A/58/255
steps to draw upon wider regional and national minority expertise with a view
to developing possible regional guidelines in consultation with various
stakeholders, especially Governments, for the implementation of the
Declaration on Minorities. Non-governmental organizations and minority
representatives at regional seminars and during meetings of the Working
Group have specifically requested the Office of the High Commissioner to
provide them with further training on minority rights and how to use existing
human rights mechanisms. The Office of the High Commissioner plans to
continue building the capacity of civil society to work on minority issues at the
national, subregional and regional levels and to use the United Nations Guide
for Minorities as a basic training tool. Further pamphlets are being considered
for inclusion in the Guide to draw attention to the work of national human
rights institutions and how minority representatives may access such
institutions, as well as to better understand the work of regional conflict
prevention or resolution mechanisms. With respect to promoting the protection
of minority rights, this issue is expected to be further considered by the
Commission on Human Rights at its sixtieth session in the light of its request
that the High Commissioner report on the effectiveness of existing mechanisms
for protecting the rights of persons belonging to minorities with a view to
identifying any protection gaps.
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