A/70/255
43. The Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women adopted
its general recommendation No. 30 on women in conflict prevention, conflict and
post-conflict situations in November 2013. In the general recommendation, the
Committee called upon States to address the needs of women belonging to
minorities. It noted that during and after conflict, specific groups of women and
girls were at particular risk of violence, especially sexual violence, for example,
women of diverse caste, ethnic, national or religious identities, or other minorities,
who were often attacked as symbolic representatives of their community.
V. Selected activities of the Special Rapporteur on
minority issues
44. Although minority issues were addressed by several special procedures
mandate holders, the Special Rapporteur on minority issues has developed a
particularly rich body of work on minority rights, both from a thematic and country specific perspective.
45. In March 2014, the Special Rapporteur, in her previous capacity as
Independent Expert on minority issues, presented to the Human Rights Council her
report on ensuring the inclusion of minority issues in post-2015 development
agendas (A/HRC/25/56). In October 2014, she presented a report on violence and
mass atrocity crimes targeted against minorities to the Gene ral Assembly
(A/69/266). She highlighted that persons belonging to minorities were frequently
the victims of violence and atrocities perpetrated with impunity. She asserted that
measures to foster unity among different population groups, the comprehensive
implementation of minority rights and the establishment or strengthening of
institutional and policy frameworks for the protection of minority rights were
essential to the more effective prevention of mass atrocit y crimes against minorities.
46. In April 2014, the Special Rapporteur conducted a country visit to Ukraine,
during which she stated that a key pillar of minority rights was full and equal
participation in public life, including political participation at the national, regional
and local levels. She also stressed the importance of enabling students to learn both
about their own origins, cultures and religions and also about those of others in a
positive way that recognizes the contributions of all groups.
47. In June 2015, the Special Rapporteur presented to the Human Rights Council
her report containing a comprehensive study of the human rights situation of Roma
worldwide, with a particular focus on the phenomenon of anti -Gypsyism
(A/HRC/29/24). She highlighted that although the reasons for the marginalization of
Roma were complex, an overarching factor was the deeply embedded social and
structural discrimination that Roma face worldwide, including anti -Gypsyism. She
urged States to place the rights of Roma at the heart of all strategies and policies
relating to human and minority rights, social inclusion and development, with
explicit goals for Roma communities.
48. The Special Rapporteur also issued several press statements on a range of
developments concerning minorities. For example, in June 2014, the Special
Rapporteur called upon Pakistan to urgently put in place protective measures to
ensure the personal security of Ahmadiyya Muslims and other religious min orities
living under the threat of hostility and violence by militant extremists. In July 2014,
15-12580
11/14