Recommendations on the Effective Participation of National Minorities in Social and Economic Life & Explanatory Note I. General Principles 1. The effective participation of persons belonging to national minorities in social and economic life promotes both equality and inclusion, as well as the integration of diverse societies; reduces the likelihood of conflict within the OSCE area; and strengthens peace, stability and good neighbourly relations between individuals and communities and the OSCE participating States. The OSCE participating States have committed to protect and promote the rights of persons belonging to national minorities, their equality before the law, and their right to exercise their human rights and fundamental freedoms without discrimination.5 They have also reaffirmed the fundamental link between the protection and 5 16 Inter alia Conference on Security and Co-operation in Europe (CSCE), Helsinki Final Act, “Questions Relating to Security in Europe: 1(a) Declaration on Principles Guiding Relations between Participating States, Principle VII, Respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms, including the freedom of thought, conscience, religion or belief” (Helsinki 1975); CSCE, Concluding Document of the Third Follow-up Meeting, “Questions Relating to Security in Europe, Principles” (Vienna 1989); CSCE, Document of the Copenhagen Meeting of the Conference on the Human Dimension of the CSCE, paragraph 31 (Copenhagen 1990); and CSCE, Report of the Meeting of CSCE Experts on National Minorities, part III (Geneva 1991). Recommendations on the Effective Participation of National Minorities in Social and Economic Life