panels, and decision-making bodies.
In Kosovo, for example, the constitutionally mandated Consultative
Council for Communities, located in
the Office of the President of Kosovo,
provides a way for representatives
from minority communities to express
their views on legislation and
programmes that affect them.
4. Persons belonging to minorities
have the right to establish and
maintain their own associations.
Minorities have the right to set
up associations, clubs or cultural
centres to maintain and enjoy their
cultural or religious life, including
schools or religious institutions. Such
associations must still adhere to
human rights principles and must not
discriminate against women or other
vulnerable groups.
5. Persons belonging to minorities
have the right to establish and
maintain, without any discrimination,
free and peaceful contacts with other
members of their group and with
persons belonging to other minorities,
as well as contacts across frontiers
with citizens of other States to whom
they are related by national or ethnic,
religious or linguistic ties.
Minority cultures can only continue
to thrive and develop by remaining
in contact with others from their
group. Collaboration between minority
groups can strengthen advocacy
for minority rights at the national or
international level.
Article 3
1. Persons belonging to minorities
may exercise their rights, including those set forth in the present
Declaration, individually as well as in
community with other members of
their group, without any discrimination.
Minority rights are held by each
individual; they are not group rights
but may be exercised as a group.
Minorities should not be persecuted
for exercising their group identity.
2. No disadvantage shall result for
any person belonging to a minority as
the consequence of the exercise or
non-exercise of the rights set forth in
the present Declaration.
States should not target those
persons working to defend and
promote the rights of minorities. And
minorities should be able to choose
freely whether or not they wish to
assert their rights. Individuals within
a minority group have the right to
not adhere to cultural roles that
discriminate against them.
Article 4
1. States shall take measures where
required to ensure that persons
belonging to minorities may exercise
fully and effectively all their human
rights and fundamental freedoms
without any discrimination and in full
equality before the law.