I call on the Special Rapporteur (SR) on Minority Issue and other relevant mandate holder to
work together with the UN Office on Prevention of Genocide to develop a tool to monitor
the specific targeting of minorities, violations of minority rights and identify trends and
patterns that could lead to conflict. This could be based on the current UN Framework for
Analysis of Atrocity Crimes, but more specifically designed towards minority protection in
conflict prevention.
This framework must act as an early warning mechanism and based on the threat level
specify a tiered international response system that ensures effective action.
This system must be developed together with minority civil society representatives and their
capacity strengthened to monitor and report on human rights violations of minorities. There
is no doubt that community representatives are best placed to monitor and report; but as
we all know they work in extremely dangerous and threatening contexts with little support.
I am not advocating for a top down internationally driven process that trains minority
activists to execute a one-size fits all model developed in secure western capitals. Rather a
collaboratively built one where community activists can report with secure guarantees and
weigh in on decisions on international action.
My final recommendation is that the Special Rapporteur on Minority Issues conducts a joint
study with the Special Rapporteur on Counter Terrorism and Human Rights on the targeting
of minorities as part of counter terrorism measures and how this contributes to conflicts.
Such a study could challenge the continuing framing of minorities as the problem and
instead recognise them as part of the solution to building a lasting peace.
I will end here – thank you