A/HRC/28/64/Add.2 of secondary school age going to school, and with vast differences across States and gender disparities favouring boys over girls.6 5. Despite the lack of specific data on socioeconomic indicators for minorities, available studies point to minorities as being particularly affected by poverty and low socioeconomic conditions. For instance, in the oil-rich Niger Delta region, minority communities, such as Ogoni or Ikwerre, rank among the poorest population groups, with many lacking access to clean water or health care. II. Methodology 6. The Special Rapporteur’s analysis of Nigeria is based on the 1992 Declaration on the Rights of Persons Belonging to National or Ethnic, Religious and Linguistic Minorities and other relevant international standards, from which she has identified the following areas of concern: (a) the protection of a minority’s survival, through combating violence against them and preventing genocide; (b) the protection and promotion of the cultural identity of minority groups and the right to enjoy their collective identity and to reject forced assimilation; (c) the guarantee of the rights to non-discrimination and equality, including ending structural or systemic discrimination and the promotion of affirmative action when required; and (d) the guarantee of the right to effective participation of minorities in public life, especially with regard to decisions that affect them. She applies a gender perspective in all the areas of her work. 7. The Special Rapporteur focuses her work on national, ethnic, religious and linguistic groups, whose generally non-dominant, disadvantaged positions within society require measures to allow them to exercise all their rights, including minority rights, to the fullest. She notes that, in accordance with general comment 23 of the Human Rights Committee on article 27 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, 7 the existence of minorities is neither dependent on a decision by the State alone nor limited only to those officially recognized minorities, but should be based on objective and subjective criteria and the principle of self-identification. Consideration given to minority issues in her analysis of Nigeria does not only reflect the national context, but also extends down to the State and local contexts, where the dynamics and dimensions of identity, ethnicity, religion, language, political participation and access to resources play a crucial role in the daily lives of individuals and communities. She acknowledges that the notions of “minority” and “majority” are changeable and dependant on the context analysed. Majority groups at the national level may be minority groups at the State and local levels. Equally, minority ethnic groups in a region may be the majority religious groups and vice versa. III. Historical background 8. A brief overview of the contemporary history is necessary to understand the current situation of minorities and the political structure, legislation and policies that have shaped present-day Nigeria. The following information was obtained from public governmental and civil society sources. 6 7 UNICEF, Nigeria Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey 2011, pp. 171-185. (Available from www.unicef.org/nigeria/Multiple_Indicators_Cluster_Survey_4_Report.pdf). Official Records of the General Assembly, Forty-ninth Session, Supplement No. 40, vol. I (A/49/40 (Vol. I)), annex V. 5