A/HRC/55/70 United Nations General Assembly Distr.: General 8 February 2024 Original: English Human Rights Council Fifty-fifth session 26 February–5 April 2024 Agenda item 5 Human rights bodies and mechanisms Recommendations made by the Forum on Minority Issues at its sixteenth session, on the theme “Minorities and cohesive societies: equality, social inclusion and socioeconomic participation” Report of the Special Rapporteur on minority issues, Nicolas Levrat* Summary The recommendations contained in the present report are drawn primarily from the discussions held and contributions made by participants at the sixteenth session of the Forum on Minority Issues, held on 30 November and 1 December 2023, on the theme “Minorities and cohesive societies: equality, social inclusion and socioeconomic participation”. The Forum was divided into four panel discussions: (a) “Challenges to inclusion and equality: barriers to the social and economic participation of persons belonging to minority groups”; (b) “Socioeconomic empowerment”; (c) “Legal and structural approaches to more inclusive societies”; and (d) “Protection and promotion of the rights of persons belonging to minority groups towards cohesive societies”. The aim of the Forum was to serve as a platform for promoting dialogue and cooperation on issues faced by persons belonging to national, ethnic, religious and linguistic minority groups and to tackle the multiple challenges faced by minority communities worldwide, focusing on strengthening their socioeconomic participation and ensuring equality and social inclusion. * The present report was submitted to the conference services for processing after the deadline so as to include the most recent information. GE.24-00955 (E) 080224 080224