Effective promotion of the Declaration on the Rights of Persons Belonging to National or Ethnic, Religious and Linguistic Minorities

Urges States and the international community to promote and protect the rights of persons belonging to national or ethnic, religious and linguistic minorities, as set out in the Declaration on the Rights of Persons Belonging to National or Ethnic, Religious and Linguistic Minorities, including through the facilitation of their participation in all aspects of the political, economic, social, religious and cultural life of society and in the economic progress and development of their country; calls upon the Secretary-General to make available, at the request of Governments concerned, qualified expertise on minority issues, including the prevention and resolution of disputes, to assist in existing or potential situations involving minorities; requests the High Commissioner for Human Rights to continue her efforts to improve the coordination and cooperation among UN programmes and agencies on activities related to the promotion and protection of the rights of persons belonging to minorities and to take the work of relevant regional organizations active in the field of human rights into account in her endeavours; urges all treaty bodies to give regard, within their respective mandates, to the promotion and protection of the rights of persons belonging to minorities.

Adopted without vote, 70th meeting

3 p.

Adopted at the 70th plenary meeting, 12 Dec. 1997.