Nineveh Center for Research and Development Forum on minority issues Sixth session: “Beyond Freedom of Religion and Belief: Guaranteeing the Rights of Religious Minorities” 26-27th November 2013 Intervention: Item 6 on the agenda -ArabicPresentation by: Rania Edwar Hanna, Nineveh Center for Research and Development, Nineveh, Iraq. Madam President, thank you for this opportunity. The Christian minority in Iraq is one of the oldest Christian communities in the world. The Chaldo-Assyrian minority is ethnically, racially and linguistically one of the oldest original peoples in the region. Today in their historic homeland on a daily basis they are faced with the risk of extinction and the end of their existence as a result of frequent exodus abroad. This occurs for various reasons amongst which are:  Acts of killing and violence which have been perpetrated on them as a result of their identity and the continuing lack of stability and insecurity.  Absence laws ensuring non-discrimination.  Weak and ineffective representation at the governmental and parliamentary level, as well as exclusion from effective economic and political participation in public life and at all levels.  Perpetuating politics of demographic change and the taking over of their lands and property has affected the particular character of their historic region and their social cultural and religious identity.