he highlighted that minority issues are as important as the enjoyment of civil and political rights, more particularly, in the spirit of the 1993 Vienna Declaration on Human Rights that stated that “all human rights are universal, indivisible and interdependent and interrelated”, and that the “international community must treat human rights globally in a fair and equal manner, on the same footing, and with the same emphasis”. Prof. Levrat also noted that discriminations against persons belonging to minorities in the socio-economic sphere can be the result of private actors’ behaviour as well, which would require other types of action and should show the broader perspectives of efficiently promoting and preserving minority rights. The Special Rapporteur concluded by emphasizing the importance of the Forum for dialogue among all relevant stakeholders on the promotion and protection of the rights of persons belonging to national or ethnic, religious and linguistic minorities as an integral part of the development of society as a whole, including the sharing of best practices such as for the promotion of mutual understanding of minority issues, managing diversity by recognizing plural identities, and promoting inclusive and stable societies as well as social cohesion. The Co-Chair of the sixteenth session of the UN Forum on Minority Issues Prof. Petra Roter pointed out that this year we are marking not only the 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, but also another resolution of the General Assembly, also adopted on 10 December 1948, titled The Fate of Minorities, in which the United Nations recognized that it “cannot remain indifferent to the fate of minorities”. The Co-Chair noted that minorities are still too frequently referred to and viewed as a problem, including as a security threat, rather than being accepted by everyone as part and parcel of our diverse societies, despite the adoption in 1992 of the UN Declaration of the Rights of Persons belonging to National or Ethnic, Religious and Linguistic Minorities that committed to protect minority rights at the global level. The Co-Chair stressed the fact that violations of human and minority rights, and failure to prevent such violations, can and does lead to frustration, disintegration, also to conflicts and instability. Prof. Roter wondered when states will understand that human rights, including minority rights, are meant to ensure dignity of every human being, and when they will accept that to enable the conditions for effective equality, equity, including in the socioeconomic field, is the only rational and reasonable policy. The Co-Chair noted that it makes sense to effectively address exclusion, inequalities, unequal opportunities persons belonging to minorities too frequently face and she added that action for inclusion and equity is thus also action for societal cohesion and integration, stability and peace. It benefits entire societies. She concluded by stating that 75 years is a long period and a good opportunity to rethink again about the ‘fate of minorities’ and persons belonging to them, about their human rights, including minority rights. Item I: Challenges to inclusion and equality: barriers to the social and economic participation of persons belonging to minority groups Participants were invited to address the systemic and structural challenges and discrimination that minority groups may face, including the unique obstacles for women and girls belonging to minorities, look at factors placing them at a disadvantage, such as language or other requirements or lack of educational opportunities or resources in regions where minorities are concentrated, and explore policies and practices that result in or exacerbate minority exclusion or place persons belonging to minorities at a disadvantage. Presentations on the topic under discussion were made by the following panellists: Mr. Farkhat Ibragimov, Member of the Public Uyghur Association ITTIPAK of the Kyrgyz Republic; Mr. Mehmet Polatel, Co-ordinator, Minority Rights Academia, Hrant Dink Foundation; and Ms. Laxme Das, Advocacy Officer, International Dalit Solidarity Network. Mr. Farkhat Ibragimov expressed his concerns about the situation of the Uyghurs in China, more specifically related to employment discrimination, discrimination against Uyghur 4