A/HRC/61/33 The discussions highlighted the importance of the Convention and encouraged civil society to participate in the review processes for the Convention, emphasizing the role of minority voices in shaping anti-discrimination efforts in the region.4 7. In June, the OHCHR Regional Office for the Middle East and North Africa organized an online training with the Regional Network for Development and Anti-Racism in the Middle East and North Africa and other civil society organizations from the region. The training contributed to advancing the Office’s outreach efforts on racial discrimination and the implementation of the Convention. II. Activities and developments contributing 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 A. OHCHR engagement at the global, regional and country levels 8. In 2025, the High Commissioner raised the issue of minority rights in his public statements in relation to several countries.5 In his statement at the eighteenth session of the Forum on Minority Issues, the High Commissioner drew attention to the fact that, worldwide, national, ethnic, religious and linguistic minorities remained disproportionately affected by poverty, unemployment and homelessness. Police violence against minorities had become distressingly common. He noted, furthermore, that vilifying minorities had become a convenient divide and rule tactic for leaders seeking to polarize, confuse and distract from their own failures. The High Commissioner called upon States to adopt comprehensive anti-discrimination laws, ensure the meaningful inclusion of minorities, integrate human rights education into all levels of curriculum, protect minority rights defenders and develop reliable, disaggregated data systems to strengthen accountability and informed policymaking.6 9. The provision of support for enacting comprehensive anti-discrimination laws and improving data in this area remained a priority for OHCHR. Since the launch of the guidelines entitled Protecting Minority Rights: A Practical Guide to Developing Comprehensive Anti-Discrimination Legislation, 7 in 2022, OHCHR and the non-governmental organization Equal Rights Trust have supported reform efforts at the national level and conducted extensive mapping of equality law reforms worldwide. As of 2025, less than a quarter of the world’s countries had enacted anti-discrimination laws that met the minimum standards required under international law. 8 At the end of the reporting period, in more than 20 countries, active debates and reform initiatives were under way to strengthen national legal frameworks in line with international human rights obligations. 10. In July 2025, OHCHR, jointly with the Equal Rights Trust and the Berkeley Center on Comparative Equality and Anti-Discrimination Law, launched the Equality for All 4 5 6 7 8 GE.25-21065 See www.ohchr.org/en/events/events/2025/un-human-rights-south-america-regional-officeorganized-activities-civil-society. See, for example, www.ohchr.org/en/statements-and-speeches/2025/03/turbulence-andunpredictability-amid-growing-conflict-and-divided; www.ohchr.org/sites/default/files/2025-06/16june-hc-global-update-hrc59-trilingual.pdf; and www.ohchr.org/sites/default/files/documents/hrbodies/hrcouncil/sessions-regular/session60/2025-0908-hc-global-update-3-languages%20.pdf. See www.ohchr.org/en/statements-and-speeches/2025/11/high-commissioner-turk-un-minorityforum-diversity-renewable-energy. See www.ohchr.org/en/publications/policy-and-methodological-publications/protecting-minorityrights-practical-guide. See www.ohchr.org/en/statements-and-speeches/2025/11/high-commissioner-turk-un-minorityforum-diversity-renewable-energy. 3