Minority rights focus in the United Nations 1 INTRODUCTION Today, issues related to the rights of persons belonging to minorities may be found in nearly every human rights instrument and forum. The United Nations and other intergovernmental organizations recognize that minority rights are essential to protect those who wish to preserve and develop values and practices which they share with other members of their community. They also recognize that members of minorities make significant contributions to the richness and diversity of society, and that States which take appropriate measures to recognize and promote minority rights are more likely to remain tolerant and stable. The present Guide offers information related to norms and mechanisms developed to protect the rights of persons belonging to national, ethnic, religious or linguistic minorities. It includes detailed information about procedures and forums in which minority issues may be raised within the United Nations system and in regional systems. By focusing on the work related to minorities and by also covering selected specialized agencies and regional mechanisms, the present Guide complements information contained in Working with the United Nations Human Rights Programme: A Handbook for Civil Society (OHCHR, 2008), which provides practical guidance on the United Nations human rights mechanisms in general.1 The information contained in the Guide is accurate as of 1 January 2012. It is hoped that this Guide will be useful in assisting minority advocates to make full and effective use of existing international mechanisms and, ultimately, to promote and protect the rights guaranteed under international instruments. Available from www.ohchr.org/EN/AboutUs/CivilSociety/Pages/Handbook.aspx (accessed 29 November 2012). The Handbook is available in Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish; online, it is also available in Farsi, Georgian and Nepali. An associated DVD was produced in 2011. 1 1