and when exacerbated can lead to violent conflict. The connection between minority rights and conflict are evident in many ways, including: Protection of existence: minorities are often the targets of violence in situations of conflict or as the parties to the conflict. MRG reports, “Such violence may arise from dislike of the community, from the minority being a useful scapegoat, or from a desire to drive out or destroy the community, in the name of ethnic or religious purity, or simply to grab their property and resources” (Baldwin et al 2007, p. 32). In most cases of genocide or ethnic cleansing, national, ethnic or religious minorities are the victims. The human security of minorities requires action against impunity, a police force that fulfills its obligations to protect minorities, equal access to justice for crimes committed against minorities and vigilantly enforced laws that prevent and punish actions like hate speech and hate crimes that can instigate violence against minorities. Non-discrimination: Direct and indirect discrimination against minorities can stimulate violent conflict. Discrimination is a key factor in social exclusion and has given rise to group violence in numerous cases by stimulating resentment from excluded minorities. Protection of identity: Violations of identity rights are powerful sources of grievance and exclusion. The right of minorities to freely express their culture, language and religion is often violated in the name of social cohesion and security, yet typically has the opposite effect. In the experiences of the OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities, “a minority that has the opportunity to fully develop its identity is more likely to remain loyal to the State than a minority who is denied its identity”.30 Constitutional recognition of minority identities, coupled with strong policies for protecting the freedom of minorities to express their identity and support to promoting their identity can facilitate integration and promote stability. Political participation: When minorities have weak political participation, they lack a political pathway to peacefully raise and resolve their grievances. Minorities have a right to participate in decision-making that will affect them and these processes can help militate against policy decisions that will create tensions with minority groups. Minorities may not always achieve the policy outcomes they desire, but where they have been involved in genuine participatory decision-making, the opportunity to have their voice heard can go a long way in preventing tension and possible conflict. Denial of political participation for minorities, such as through restrictive citizenship policies, can severely exacerbate existing tensions and reduce minorities’ loyalty to the State. It can also send a signal to society that minorities are not part of the national community, thus leading the way for potential violence. Key Messages  There are clear links between violations of minority rights and the increased likelihood of conflict  Protecting minority rights can help prevent conflict M. Van der Stoel, The Protection of Minorities in the OSCE Region, Address at a Seminar at the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, Antalya, 12 April 2000. 30 56 M A R G I N A L I S E D M I N O R I T I E S I N D E V E LO P M E N T P R O G R A M M I N g