A/71/254 Furthermore, an estimated 107.3 million people (also the highest to date) were displaced by disasters. 3 16. There is, however, no exact data on how many minorities are affected by crises and where: many people go unreached and uncounted for as situations change swiftly and population data are often lacking in the most crisis -prone settings. Nevertheless, during the course of her mandate, the Special Rapporteur on minority issues has observed that minorities, whether ethnic, national, religious or linguistic, can be disproportionately affected, either directly or indirectly, owing to their minority status, during the crisis itself or in the aftermath when seeking protection. The mandate of the Special Rapporteur has repeatedly addressed the plight of such minorities in situations of humanitarian crises through country visits, 4 consultations, side events and thematic reports, 5 and in response to emergent and emergency situations through communications, 6 and press statements. 7 However, despite these contributions, the Special Rapporteur notes there remains a dearth of research and understanding regarding the specific needs and vulnerabilities of minorities in situations of humanitarian crises at the global level. 17. This was perhaps most recently reflected by the recent World Humanitarian Summit convened in 2016 by the Secretary-General in response to the recognition that civil strife and conflicts are driving suffering and humanitarian need to unprecedented levels. Seeking to bring together humanitarian actors to thin k about ways to improve the international humanitarian system to address the magnitude of __________________ 3 4 5 6 7 16-13193 Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre, “Global Estimates 2015”. Country visit to Iraq, 2016, report forthcoming at the thirty -fourth session of the Human Rights Council, 2017; country visit to Ukraine, 2014 (A/HRC/28/64/Add.1); country visit to Nigeria, 2014 (A/HRC/28/64/Add.2); country visit to Colombia by the former Independent Expert on Minority Issues, 2010 (A/HRC/16/45/Add.1). “Hate speech and incitement to hatred against minorities in the media”, 2015 (see A/HRC/28/64); “Preventing and addressing violence and atrocities against minorities”, 2014 (see A/69/266); “Minority rights-based approaches to the protection and promotion of the rights of religious minorities”, 2013 (see A/68/268); “The role of minority rights protection in promoting stability and conflict prevention”, 2011 (see A/HRC/16/45). For examples of communications addressing minorities in humanitarian crises see: IRQ 1/2015; IRQ 5/2014; PAK 6/2014. LKA 9/2014; COL 4/2013; COL 4/2013. Press Release, Kosovo, “Rights experts urge the UN to implement a panel opinion on Roma IDPs poisoned in camps in Kosovo, 15 April 2016”, All references to Kosovo in the present document should be understood in full compliance with Security Council resolution 1244 (1999) and without prejudice to the status of Kosovo, www.ohchr.org/EN/NewsEvents/Pages/ DisplayNews.aspx?NewsID=19822&LangID=E#sthash.eXlGbWyl.dpuf; Press Release United States of America, “Flint [Michigan, United States of America]: Fundamentally about human rights — UN experts underline”, 3 March 2016, www.ohchr.org/EN/NewsEvents/Pages/ DisplayNews.aspx?NewsID=17139&LangID=E#sthash.MpAeHPkC.dpuf; Press Release Iraq, “Immediate action needed to protect human rights of Yazidis in grave danger”, 12 August 2014, www.ohchr.org/EN/NewsEvents/Pages/DisplayNews.aspx?NewsID=14936&LangID=E; Press Release Iraq: “Impact of conflict on minorities ‘devastating’”, 25 July 2014, www.ohchr.org/EN/ NewsEvents/Pages/DisplayNews.aspx?NewsID=14904&LangID=E; Press Release, Nigeria, “A forgotten tragedy — UN experts call for a stronger response to internal displacement in Nigeria”, 23 July 2014, www.ohchr.org/EN/NewsEvents/Pages/DisplayNews.aspx?NewsID=14896& LangID=E#sthash.Wr00IjDa.dpuf; Press Release, Central African Republic, “Evacuation of internally displaced populations should be used as a last resort”, 25 April 2014, www.ohchr.org/EN/NewsEvents/Pages/DisplayNews.aspx?NewsID=14896&LangID=E, Press Release, “Sri Lanka: UN experts alarmed at deportations of Pakistani asylum seekers without assessment”-, 14 August 2014. 7/25