A/HRC/25/56 Many minorities have historically been excluded from full and effective participation in economic life, both in the developed and developing world. Minorities face discrimination when they seek employment due to their colour, religion, language or names. Minorities are poorly represented even in public-sector employment, including where legislation bans discrimination in public and private sectors. They may face barriers in accessing credit or loans and may live in the poorest or remote regions that offer limited prospects for their economic development. Large-scale economic development projects or commercial activities carried out on the lands where minorities live frequently have negative impacts, including displacement, perpetuation of poverty and, in some cases, violence. 66. Several factors exacerbate the exclusion of minorities, including deteriorating economic conditions, ethnic tensions and rising discrimination. Unequal regional distribution of resources and services and a lack of basic infrastructure in regions where minorities live often have the effect of preventing them from fully exercising their economic and social rights. The past decade has brought new and unanticipated challenges, including the global food and economic crises that have been proven to have a greater impact on particular vulnerable groups and minorities. Failing to fully include and integrate minorities also means that States are missing out on economic developments and benefits that such inclusion brings. World Bank studies have shown how the inclusion of currently marginalized and excluded minorities in economic life would lead to increased GDP.31 E. Hunger, food security and nutrition 67. Directly linked to health concerns, minorities are frequently in a vulnerable situation in regard to hunger, food security and nutrition. High levels of poverty and extreme poverty, lack of access to employment or secure forms of income, land or land tenure all impact on their food security. In India, for example, child malnutrition is some 14–20 per cent higher for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes and has been declining at a slower rate than for the rest of the populations over the period of the MDGs.32 In country visits by the mandate holders to Rwanda (2011) and Cameroon (2013), food security and nutrition was a major concern of Batwa and Pygmy communities, many of whom are displaced from traditional forest habitats and can no longer maintain their hunter/gather lifestyles and access forest-based food sources. F. Conflict and fragility 68. Globally, minorities often suffer disproportionately from the impact of conflict. Many examples demonstrate clearly the impact of conflict upon minorities and their development and rights, which in some cases has been devastating and has set progress towards development goals back by years for certain groups. 69. The huge impact of conflict and instability on minorities in Iraq has been documented, including for Muslim minorities, Baha’is, Christians, Armenians, ChaldoAssyrians, Faili Kurds, Palestinians, Jews, Sabian Mandaeans, Yazidis and others. Minority 31 32 18 See, for example, “Economic costs of Roma exclusion”. Available from http://siteresources.worldbank.org/EXTROMA/Resources/Economic_Costs_Roma_Exclusion.pdf. Thorat, S. and Sabharwal, N.S., Addressing the unequal burden of malnutrition’, India Health Beat, vol. 5, No. 5 (June 2011), p. 1. (Cited from Lennox, Addressing health inequalities.)