labour. The enjoyment of equality of opportunity
and treatment of minorities in work is monitored
under this Declaration.
The 1960 UNESCO Convention Against
Discrimination in Education governs equality in
access to education and to training for teachers
as well as providing safeguards for religious or
linguistic education and education by national
minorities. The importance of providing education that will “promote understanding, tolerance
and friendship among all nations, racial or religious groups” is stressed (article 5.1 (a)).
The 2003 UNESCO Convention for the
Safeguarding of Intangible Heritage safeguards
and promotes the practices, representations,
expressions, knowledge, skills – as well as the
associated instruments, objects, artefacts and
cultural spaces – that communities, groups
and, in some cases, individuals recognize as
part of their cultural heritage. For this purpose, the Convention establishes a fund
and a listing system of representative and
endangered heritage.
The 2005 UNESCO Convention on the
Protection and Promotion of the Diversity
of Cultural Expressions encourages States to
incorporate culture in national and international
development policies and to adopt measures
aimed at protecting and promoting the diversity of cultural expressions within their territory.
The UNESCO Convention emphasises the recognition of equal dignity and respect for all
cultures, including that of persons belonging
to minorities. It provides for the freedom to
create, produce, disseminate, distribute and
have access to traditional cultural expressions,
and encourages States to create environments
conducive to this.
11.5 UN SPECIAL PROCEDURES
The UN Office of the High Commissioner for
Human Rights (OHCHR) supports a number of
special procedures (also known as Independent
Experts, Special Rapporteurs and Working
Groups) that may be used to promote minority
rights. Their mandates are usually to examine,
monitor, advise and publicly report on human
rights situations in specific countries or territories, known as “country mandates”, or on major
phenomena of human rights concern worldwide, known as “thematic mandates”. Various
activities are undertaken by special procedures,
including responding to individual complaints,
conducting studies, providing advice on technical cooperation and engaging in general
promotional activities. Most receive information
on specific allegations of human rights violations
and send urgent appeals or letters of allegation
to governments asking for clarification. They also
carry out country visits at the invitation of the
country concerned.
11.5.1 The UN Independent Expert on
Minority Issues
The mandate of the Independent Expert on
minority issues complements and enhances the
work of other UN bodies and mechanisms that
address minority rights and minority issues,
including the Forum on Minority Issues and
the treaty monitoring bodies. The Independent
Expert can consult directly with governments
and may take into account the views of NGOs,
offering a unique opportunity for constructive
engagement in country situations.
The Commission on Human Rights, in Resolution
2005/79, established the mandate of the
Independent Expert on minority issues:
(a) To promote the implementation of the
Declaration on the Rights of Persons Belonging
to National or Ethnic, Religious and Linguistic
Minorities, including through consultations with Governments, taking into account
existing international standards and national
legislation concerning minorities;
(b) To identify best practices and possibilities
for technical cooperation by the Office of the
United Nations High Commissioner for Human
Rights at the request of Governments;
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