A/HRC/FMI/2010/2 15. An important step towards ensuring minorities’ full realization of their right to work is the development and implementation of technical and vocational guidance and training programmes, policies and techniques to achieve steady economic, social and cultural development and full and productive employment, under conditions safeguarding fundamental political and economic freedoms to the individual.2 16. Minorities are often discriminated against when they seek employment, for example, on the basis of their colour, religion, language, name or even address. They are often poorly represented in public and private–sector employment, despite legislation that bans discrimination, and frequently lack representation in trade unions. Moreover, persons belonging to minorities can be the target of professional segregation and might even suffer multiple forms of discrimination, including in the informal sector and subsistence economy. While clearly violating the principle of non-discrimination, this also has wider social and economic consequences. Combating discrimination in ensuring the right to work is an essential part of promoting the rights of minorities well beyond the workplace. 17. The right to social security has been strongly affirmed in international human rights instruments and is central to guaranteeing human dignity, while also playing a key role in poverty reduction and alleviation, further promoting social inclusion and preventing social exclusion, including through innovative tools, e.g. micro-insurance schemes. The denial or lack of access to adequate social security undermines the realization of several other economic, social and cultural rights. Ensuring a level of protection that would allow minorities to realize their human right to social security is hence another challenge that must be addressed in efforts to enhance minorities’ effective participation in economic life and their full enjoyment of all other economic, social and cultural rights. Since persons belonging to minorities are often among those individuals and groups that might face greater difficulties in exercising their right to social security, particular attention should be given to minority issues and respect for the principles of non-discrimination, equality, transparency and accountability in designing, reviewing and implementing sustainable national social security strategies and plans of action.3 18. For minority communities, the land and territories on which they live are often a source of food security and income generation. However, some minorities find that their rights to own, occupy and use their land are limited or violated and they may find themselves displaced or evicted, in some cases to make way for national economic development schemes, the activities of multinational corporations or for natural resources development. B. Meaningful consultation/participation 19. Lack of full and effective consultation and participation has a damaging impact on the ability of minorities to fully participate in economic life and perpetuates their exclusion. Commonly, minorities lack a voice in Government bodies responsible for policy, including in relation to economic life, national development and budgeting, and consequently the issues and situations of minorities are neglected. Many situations around the world show that an adequate representation of minority groups in the society’s policy and decisionmaking, including with regard to the national budget and economic development plans, is instrumental in breaking the cycle of discrimination, exclusion and poverty suffered by members of these groups. 2 3 See article 6, para. 2, of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. See Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, general comment No.19 on the right to social security (art. 9) (E/C.12/GC/19). 5