If we look at the work of the United Nations system regarding minorities, it includes but is
not limited to:
1. The forum on minority issues, which is held annually and is limited to one topic, and lasts
only two days, is not sufficient to implement the Declaration on the Rights of Persons
Belonging to National or Ethnic Minorities, Religious and Linguistic Minorities. Although it
has provided an open space for all minorities in the world to participate, the participation of
minorities in it remains difficult due to the lack of a funding that supports or facilitates
participation, especially for minorities from Africa and the Middle East. Perhaps the regional
forums that have been held have tried to involve the largest possible number of minorities
and bring the forum closer to them.
2- The OHCHR Minority Fellowship Programme, launched in 2005, is the only opportunity for
human rights activists working to protect and promote minority rights. It trains thirty
minority rights defenders from all over the world who are not involved in the work of
regional offices on minorities, even in an advisory capacity.
3. The international debate on Sustainable Development Goals has contributed to the
emergence of several concepts that require reconsideration, as they did not specifically
mention minorities, but it explicitly guarantees their protection in the pledge to “leave no
one behind”. The pledges of the 2030 Agenda confirm taking more concrete steps to support
people living in vulnerable situations, including minorities who face ongoing challenges,
mainly discrimination and inequality.
Therefore, I make the following recommendations:
1. The need to recognise the Amazigh language and identity in Tunisia.
2. The need for a legally binding treaty on minority rights with an associated monitoring
mechanism that would enable the systematic development of guidelines for both states and
non-governmental actors.
3. Establish a fund to support minorities to enable minority representatives to participate in
and use the human rights mechanisms of the United Nations.
4. Establish a permanent forum concerned with minority issues related to economic
development, culture, environment, education, health and human rights.
5. Develop a fellowship programme for minorities by investing in a group of experts to work
the United Nations offices on the promotion and protection of minority rights.
6. Continue regional forums and integrate them into the work of the United Nations regional
offices in cooperation with colleagues from the Office of the High Commissioner for Human
Rights.