A/52/498 English Page 3 human rights education and training has targeted minority groups in such countries as Armenia and Rwanda, and a training manual on conflict resolution is currently being prepared within the framework of the United Nations Decade for Human Rights Education. 7. Of particular relevance is the work being undertaken in Cambodia, where two training workshops were held in September and October 1996 on minority rights for two non-governmental organizations, the Cham Khmer Islam Minority Human Rights Development Association and the Khmer Kampuchea Krom Human Rights and Development Association (see also E/CN.4/1997/85). The workshops consisted of training non-governmental organization trainers on how to use a minority rights curriculum developed by the Centre for Human Rights in Cambodia. In November 1996, with the assistance of the Centre, the two non-governmental organizations jointly conducted their first workshop on minority rights for 50 ethnic Vietnamese in Phnom Penh (para. 52). III. COOPERATION OF THE OFFICE OF THE HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR HUMAN RIGHTS WITH UNITED NATIONS PROGRAMMES AND AGENCIES WHICH DEAL WITH MINORITY ISSUES 8. Inter-agency cooperation on minorities has been initiated and developed in order to better coordinate the responses of the agencies to issues involving minorities. Two consultations were held during the period under review, in January and May 1997, bringing together representatives of approximately 10 agencies and intergovernmental organizations which address in one way or another the promotion and protection of the rights of persons belonging to minorities. 9. The consultations provided an opportunity for agencies to exchange information and expertise in the following areas: non-discrimination in education; the promotion and protection of the cultural rights of minorities; training programmes of in-house staff and minorities at the local level; the issue of citizenship and nationality; and the use of minority-related databases. The consultations also covered joint input to the Commission on Human Rights and the Subcommission on Prevention of Discrimination and Protection of Minorities and its Working Group on Minorities; the provision of relevant information to be included on a World Wide Web site; joint minority-related technical cooperation projects; submission of information on system-wide complaints procedures; input into the treaty bodies; the dissemination of the recommendations and resolutions of supervisory bodies; and the provision of training on minority-related human rights instruments at regional and national levels. 10. According to the participating agencies, such consultations should be continued. They contribute to the strengthening of international action in favour of minorities by streamlining activities, pooling both financial and human resources, and arriving at ways in which mechanisms for early warning and urgent action can be devised in the face of serious human rights violations affecting minorities. /...

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