140 PROMOTING AND PROTECTING MINORITY RIGHTS involved, as the European Union regularly meets with local civil society representatives in the margins of these dialogues. The European Union also facilitates communication between human rights defenders and the authorities of the country in dialogue. Civil society actors interested in human rights dialogues should contact the EU delegation for the country concerned.179 The European Union also champions the promotion and protection of minority rights in multinational forums.180 The European Union enjoys observer status at the United Nations. EU member States cooperate in forging common EU positions and the European Union reaches out to third countries in order to further improve respect for human rights generally and the rights of persons belonging to minorities in particular. The European Union attaches great importance to the work of United Nations special procedures, including the Independent Expert on minority issues (see chap. IV). The European Union considers the annual Forum on Minority Issues (see chap. III) to be a key process in the promotion of dialogue and cooperation on issues pertaining to the rights of minorities. The European Commission works closely with, inter alia, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, OSCE (in particular the High Commissioner on National Minorities), the Council of Europe and the World Bank. Minority issues are also mainstreamed in cooperation strategies and action plans. The Commission’s Colombia Country Strategy Paper 2007-2013, for example, specifically addresses the humanitarian and human rights situation of persons belonging to minorities.181 It encourages peacebuilding through the participation of marginalized citizens in local governance and the economy, and through the promotion of human rights, good governance and the fight against impunity. Another example is the explicit reference to respect for the rights of persons belonging to national minorities in the European Neighbourhood Policy Action Plan with Ukraine.182 The European Union uses a wide range of financial and technical cooperation instruments, including bilateral cooperation with Governments and direct support to civil society, to promote and protect the rights of persons belonging to minorities. It supports Government programmes and policies which target minorities or have potential impact in this area, such as support for long-term solutions to the protracted refugee situation of Muslim minorities from Myanmar (Northern Rakhine State) in Bangladesh. The European Union supports civil society organizations concerned with minorities through a number of thematic programmes, such as the European Instrument for Democracy and Human Rights (EIDHR, discussed above) and Non-State Actors and Local Authorities in Development Programme. The European Instrument approaches minority issues with the aim of combating discrimination; promoting equal participation of men and women from minority communities in social, economic and political life; and strengthening human rights and democratic political participation.183 In Kyrgyzstan, for example, the European Instrument has funded a project to strengthen minority group involvement with State bodies, NGOs, political representation at local and national levels and in democratic reforms. It also funded a three-year project entitled Global Advocacy Programme, implemented by Minority Rights Group International (in cooperation with OHCHR, the Council of Europe and Forum Asia). This is intended to build the capacity of 1,080 activists in 36 States in Europe, Asia and Africa to carry out advocacy nationally, regionally and at the December 2012). See http://eeas.europa.eu/delegations/web_en.htm (accessed 4 December 2012). 179 See http://eeas.europa.eu/human_rights/fora/index_en.htm (accessed 4 December 2012). 180 E/2007/484, available from http://eeas.europa.eu/colombia/csp/07_13_en.pdf (accessed 4 December 2012). 181 All European Neighbourhood Policy action plans, strategy papers, country reports and other documents are available from http://ec.europa.eu/world/enp/documents_en.htm#2 (accessed 4 December 2012). 182 See http://ec.europa.eu/europeaid/how/finance/eidhr_en.htm (accessed 4 December 2012). 183