The UN Declaration on the Rights of Persons Belonging to National or Ethnic, Religious and Linguistic Minorities The Universal Declaration of Human Rights outlines the rights of all persons, but because minorities suffer exclusion and discrimination, they can have a difficult time achieving their human rights. The Declaration on Minorities outlines the rights held by persons belonging to minorities; the responsibilities and duties that states have in order to protect and promote those rights; and the responsibility of the UN and its bodies. UN declaration A declaration is a non-binding legal document that provides a standard for how states should act. Who are minorities? The Declaration does not define who is a ‘minority’. The terms used (national or ethnic, religious and linguistic) aim to cover those groups which may need protection. A core principle underpins the Declaration, namely that of ‘self-identification’. According to this principle, an individual can chose whether or not to identify as a minority. No law, government authority or private person can tell someone whether or not she or he is a minority person. Most crucially, if a person chooses not to identify with a minority, then no one, including the state, can impose this identity on her or him. Constitutional recognition of minorities, particularly national minorities, is one way to officially acknowledge the existence of minorities in the wider society and provide a foundation to protect their rights in national legislation. National days that celebrate multiculturalism and minority communities can also promote diversity within the wider culture. Article 1 1. States shall protect the existence and the national or ethnic, cultural, religious and linguistic identity of minorities within their respective territories and shall encourage conditions for the promotion of that identity. Hate crimes Crimes motivated by bias based on ethnicity, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, age, gender, disability or any other similar attributes. 2. States shall adopt appropriate legislative and other measures to achieve those ends. Protection of existence includes protection from genocide, mass violence and hate crime, as well as threats. It also includes protection against forced assimilation and discrimination. States are also required to promote the identity of minorities. This includes protecting sites that are part of a minority’s religious or cultural heritage, such as mosques, synagogues, temples, churches and other sacred sites. States must meaningfully involve minorities in the design and implementation of laws and policies affecting their communities. Existing legislation that discriminates against minorities must be reviewed and amended, taking special consideration of the rights of vulnerable groups within the minority such as women, elderly people, children, disabled people, and lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender individuals. Far left: A Dalit woman attends a Vanangana conference in Chitrakoot, India. Vanangana, a women’s group dedicated to human rights issues, receives strong support from the Dalit community. Ami Vitale/Panos. Left: A Filipino Muslim wraps cloth on his head before Eid al-Fitr celebrations at the Blue mosque in suburban Manila. Associated Press/ Aaron Favila. 5