A/HRC/4/9
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(d)
Participation in decision-making: minorities have a right to participate
effectively in decision-making on local or national issues and development plans that affect
them or the regions in which they live. Support for participation, such as through reserved
seats in governance or dedicated consultative institutions, should be prioritized.
106.
The Independent Expert recommends that International development agencies:
(a)
Adopt policy guidelines on minority issues which specifically address the
particular issues faced by persons belonging to a broader array of minority populations in
addition to Indigenous peoples.
(b)
Build institutional capacity and knowledge on the situation of minorities,
particularly in respect to poverty and other human development indicators. This may
include training for staff on the human rights of minorities and applying human
rights-based approaches to development.
(c)
Undertake dialogues with minorities on development priorities, including
through the establishment of minority advisory groups. Regional dialogues on minority
issues may also be facilitated by international development agencies.
(d)
Collect disaggregated data on the impact on minorities of policies,
programmes and projects and support national statistics offices to build their capacity to
collect and disseminate such data.
(e)
Monitor budgetary support to ensure that resource allocations are
appropriately targeting minorities or the regions in which they live and raise such
approaches as matters of priority in consultations with government decision-makers.
(f)
Support States in the preparation of MDG Country Reports, PRSPs and all
review procedures associated with these modalities to ensure that the impact of policies on
minorities is appropriately covered.
(g)
Commission further research on the impact of development and poverty
reduction strategies on minorities and ensure that country strategy papers for development
cooperation reflect the situation of minorities and are published in minority languages.
(h)
Establish budget lines to support work on minority issues in development.
This may include funding to minority groups within civil society, investment in key sectors,
or investment in regions where the poorest minorities live.
107. The United Nations, regional and national human rights institutions are
recommended to:
(a)
Provide necessary technical support on the drafting, implementation and
enforcement of laws on non-discrimination and on laws and standards to protect the rights
of minorities including the Declaration on the Rights of Persons Belonging to National or
Ethnic, Religious or Linguistic Minorities.