary-General produced a comprehensive strategy for implementing the responsibility to protect based on three equal, mutually-reinforcing, and non-sequential pillars. Pillar I focuses on the national responsibility of States to protect their own populations; Pillar II on the provision of international assistance, and Pillar III on timely and decisive response. All three pillars are relevant for addressing the risks national minorities face. With respect to Pillar I, States can provide practical protection to their minority populations and uphold their rights in a number of different ways. Inclusive and fair governance is essential, particularly in terms of ensuring equal access to justice, education, and participation in public life. States are also responsible for putting in place effective legislation to prevent acts of violence and prohibit incitement to religious and ethnic hatred. In practice, this may require providing physical protection to minorities, monitoring actors that might instigate violence, and establishing oversight procedures for the police and security forces. In polarised societies, those who have influence over the population - including religious and other community leaders – play a particularly important role. They can fan flames of resentment to incite their followers to violence, or serve as powerful voices for peace. Recognizing this dynamic, the Office on Genocide Prevention and the Responsibility to Protect has developed a paper outlining policy options