• SC – The UN Security Council is the body dealing
with issues relating to international peace and security.
• SR – Special Rapporteur or Special Representative.
• States parties – States that have ratified an international convention or treaty.
• Sub-Commission – The Sub-Commission on the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights is composed
of 26 independent experts with think-tank and policyformulating mandates. It reports to the UN Commission on Human Rights.
• UDHR – The Universal Declaration of Human
Rights.
• UNDM – The United Nations Declaration on Persons
Belonging to National or Ethnic, Religious and Linguistic Minorities.
• UNDP – The United Nations Development Programme carries out UN development projects that may
incorporate minority concerns.
• UNESCO – The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency
based in Paris that has adopted minority-specific standards relating to identity, culture and education.
• UNHCR – The United Nations High Commissioner
for Refugees has headquarters in Geneva and branch
offices throughout the world.
MINORITY RIGHTS: A GUIDE TO UNITED NATIONS PROCEDURES AND INSTITUTIONS
• UNICEF – The United Nations Children’s Fund carries out UN development programmes and projects
related to child welfare and the rights of the child,
including minority concerns.
• UNITAR – United Nations Institute for Training and
Research.
• UNRISD – The United Nations Research Institute for
Social Development is an autonomous research institution based in Geneva.
• UNU – The United Nations University is an
autonomous research institution based in Tokyo with
specialized branches and associate institutions in many
parts of the world.
• WCAR – The World Conference Against Racism,
Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance held in Durban, South Africa in 2001.
• WGIP – The Working Group on Indigenous Populations, which has five independent experts and was
established in 1982, is a subsidiary organ of the SubCommission and meets annually in Geneva.
• WGM – The Working Group on Minorities, which
has five independent experts and was established in
1995, is a subsidiary organ of the Sub-Commission
and meets annually in Geneva.
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