A/65/287 I. Introduction 1. The present report 1 is submitted to the sixty-fifth session of the General Assembly in accordance with resolution 63/174 of 18 December 2008. This is the first report of the independent expert on minority issues. The mandate of the independent expert was created by the Commission on Human Rights in its resolution 2005/79 of 21 April 2005 and renewed by the Human Rights Council in its resolution 7/6 of 26 March 2008. 2. Bearing in mind those resolutions, the Human Rights Council has requested the independent expert on minority issues, inter alia, (a) to promote the implementation of the Declaration on the Rights of Persons Belonging to National or Ethnic, Religious and Linguistic Minorities, 2 including through consultations with Governments, taking into account existing international standards and national legislation concerning minorities; (b) to identify best practices and possibilities for technical cooperation by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights at the request of Governments; (c) to apply a gender perspective in his/her work; (d) to cooperate closely, while avoiding duplication, with existing relevant United Nations bodies, mandates, mechanisms and regional organizations; and (e) to take into account the views of non-governmental organizations on matters pertaining to the mandate of the independent expert. 3. The independent expert’s evaluation of minority issues globally is based on the Declaration on the Rights of Persons Belonging to National or Ethnic, Religious and Linguistic Minorities and on other relevant international standards. She has identified four broad areas of concern relating to minorities globally, as follows: (a) the protection of a minority’s survival, through the combating of violence against the members of that minority and the prevention of genocide; (b) the protection and promotion of the cultural identity of minority groups and the right of national, ethnic, religious or linguistic groups to enjoy their collective identity and reject forced assimilation; (c) the guarantee of the rights to non-discrimination and equality, including ending structural or systemic discrimination, as well as the promotion of affirmative action when required; and (d) the guarantee of the right to effective participation of members of minorities in public life, especially with regard to decisions that affect them. The independent expert has applied a gender perspective to all areas of her work and has given a high priority to the situations of minority women. 4. Since July 2005, during the course of her tenure as the first holder of the mandate, the independent expert has undertaken numerous activities of a thematic nature as well in direct engagement with specific States and on distinct minority situations. To date, she has conducted official country visits to 10 countries, including the following: Canada, Colombia, the Dominican Republic, Ethiopia, France, Greece, Guyana, Hungary, Kazakhstan and Viet Nam. On the basis of information provided to the independent expert from a variety of sources, she sends communications to States seeking information on specific situations affecting minority communities and members of minority groups. __________________ 1 2 10-48298 The independent expert on minorities expresses her appreciation to Chris Chapman for his contribution to this report. General Assembly resolution 47/135 of 18 December 1992, annex. 3