A/HRC/22/49/Add.1 United Nations General Assembly Distr.: General 31 December 2012 Original: English Human Rights Council Twenty-second session Agenda item 3 Promotion and protection of all human rights, civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights, including the right to development Report of the Independent Expert on minority issues, Rita Izsák Addendum Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina* Summary In Bosnia and Herzegovina, minority rights relate to several groups, including 17 recognized national minorities. However, they are also relevant to those constituent peoples —Bosniaks, Croats and Serbs—who, following the 1992 to 1995 conflict, find themselves in minority-like situations as non-dominant communities in the regions in which they live and who experience significant challenges, social and economic disadvantages and discrimination. The laws adopted for the prevention of discrimination and the protection of national minorities, and the establishment of consultative bodies, including the councils of national minorities, are welcome positive steps. However, to date implementation has been lacking and measures to improve awareness among minorities, wider society and public officials are required. The Government and its counterparts at the entity level in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Republika Srpska are responsible for ensuring minority rights and peaceful coexistence among groups. This includes promoting equality, non-discrimination and positive integration for all those who share nationality and national territory, including minorities. Existing ethnic, religious and linguistic divisions in society, including in political and public life and education, have hampered efforts to forge unity, social cohesion and national identity. The polarized social and political environment is not conducive to reform or the full protection and promotion of minority rights and the rights * GE.13-10026 The summary of the present report is circulated in all official languages. The report itself, which is annexed to the summary, is circulated in the language of submission only.