A/HRC/52/53 I. Introduction 1. In its resolution 49/14, the Human Rights Council requested the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights to continue to present an annual report containing information on relevant developments of United Nations human rights bodies and mechanisms, and on the activities undertaken by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) at headquarters and in the field that contributed to the promotion of and respect for the provisions of the Declaration on the Rights of Persons Belonging to National or Ethnic, Religious and Linguistic Minorities. 2. In the resolution, the Human Rights Council noted that 2022 marked the thirtieth anniversary of the adoption of the Declaration, and that the anniversary offered an important opportunity for States to reflect on achievements, best practices and continuing challenges with regard to the implementation of the Declaration and to take further steps for the promotion and protection of the rights of persons belonging to national or ethnic, religious and linguistic minorities. II. Commemorating the thirtieth anniversary of the Declaration on the Rights of Persons Belonging to National or Ethnic, Religious and Linguistic Minorities 3. The General Assembly adopted the Declaration by consensus on 18 December 1992 through resolution 47/135. It is the only United Nations instrument entirely dedicated to minority rights. The adoption of the Declaration was a landmark moment, a step towards promoting equality, protecting communities, providing a voice and preventing conflict.1 4. The preamble to the Declaration states that the promotion and protection of the rights of persons belonging to national or ethnic, religious and linguistic minorities contribute to the political and social stability of States in which they live. In other words, the Declaration, with its four pillars, namely protection of the existence of minorities, non-discrimination, protection of identity, and participation, serves to mitigate the risk of conflict. The Special Rapporteur on minority issues has observed that most contemporary violent conflicts involve aggrieved minorities, that strategies should directly address the root causes of exclusion and injustice and better protect minority rights, and that greater attention must be paid to minority issues in support of conflict analysis and conflict prevention.2 5. The Declaration is rooted in article 27 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which provides that in those States in which ethnic, religious or linguistic minorities exist, persons belonging to such minorities shall not be denied the right, in community with the other members of their group, to enjoy their own culture, to profess and practise their own religion, or to use their own language. The Declaration also reflects article 30 of the Convention on the Rights of the Child, which provides the same protection specifically for children belonging to minority groups. 6. The Declaration provides specific guidance and measures that States can undertake to protect minorities’ rights and has influenced legal developments. For example, it was a valuable model for the drafters of the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities of the Council of Europe, which serves as one of the pillars of the Council of Europe’s human rights protection. In addition, references to the Declaration have been made in regional jurisprudence, including judgments by the European Court of Human Rights,3 the 1 2 3 2 See https://www.ohchr.org/en/stories/2022/05/30th-anniversary-marks-landmark-moment-minorityrights. A/HRC/49/46, paras. 22 and 71. Gorzelik and Others v. Poland, Application No. 44158/98, Judgment, 17 February 2004. GE.22-29200