A/HRC/16/46
minorities predominantly live, offering language translation services or extending
childcare provisions to parents.
61.
Development agencies should consider the establishment of standing advisory
bodies comprising representatives of minority groups (or including members of
minority and majority groups), including women, to support agencies on policy issues
affecting the communities of those minority groups. Development organizations
should provide funding and technical support aimed at strengthening civil society
organizations of minority groups. Information on the activities of development
agencies should be made accessible to minorities, including through proactive
outreach to minority communities, minority media outlets and the translation of
relevant documents. Agencies should promote hiring policies that foster the active
recruitment and retention of minority workers.
62.
Development agencies should assess the impact of their proposed and
implemented programmes and projects on minority groups. In their technical
cooperation roles, development agencies can help safeguard against well-meaning but
harmful practices used by Governments for increasing the participation of minorities
in the mainstream economy, such as forced migration or restrictions on traditional
livelihood practices. Development agencies can use their good offices to urge
Governments to ensure the effective participation of minorities, including minority
women, in research on root causes and in decision-making on such strategies.
Agencies are encouraged to adopt their own safeguard policies and complaints
mechanisms to ensure that practices harmful to minorities are not used in their
operational activities.
H.
Human rights mechanisms of the United Nations system
63.
Relevant treaty bodies and special procedures of the United Nations and the
ILO Committee of Experts on the Application of Conventions and Recommendations
have made important contributions in their jurisprudence to the protection of
minority rights in economic life. They should continue to review the rights of persons
belonging to minorities in their monitoring of domestic and international legislation
and policies pertaining to economic participation. The individual complaints and
inquiry procedures under several of the core human rights treaties similarly provide a
unique opportunity to catalyse positive change for the enjoyment of the rights of
minorities.
64.
A voluntary fund for minorities should be created to enable minority
representatives to participate in, assist and use the human rights mechanisms of the
United Nations system. The voluntary fund also should provide funding for projects
managed by minority groups aimed at enhancing the enjoyment of minority rights,
including strengthening effective participation of minorities in economic life.
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