Seventh Session – United Nations Forum on Minority Issues Panel IV – “Improving prevention of violence and atrocity crimes” Geneva, 25 November 2014 Statement by Austria Mr. President, First of all, we would like to congratulate you to your appointment as chair of the Forum. As main sponsor of the resolutions on minorities issues in the Human Rights Council and the General Assembly, Austria welcomes this year’s focus on preventing violence and atrocity crimes against minorities. Given the worldwide rise of violence and discrimination against different ethnic and religious groups, this is a particularly timely topic and follows last year’s useful discussions in this Forum on religious minorities. Many of the considerations and conclusions from last year remain in our view particularly pertinent also for this year’s topic under discussion. Serious human rights violations are a harbinger of impending atrocities. Governments, civil society and the international community all have to be alert to warning signs much earlier. This means first and foremost that we need to fully comply with our legal obligations under international law and with international as well as regional standards of minority rights protection. It requires at the same time our unequivocal commitment to build, with the support or international and regional institutions and mechanisms, resilience of societies by ensuring that the rule of law is respected, that access to justice is guaranteed and that all human rights are protected. In this respect we should be prepared to introduce special measures for minorities at the national level in order to ensure that their rights are being respected. In the Forum’s draft recommendations, the key role of good and inclusive governance and the participation of minorities at all political levels is underlined. The establishment of dedicated institutions to take the lead in mainstreaming attention to minorities and in monitoring their situation is also suggested. In line with these recommendations, Austria has set up Advisory Councils for each of the six legally recognized ethnic groups to advise the Government on minority issues. Matters concerning minority issues outside the Ethnic Groups Act are being dealt with in the framework of Austria’s integration policy at federal and regional level which is being developed in close dialogue with all minority groups concerned. In addition, the Austrian National Action Plan on Integration provides measures to promote intercultural understanding.