INTERFAITH INTERNATIONAL c.p. 32, 1246•Corsier, Geneva, Switzerland Tel: 0041 22 751 23 45; Fax 0041 22 751 23 48 . e-mail:charlesRraves®vtx.ch;web-site: www.interfaithonline.orR Special consultative status with United Nations ECOSOC United Nations Forum on Minority Issues 13-14 November 2009 United Nations, Geneva Intervention by: Dr. Charles Graves, Secretary general National practices Providing for the political participation of minorities. Madame President, Interfaith International would like to thank the independent Expert, Madame Gay McDougall, for her document. We also congratulate the Secretariat for success in this forum and Mrs. Barbara Lee for her election to the presidency of this meeting which is relative to the objectives of our organization. It is highly commendable that the world community under the banner of United Nations has pursued Human Rights Council's resolution 6/15 of September-2007 to effectively address minorities issues throughout in its member states. For the world community I intend to identify and analyze practices, challenges, opportunities and initiatives for the further implementation of the Declaration on the human rights of persons belonging to national or ethnic, religious and linguistic minorities. Madame, It is disappointing that in many countries in the world particularly in the African and Asian regions persons of particular religious and ethnic groups have been discriminated and marginalized by different deciders and policy-making institutions in society. It is an alarming situation in Arab and Asian countries including China and Pakistan where religious and ethnic minorities have been segregated. and deprived of fundamental human rights on the basis of their distinct culture and language. I would emphasize that the implementation of the right to effective political participation of minorities is a fundamental responsibility not only of the member states but also of the political parties and civil society organizations operating in these regions. Common political organizations of Muslim countries which represent the Muslim elite of both Shi'a and Sunnis should be encouraged to address the problems of marginalized Muslim communities in their respective society and member states. 1