A/HRC/22/60
31.
Governments should ensure the full implementation of minority rights and antidiscrimination legislation, including at the local levels, and that remedies are appropriate
and easily accessible to everyone and adequate penalties are applied in the event of
violation. Awareness-raising and training initiatives should be developed, including for
public officials, judges and prosecutors.
32.
States should take effective measures to protect minorities from acts or incitement to
acts that physically threaten them, their existence or their identity, including through
adopting legislation consistent with their obligations under international human rights law.
33.
Measures to ensure access to justice for members of minority groups should be
taken, such as the training of public and law enforcement officials on the rights contained in
the Declaration and relevant national legislation relevant to minority rights. Training
initiatives on minority rights, non-discrimination and equality, good practices and
methodologies, with specific modules on sensitivity towards minority women and other
sub-groups which may suffer from multiple forms of discrimination, should be considered
within relevant public institutions. Public and law enforcement officials should be provided
with such training.
34.
Governments should consider the need for special measures, policies and
programmes where appropriate, addressing entrenched situations of discrimination and
exclusion experienced by persons belonging to minorities. Such measures should be taken
to achieve specific goals, be time-bound and monitored to assess their impact on the
situation of disadvantaged minorities and to ensure that they do not become discriminatory.
35.
Governments should ensure that sufficient funding is dedicated to improving the
situation of disadvantaged minority communities and that there is adequate allocation of
resources to implement fully domestic and international standards on the rights of
minorities. Where necessary, funds should be set aside and/or reallocated to support
activities connected to the promotion and protection of minority rights.
36.
Governments should conduct research in consultation with minority groups and civil
society to assess the situation of minorities nationally, understand their experiences, needs
and challenges, and seek their input on measures to ensure their rights. Research should
assess the situation of minorities and the challenges faced in such areas as freedom and
opportunities to practise their culture, religion and language, and should consider key areas
of minority concern, including access to quality education, employment, health and
housing, their ability to participate effectively in public life and the situation of minorities
which might experience multiple forms of discrimination.
37.
National statistics institutions should be mandated to collect disaggregated data
relating to ethnicity, religion and language and to develop internal expertise on minority
issues and methodologies relevant to the collection and analysis of such data. Datagathering exercises should be designed and implemented in full consultation with
minorities. Data collection should be conducted in an ethnically sensitive manner and on a
voluntary basis, consistent with the right of minorities to self-identification, with full
respect for the privacy and anonymity of the individuals concerned and in accordance with
international standards of personal data protection.
38.
Minority issues and the rights articulated in the Declaration should be mainstreamed
throughout public and private institutions and bodies. The composition of such institutions
should be reviewed periodically to ensure that they are representative of the diverse
minority groups present in society, while good practices aimed at increasing the
representation and participation of minorities should be applied where required. Where
appropriate, specialist minority-related roles and appointments should be considered;
minorities should not, however, be confined to such roles.
7