5.2 COUNTRY PROGRAMMES Incorporating attention to minorities into UNDP country programmes could strengthen interventions and assist governments to improve human development for all. Broadly speaking, two types of approaches are possible: targeted or inclusive. Targeted approaches focus on marginalised minority groups as the primary rights-holders in the development intervention; inclusive approaches ensure that minorities are among the rights-holders in development interventions aimed at a broader constituency. The decision to employ targeted or inclusive approaches depends on a number of variables, of which the preferences of minority groups should be a major consideration. Bearing in mind the ‘do no harm’ approach, targeted interventions might create tensions where they are seen to unjustly privilege minority groups. Conversely, inclusive approaches that do not give attention to the particular needs and rights of minorities might inadvertently exclude minorities and cause harm. To mitigate these unwanted effects, two key steps are needed. First, proposals for country programming could entail a participatory decision-making process that includes representatives of both minority and majority groups. Second, an impact assessment of proposals for country programming could measure the possibility of direct or indirect discrimination from the proposal, consider the impact on relevant minority rights and include disaggregated data. Policies aimed at ‘excluded groups’ or ‘vulnerable groups’ may not necessarily benefit minorities. The impact of discrimination and the factors of cultural/religious/linguistic identity frequently mean that minorities experience development differently. Minorities face different obstacles in realizing development – of 80 which discrimination is a principle example – and in many cases have different objectives for development outcomes. These obstacles and outcomes pertain to minority rights protection and should be taken into consideration when making proposals for development interventions. Targeted and inclusive approaches can be used concurrently. Often a combination of both approaches will maximize the benefits to minorities and minimize tensions with majority communities. For example, a programme on education could aim to support all poor people to access education; poor minorities will be among the intended rights-holders to benefit from such a programme. However, a further targeted measure is necessary within the programme parameters to ensure that the particular barriers to education experienced by minorities are taken into account in the general education programme. This means, for instance, considering whether minorities have higher poverty rates, cultural practices that are impacting on access to education, discriminatory practices in schools that dissuade minorities from participating in education and consideration of measures such as mother tongue education that could enable minorities to access education more readily. A targeted objective within an inclusive programme can deliver effective results. Key Messages  Targeted approaches can help to reach the most marginalised minorities  Projects for ‘vulnerable groups’ may not tackle the particular obstacles – such as discrimination – that keep minorities marginalised M A R G I N A L I S E D M I N O R I T I E S I N D E V E LO P M E N T P R O G R A M M I N g