A/HRC/37/26
United Nations
General Assembly
Distr.: General
20 December 2017
Original: English
Human Rights Council
Thirty-seventh session
26 February–23 March 2018
Agenda items 2 and 3
Annual report of the United Nations High Commissioner
for Human Rights and reports of the Office of the High
Commissioner and the Secretary-General
Promotion and protection of all human rights, civil,
political, economic, social and cultural rights,
including the right to development
Rights of persons belonging to national or ethnic, religious
and linguistic minorities
Annual report of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human
Rights
Summary
In its resolutions 13/12, 22/4 and 31/13 concerning the rights of persons belonging
to national or ethnic, religious and linguistic minorities, the Human Rights Council
requested the High Commissioner for Human Rights to present an annual report to the
Council containing information on relevant developments in the work of United Nations
human rights bodies and mechanisms and on the specific strategies and activities
undertaken by the Office of the High Commissioner at headquarters and in the field that
contribute to the promotion of and respect for the Declaration on the Rights of Persons
Belonging to National or Ethnic, Religious and Linguistic Minorities. The present report
covers the activities carried out between January and December 2017.
In the year of the twenty-fifth anniversary of the Declaration on the Rights of
Persons Belonging to National or Ethnic, Religious and Linguistic Minorities, patterns of
discrimination and incitement to racial or religious hatred and violence, particularly against
ethnic or religious minorities have been recurrent. The strategies and initiatives undertaken
by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, in line with the
guidance note of the Secretary-General on racial discrimination and protection of
minorities, aim to promote the implementation of the Declaration, with a view to advancing
the realization of the rights of persons belonging to minorities. In that regard, respect for
religious diversity and religious dialogue, reflection on the importance of investing in
minority youth, disaggregated data on minorities and the participation of minorities in
decision-making are essential for fostering peaceful societies and reducing inequalities.
GE.17-22922(E)