- secondly, the protection of minority is one of the pillars of the Council of Europe because democracy requires effective systems, to protect the rights of minorities. In this context, the Advisory Committee see the minority rights issue through the prism of human rights. The Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities adopted in 1994 is the most comprehensive human rights treaty designed to protect the rights of persons belonging to national minorities. States party to the Framework Convention assume a legal obligation to promote the full and effective equality of persons