A/HRC/40/30 United Nations General Assembly Distr.: General 21 December 2018 Original: English Human Rights Council Fortieth session 25 February–22 March 2019 Agenda items 2 and 3 Annual report of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and reports of the Office of the High Commissioner and the Secretary-General Promotion and protection of all human rights, civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights, including the right to development Rights of persons belonging to national or ethnic, religious and linguistic minorities Report of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Summary The present report is submitted pursuant to Human Rights Council resolution 37/14. It contains 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 at headquarters and in the field that contribute 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, and the provisions of relevant international human rights treaties. The report covers the period from 1 January to 31 December 2018. GE.18-22483(E) 