A/71/254 41. Finally, UNHCR’s Working with National or Ethnic, Religious and Linguistic Minorities and Indigenous Peoples in Forced Displacement (2011) is a very useful tool 18 which acknowledges the potential vulnerabilities of minorities who are displaced, and recognizes that these obstacles may be multiplied during forced displacement and increase protection risks. 4. International law on internal displacement 42. The Guiding Principles on Internal Displacement (1998) (see E/CN.4/1998/53/Add.2) are based upon existing international human rights and humanitarian law, as well as analogous refugee law, and are intended to serve as the international standard guiding States, international organizations and other relevant actors in providing assistance and protection to internally displaced persons. Principle 6.2 stipulates that “the prohibition of arbitrary displacement includes displacement: (a) when it is based on policies of apartheid, ethnic cleansing, or similar practices aimed at/or resulting in altering the ethnic, religious or racial composition of the affected population”. Principle 9 further stipulates that “States are under a particular obligation to protect against the displacement of indigenous peoples, minorities, peasants, pastoralists and other groups with a special dependency on and attachment to their lands”. 5. Relevant regional standards 43. At the regional level there have also been some specific instruments and references to minorities in the context of crises. The Organization of African Unity has adopted the Convention governing the Specific Aspects of Refugee Problems in Africa (1969). Furthermore, during the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region, held in 2006, 11 States adopted the binding Pact on Security, Stability and Development in the Great Lakes Region, comprising 10 separate protocols, including the Protocol on the Protection and Assistance to Internally Displaced Persons. Principles 6 and 9 of the Protocol replicate the provisions of Guiding Principles 6 and 9 referenced above on protection from displacement and on specific protection granted to indigenous peoples, minorities and other groups. 44. The above-mentioned Protocol further served as impetus for the African Union to draft the first legally binding regional instrument on internally displaced persons: the African Union Convention for the Protection and Assistance of internally displaced persons in Africa (Kampala Convention). The Convention, which was adopted in 2009 and entered into force in 2012, advances a regional approach to protecting the rights of internally displaced persons in efforts to achieve peace, security and development. In terms of minority rights protection, article 4(5) stipulates that the prohibited categories of arbitrary displacement include but are not limited to “displacement based on policies of racial discrimination or other similar practices aimed at/or resulting in altering the ethnic, religious or racial composition of the population”. Article 5 of the Convention provides that “States Parties shall endeavour to protect communities with special attachment to, and dependency on, land due to their particular culture and spiritual values from being displaced from such lands, except for compelling and overriding public interests”. __________________ 18 16-13193 Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), “Working with national or ethnic, religious and linguistic minorities and indigenous peoples in force d displacement” (Geneva, 2011). Available from www.refworld.org/docid/4ee72a2a2.html. 13/25