A/65/287 and Development, which brings together the world’s main donor Governments, has developed a set of principles guiding assistance to fragile States, in which it urges member States to promote non-discrimination as a basis for inclusive and stable societies. Real or perceived discrimination is associated with fragility and conflict, and can lead to service delivery failures. Measures to promote the voice and participation of women, youth, minorities and other excluded groups should be included in State-building and service delivery strategies from the outset. 4 23. The link between minority rights and conflict prevention and conflict resolution has also been made by regional intergovernmental organizations. In the African context, in 1994, States members of the Organization of African Unity reaffirmed their deep conviction that friendly relations among their peoples as well as peace, justice, stability and democracy, called for the protection of ethnic, cultural, linguistic and religious identity of all their people including national minorities and the creation of conditions conducive to the promotion of that identity. 5 24. In the Americas, the Inter-American Democratic Charter stresses that the elimination of discrimination and respect for cultural diversity contribute to strengthening democracy and citizen participation, 6 which in turn are necessary for ensuring peace, stability and development. In the Copenhagen Document of the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe, the participating States reaffirmed that respect for the rights of persons belonging to national minorities as part of universally recognized human rights was an essential factor for peace, justice, stability and democracy in the participating States. 7 25. Research conducted by academic institutions, non-governmental organizations and the United Nations provides further support for this basic premise. The Centre for Research on Inequality, Human Security and Ethnicity at Oxford University has undertaken detailed quantitative and qualitative research into conflict and horizontal inequalities (inequalities between ethnic, religious or linguistic communities) in 8 countries in three regions, and statistical desk research in 55 countries. The Centre analyses inequalities in access to economic opportunities, participation in political decision-making and the status accorded to cultural practices and symbols. The Centre concluded that in the top 5 per cent of countries with the greatest socioeconomic inequalities, the risk of conflict is tripled when compared with the average. The risk of conflict increases again if socio-economic inequalities are combined with inequality in access to political decision-making, and inequality in cultural status adds a further risk factor. Despite its findings, the Centre has __________________ 4 5 6 7 10-48298 Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, “Principles for good international engagement in fragile States” (Paris, 2007), available from http://www.oecd.org/document/48/ 0,3343,en_2649_33693550_35233262_1_1_1_1,00.html. Organization of African Unity, Declaration on a Code of Conduct for Inter-African Relations, Assembly of Heads of State and Government, Thirtieth Ordinary Session, Tunis, 13-15 June 1994 (AHG/Decl.2 (XXX)). Organization of American States, Inter-American Democratic Charter, art. 9 (Lima, 11 September 2001). Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe, “Document of the Copenhagen Meeting of the Conference on the Human Dimension of the CSCE” (1990). 7