4 Chapter Minorities in Development 4.1 MEETING UNDP’S OBJECTIVES: MINORITIES AND UNDP PRACTICE AREAS Government efforts to tackle poverty, promote democratic governance, recover from crisis, prevent conflict, pursue sustainable development and address the HIV epidemic could all benefit from increased attention to the situation of minorities. The protection of minorities is integrally linked to each of these key UNDP practice areas. Attention to minority rights is also critical to the fulfillment of a Human Rights-Based Approach (HRBA) to development programming. The HRBA necessitates programming practices that include:   Identification of human rights claims and the corresponding obligations of all the stakeholder groups involved, including those of minorities Analyzing the underlying and structural causes of the non realization of rights; assessing the capacities of both rights holders and duty bearers, and supporting capacity development measures, including examining the causes of non-realization of rights for minorities and building capacity to exercise and fulfill these rights  Monitoring and evaluating both processes and outcomes, guided by international human rights standards and principles, including monitoring impact on minorities and their particular rights to recognition, non-discrimination, protection of identity and participation. This chapter provides information on how UNDP could integrate consideration of minority rights into its practice areas and support governments in their efforts to do the same. 4.2 POVERTY REDUCTION AND THE MDGs 4.2.1 Reducing Poverty for Minorities: Minorities are among the poorest people in most countries. Poverty reduction strategies for minorities frequently lack thorough consideration of the root causes of poverty for minorities, in particular the role of discrimination. Table 3 shows some examples of how the entrenched poverty of minorities can negatively impact on overall development achievements in a country. There is an urgent need to examine why minorities do not benefit equally from poverty reduction efforts and to respond with appropriate measures. More information on this point is found also in section 4.2.2 of this Guide on MDG 1. Chapter 4: Minorities in Development 31