A/HRC/FMI/2015/1 Annotations 1. Adoption of the agenda and organization of work Venue 1. Pursuant to Human Rights Council resolutions 6/15 and 19/23, the eighth session of the Forum on Minority Issues will be held in Geneva in Room XX of the Palais des Nations on 24 and 25 November 2015. 2. The Forum will have before it the provisional agenda contained in the present document to consider for adoption. A tentative schedule of work for the session is contained in annex I. Opening meeting 3. The President of the Human Rights Council will deliver an opening statement followed by statements of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, the Chair of the Forum on Minority Issues and the Special Rapporteur on minority issues. Documentation 4. A list of documents for the session is provided in annex II. In addition to normal distribution, official documents for the session will be made available on the website of the Human Rights Council (www.ohchr.org/EN/HRBodies/HRC/Minority/Pages/Session8.aspx). Discussions 5. Participants will have the opportunity to make brief presentations and comments based on the draft recommendations that they will have before them. After the presentations introducing the topics for discussion at the beginning of each agenda item, there will be an open discussion to which all participants will be invited to contribute, based on a sign-up sheet. 2. Legal framework and key concepts 6. The eighth session will provide an overview of existing international and regional standards and principles relevant to the fairness and effective safeguarding of minority rights at all stages of the criminal justice process. The discussion will focus on measures for the effective promotion and full realization of the provisions set forth in the Declaration on the Rights of Persons Belonging to National or Ethnic, Religious and Linguistic Minorities, and other relevant international standards, as a means to prevent and address bias and discrimination against minorities at each stage of the criminal justice system. 7. Participants will discuss how to ensure that international and regional principles and standards relevant to the promotion and protection of minority rights in the criminal justice system are reflected in national legislation, policies and practices. The role of international, regional and national mechanisms in guaranteeing a strong national legal framework for the protection of minorities and ensuring institutional attention to issues relating to minorities will be considered. 3. Minorities and the exercise of police powers 8. Participants will identify and discuss key factors that create and perpetuate vulnerability of minority groups and their exposure to the arbitrary or discriminatory exercise of police powers, including structural discrimination. These may include coercive 2