The General Assembly,<\/p>\n
Reaffirming that one of the main purposes of the United Nations, as
\nproclaimed in the Charter of the United Nations, is to achieve international
\ncooperation in promoting and encouraging respect for human rights and for
\nfundamental freedoms for all without distinction as to race, sex, language or
\nreligion,<\/p>\n
Noting the importance of the even more effective implementation of
\ninternational human rights instruments with regard to the rights of persons
\nbelonging to national or ethnic, religious and linguistic minorities,<\/p>\n
Welcoming the increased attention given by human rights treaty bodies to
\nthe non-discrimination and protection of minorities,<\/p>\n
Aware of the provisions of article 27 of the International Covenant on
\nCivil and Political Rights concerning the rights of persons belonging to
\nethnic, religious or linguistic minorities,<\/p>\n
Considering that the United Nations has an increasingly important role
\nto play regarding the protection of minorities,<\/p>\n
Bearing in mind the work done so far within the United Nations system,
\nin particular through the relevant mechanisms of the Commission on Human
\nRights and the Subcommission on Prevention of Discrimination and Protection of
\nMinorities, in promoting and protecting the rights of persons belonging to
\nnational or ethnic, religious and linguistic minorities,<\/p>\n
Recognizing the important achievements in this regard in regional,
\nsubregional and bilateral frameworks, which can provide a useful source of
\ninspiration for future United Nations activities,<\/p>\n
Stressing the need to ensure for all, without discrimination of any
\nkind, full enjoyment and exercise of human rights and fundamental freedoms,
\nand emphasizing the importance of the draft Declaration on the Rights of
\nPersons Belonging to National or Ethnic, Religious and Linguistic Minorities
\nin that regard,<\/p>\n
Recalling its resolution 46\/115 of 17 December 1991 and taking note of
\nCommission on Human Rights resolution 1992\/16 of 21 February 1992, by which
\nthe Commission approved the text of the draft declaration on the rights of
\npersons belonging to national or ethnic, religious and linguistic minorities,
\nand Economic and Social Council resolution 1992\/4 of 20 July 1992, in which
\nthe Council recommended it to the General Assembly for adoption and further
\naction,<\/p>\n
Having considered the note by the Secretary-General,<\/p>\n
1. Adopts the Declaration on the Rights of Persons Belonging to
\nNational or Ethnic, Religious and Linguistic Minorities, the text of which is
\nannexed to the present resolution;<\/p>\n
2. Requests the Secretary-General to ensure the distribution of the
\nDeclaration as widely as possible and to include the text of the Declaration
\nin the next edition of Human Rights: A Compilation of International
\nInstruments;<\/p>\n
3. Invites United Nations agencies and organizations and
\nintergovernmental and non-governmental organizations to intensify their
\nefforts with a view to disseminating information on the Declaration and to
\npromoting understanding thereof;<\/p>\n
4. Invites the relevant organs and bodies of the United Nations,
\nincluding treaty bodies, as well as representatives of the Commission on Human
\nRights and the Subcommission on Prevention of Discrimination and Protection of
\nMinorities, to give due regard to the Declaration within their mandates;<\/p>\n
5. Requests the Secretary-General to consider appropriate ways for
\nthe effective promotion of the Declaration and to make proposals thereon;<\/p>\n
6. Also requests the Secretary-General to report to the General
\nAssembly at its forty-eighth session on the implementation of the present
\nresolution under the item entitled “Human rights questions”.<\/p>\n
ANNEX<\/p>\n
Declaration on the Rights of Persons Belonging to National
\nor Ethnic, Religious and Linguistic Minorities<\/p>\n
The General Assembly,<\/p>\n
Reaffirming that one of the basic aims of the United Nations, as
\nproclaimed in the Charter, is to promote and encourage respect for human
\nrights and for fundamental freedoms for all, without distinction as to race,
\nsex, language or religion,<\/p>\n
Reaffirming faith in fundamental human rights, in the dignity and worth
\nof the human person, in the equal rights of men and women and of nations large
\nand small,<\/p>\n
Desiring to promote the realization of the principles contained in the
\nCharter, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the Convention on the
\nPrevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide, the International
\nConvention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination, the
\nInternational Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the International
\nCovenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, the Declaration on the
\nElimination of All Forms of Intolerance and of Discrimination Based on
\nReligion or Belief, and the Convention on the Rights of the Child, as well as
\nother relevant international instruments that have been adopted at the
\nuniversal or regional level and those concluded between individual States
\nMembers of the United Nations,<\/p>\n
Inspired by the provisions of article 27 of the International Covenant
\non Civil and Political Rights concerning the rights of persons belonging to
\nethnic, religious or linguistic minorities,<\/p>\n
Considering that the promotion and protection of the rights of persons
\nbelonging to national or ethnic, religious and linguistic minorities
\ncontribute to the political and social stability of States in which they live,<\/p>\n
Emphasizing that the constant promotion and realization of the rights of
\npersons belonging to national or ethnic, religious and linguistic minorities,
\nas an integral part of the development of society as a whole and within a
\ndemocratic framework based on the rule of law, would contribute to the
\nstrengthening of friendship and cooperation among peoples and States,<\/p>\n
Considering that the United Nations has an important role to play
\nregarding the protection of minorities,<\/p>\n
Bearing in mind the work done so far within the United Nations system,
\nin particular by the Commission on Human Rights, the Subcommission on
\nPrevention of Discrimination and Protection of Minorities and the bodies
\nestablished pursuant to the International Covenants on Human Rights and other
\nrelevant international human rights instruments in promoting and protecting
\nthe rights of persons belonging to national or ethnic, religious and
\nlinguistic minorities,<\/p>\n
Taking into account the important work which is done by
\nintergovernmental and non-governmental organizations in protecting minorities
\nand in promoting and protecting the rights of persons belonging to national or
\nethnic, religious and linguistic minorities,<\/p>\n
Recognizing the need to ensure even more effective implementation of
\ninternational human rights instruments with regard to the rights of persons
\nbelonging to national or ethnic, religious and linguistic minorities,<\/p>\n
Proclaims this Declaration on the Rights of Persons Belonging to
\nNational or Ethnic, Religious and Linguistic Minorities:<\/p>\n
Article 1<\/p>\n
1. States shall protect the existence and the national or ethnic, cultural,
\nreligious and linguistic identity of minorities within their respective
\nterritories and shall encourage conditions for the promotion of that identity.<\/p>\n
2. States shall adopt appropriate legislative and other measures to achieve
\nthose ends.<\/p>\n
Article 2<\/p>\n
1. Persons belonging to national or ethnic, religious and linguistic
\nminorities (hereinafter referred to as persons belonging to minorities) have
\nthe right to enjoy their own culture, to profess and practise their own
\nreligion, and to use their own language, in private and in public, freely and
\nwithout interference or any form of discrimination.<\/p>\n
2. Persons belonging to minorities have the right to participate
\neffectively in cultural, religious, social, economic and public life.<\/p>\n
3. Persons belonging to minorities have the right to participate
\neffectively in decisions on the national and, where appropriate, regional
\nlevel concerning the minority to which they belong or the regions in which
\nthey live, in a manner not incompatible with national legislation.<\/p>\n
4. Persons belonging to minorities have the right to establish and maintain
\ntheir own associations.<\/p>\n
5. Persons belonging to minorities have the right to establish and
\nmaintain, without any discrimination, free and peaceful contacts with other
\nmembers of their group and with persons belonging to other minorities, as well
\nas contacts across frontiers with citizens of other States to whom they are
\nrelated by national or ethnic, religious or linguistic ties.<\/p>\n
Article 3<\/p>\n
1. Persons belonging to minorities may exercise their rights, including
\nthose set forth in the present Declaration, individually as well as in
\ncommunity with other members of their group, without any discrimination.<\/p>\n
2. No disadvantage shall result for any person belonging to a minority as
\nthe consequence of the exercise or non-exercise of the rights set forth in the
\npresent Declaration.<\/p>\n
Article 4<\/p>\n
1. States shall take measures where required to ensure that persons
\nbelonging to minorities may exercise fully and effectively all their human
\nrights and fundamental freedoms without any discrimination and in full
\nequality before the law.<\/p>\n
2. States shall take measures to create favourable conditions to enable
\npersons belonging to minorities to express their characteristics and to
\ndevelop their culture, language, religion, traditions and customs, except
\nwhere specific practices are in violation of national law and contrary to
\ninternational standards.<\/p>\n
3. States should take appropriate measures so that, wherever possible,
\npersons belonging to minorities may have adequate opportunities to learn their
\nmother tongue or to have instruction in their mother tongue.<\/p>\n
4. States should, where appropriate, take measures in the field of
\neducation, in order to encourage knowledge of the history, traditions,
\nlanguage and culture of the minorities existing within their territory.
\nPersons belonging to minorities should have adequate opportunities to gain
\nknowledge of the society as a whole.<\/p>\n
5. States should consider appropriate measures so that persons belonging to
\nminorities may participate fully in the economic progress and development in
\ntheir country.<\/p>\n
Article 5<\/p>\n
1. National policies and programmes shall be planned and implemented with
\ndue regard for the legitimate interests of persons belonging to minorities.<\/p>\n
2. Programmes of cooperation and assistance among States should be planned
\nand implemented with due regard for the legitimate interests of persons
\nbelonging to minorities.<\/p>\n
Article 6<\/p>\n
States should cooperate on questions relating to persons belonging to
\nminorities, inter alia, exchanging information and experiences, in order to
\npromote mutual understanding and confidence.<\/p>\n
Article 7<\/p>\n
States should cooperate in order to promote respect for the rights set
\nforth in the present Declaration.<\/p>\n
Article 8<\/p>\n
1. Nothing in the present Declaration shall prevent the fulfilm ent of
\ninternational obligations of States in relation to persons belonging to
\nminorities. In particular, States shall fulfil in good faith the obligations
\nand commitments they have assumed under international treaties and agreements
\nto which they are parties.<\/p>\n
2. The exercise of the rights set forth in the present Declarat ion
\nshall not prejudice the enjoyment by all persons of universally recognized
\nhuman rights and fundamental freedoms.<\/p>\n
3. Measures taken by States to ensure the effective enjoyment o f the
\nrights set forth in the present Declaration shall not prima facie be
\nconsidered contrary to the principle of equality contained in the Universal
\nDeclaration of Human Rights.<\/p>\n
4. Nothing in the present Declaration may be construed as permi tting
\nany activity contrary to the purposes and principles of the United Nations,
\nincluding sovereign equality, territorial integrity and political independence
\nof States.<\/p>\n
Article 9<\/p>\n
The specialized agencies and other organizations of the United Nations
\nsystem shall contribute to the full realization of the rights and principles
\nset forth in the present Declaration, within their respective fields of
\ncompetence.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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