Tertiary : protection of minorities Flanders does not want to hear about a French-speaking minority on its territory, nor about linguistic discrimination. It systematically opposes any measure that would allow Francophones in Flanders to defend their rights. Belgium has still not ratified the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities, 20 years after signing it. Nor has it ratified Protocol 12 to the European Convention on Human Rights. Belgium has not appointed a competent body to fight linguistic discrimination either. And the Federal Institute for the Protection and Promotion of Human Rights (IFDH) cannot receive and examine individual complaints and requests. Faced with this situation, the French-speaking minority in Flanders is left to fend for itself. Under pressure from Flanders, Belgium informed the UN that it did not accept Switzerland's recommendation, made during its 3rd Universal Periodic Review (UPR) last May, to "ratify the Framework Convention for the protection of national minorities”. Nor that of Russia to "take effective measures to fully realize the cultural and linguistic rights of minorities, in particular the Frenchspeaking minority in Flanders". Or the recommendations concerning the fight against linguistic discrimination. Quartenary : representation of minorities It is not acceptable that the Francophones of Flanders do not enjoy guaranteed parliamentary representation in the Flemish Parliament while the Dutch-speaking minority in Brussels enjoys guaranteed representation in the Brussels regional parliament. We thank you, For more information We direct you to the website (http://www.francophonie.be/ndf). About the APFF The Association pour la Promotion de la Francophonie en Flandre (APFF) simply wants French, one of the official languages of Belgium, to have its rightful place in Flanders on the same basis as any other language. The APFF implements this promotion of the Francophonie, in particular by publishing on its website the magazine "Nouvelles de Flandre" (http://www.francophonie.be/ndf). In addition to a calendar of activities in French, you can find the addresses of French-speaking resources in Flanders, and articles and information on the French-speaking world in general. A newsletter, the paper version of the magazine, is also published every three months. Anyone interested in the APFF can become a member. The annual membership fee is 20 EUR for Belgium and 40 EUR for abroad to be paid to the account 210-0433429-85 (IBAN: BE89 2100 4334 2985 - BIC: GEBABEBB) of the APFF. Members and donors receive the magazine "Nouvelles de Flandre" every three months. Association pour la Promotion de la Francophonie en Flandre (APFF) Secretariat : Spreeuwenlaan 12, B-8420 De Haan, Belgique Telephone : +32(0)59.23.77.01 Fax : +32(0)59.23.77.02 Mobile : +32(0)479.35.50.54 E-mail : apff@francophonie.be Site : http://www.francophonie.be/ndf