A/HRC/61/65
minorities to the economic, social, cultural, political and institutional fabric of society”,
during which participants explored how the contributions of minorities were often
undervalued and considered approaches to ensure their fair recognition and integration into
national narratives and policymaking, drawing on examples of minority engagement in
economic development, cultural life, civic participation and human rights advocacy through
inclusive, multi-stakeholder processes; and (c) “Amplifying minority voices in
peacebuilding, accountability and transitional justice processes”, during which participants
focused on the participation of minorities in post-conflict and transition contexts, examined
minority-led contributions to reconciliation and justice and considered the legal and
institutional reforms required to ensure minority representation in peacebuilding and
transitional justice mechanisms, with a view to building more inclusive, stable and resilient
societies.
6.
The recommendations of the Forum at its eighteenth session are organized into a set
of general recommendations and a set of more specific recommendations, classified
according to the three agenda items that framed the discussion during the session. The
recommendations:
(a)
Are aimed at guiding policy and practice at the local, national and international
levels to contribute to the integration of minority issues into broader institutional frameworks
and efforts towards cohesive and equitable societies;
(b)
Are intended to leverage opportunities, practices and initiatives that strengthen
the inclusion of minority groups, in line with the principles and rights enshrined in the
Declaration on the Rights of Persons Belonging to National or Ethnic, Religious and
Linguistic Minorities and other relevant international instruments;
(c)
Have an emphasis on an intersectional approach, addressing the compounded
challenges faced by minority women and other vulnerable groups;
(d)
Reflect the recognition of the important role that the United Nations, as well
as other international and regional organizations, civil society organizations, representatives
of minority groups and other stakeholders, can play in promoting fair minority representation.
7.
The recommendations build on the recommendations prepared at earlier sessions of
the Forum, in particular the fourteenth session, on the theme “Conflict prevention and the
protection of the human rights of minorities”,1 the sixteenth session, on the theme “Minorities
and cohesive societies: equality, social inclusion and socioeconomic participation”, 2 and the
seventeenth session, on the theme “Minority representation and self-representation in public
spaces and discourses”. 3 They also follow up on the recommendations contained in the
thematic reports of the Special Rapporteurs on minority issues, in particular the report to the
Human Rights Council at its fifty-fifth session on promoting diversity on minority issues to
strengthen the universal dimension of human rights4 and the reports to the General Assembly
at its seventieth session on the effective promotion of the Declaration on the Rights of Persons
Belonging to National or Ethnic, Religious and Linguistic Minorities 5 and its seventy-ninth
session on institutional designs promoting minorities’ effective participation towards diverse
and inclusive societies.6
8.
The recommendations are intended to be implemented in countries across the world
and are aimed at assisting States, private companies and other stakeholders in better
understanding their human rights obligations in relation to the promotion and protection of
the fair representation of minority groups.
1
2
3
4
5
6
GE.25-21222
See A/HRC/49/81.
See A/HRC/55/70.
See A/HRC/58/69.
A/HRC/55/51.
A/70/212.
A/79/169.
3