A/HRC/22/60
by minorities of matters directly affecting them, are essential means to promoting stability
and integration in the societies in which they live.
15.
The Declaration aims to promote the realization of the principles contained in the
Charter of the United Nations, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the Convention
on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide, the International Convention
on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination, the International Covenant on
Civil and Political Rights and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural
Rights, as well as other relevant international and regional instruments. The Declaration
requires positive measures to be taken in the area of legislation, policy and programming.
16.
In their efforts towards effective implementation of the Declaration, all actors should
recognize and address multiple and intersecting forms of discrimination against persons
belonging to minorities, including on the basis of sex, age, gender identity and disability,
and the compounded negative impact upon the enjoyment of their rights.
III. General recommendations
17.
All countries should reaffirm their commitment to the principles contained in the
Declaration on the Rights of Persons Belonging to National or Ethnic, Religious and
Linguistic Minorities, and publicize it widely.
18.
Governments, national human rights institutions, minority groups, civil society
organizations and regional and international human rights mechanisms should undertake
initiatives to ensure that minorities are aware of their rights as enshrined in the Declaration
and in other human rights standards and instruments, and collaborate to that end. All actors
should take initiatives in the area of awareness-raising, including campaigns on minority
rights with activities aimed at the promotion of the Declaration, as well as information on
existing minority rights and equality bodies, departments or relevant agencies and their
services.
19.
All relevant actors should ensure to the fullest extent possible that the Declaration
and the recommendations of the Forum on Minority Issues are translated into all minority
languages and disseminated widely. Outreach should be targeted at minority communities,
including via minority media and in minority localities and languages.
20.
Information on minority rights and minority communities should also be targeted at
society at large by means of, for example, media campaigns on minority rights, equality and
non-discrimination and resource materials on the Declaration and the history, culture,
traditions and contributions to society of minority groups present in the State.
21.
Special efforts should be made to tackle any challenges that increase the physical
and social isolation of certain minority communities and individuals. Where necessary,
culturally and linguistically appropriate means of community outreach to promote the
Declaration should be used, such as theatre and dance, radio productions and television
programmes promoting diversity. The distribution of leaflets with simplified versions of the
Declaration, as well as other minority rights material, for example, should be considered
where language or literacy barriers exist.
22.
All relevant actors should collaborate to create and support mechanisms to
encourage intercultural and interfaith dialogue at national, regional and international levels.
The participation of young minority advocates and women should be ensured in such
initiatives.
23.
All measures taken with a view to implementing the Declaration and
recommendations of the Forum should be, to the fullest extent possible, developed,
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