The General
Assembly,
Reaffirming that one
of the basic aims of the United Nations, as proclaimed in the Charter, is to
promote and encourage respect for human rights and for fundamental freedoms for
all, without distinction as to race, sex, language or religion,
Reaffirming faith in
fundamental human rights, in the dignity and worth of the human person, in the
equal rights of men and women and of nations large and small,
Desiring to promote
the realization of the principles contained in the Charter, the Universal
Declaration of Human Rights, the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of
the Crime of Genocide, the International Convention on the Elimination of All
Forms of Racial Discrimination, the International Covenant on Civil and Political
Rights, the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, the
Declaration on the Elimination of All Forms of Intolerance and of
Discrimination Based on Religion or Belief, and the Convention on the Rights of
the Child, as well as other relevant international instruments that have been
adopted at the universal or regional level and those concluded between
individual States Members of the United Nations,
Inspired by the
provisions of article 27 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political
Rights concerning the rights of persons belonging to ethnic, religious or
linguistic minorities,
Considering that the
promotion and protection of the rights of persons belonging to national or
ethnic, religious and linguistic minorities contribute to the political and
social stability of States in which they live,
Emphasizing that the
constant promotion and realization of the rights of persons belonging to
national or ethnic, religious and linguistic minorities, as an integral part of
the development of society as a whole and within a democratic framework based
on the rule of law, would contribute to the strengthening of friendship and
cooperation among peoples and States,
Considering that the
United Nations has an important role to play regarding the protection of
minorities,
Bearing in mind the
work done so far within the United Nations system, in particular by the
Commission on Human Rights, the Subcommission on Prevention of Discrimination
and Protection of Minorities and the bodies established pursuant to the
International Covenants on Human Rights and other relevant international human
rights instruments in promoting and protecting the rights of persons belonging
to national or ethnic, religious and linguistic minorities,
Taking into account
the important work which is done by intergovernmental and non-governmental
organizations in protecting minorities and in promoting and protecting the
rights of persons belonging to national or ethnic, religious and linguistic
minorities,
Recognizing the need
to ensure even more effective implementation of international human rights
instruments with regard to the rights of persons belonging to national or
ethnic, religious and linguistic minorities,
Proclaims this
Declaration on the Rights of Persons Belonging to National or Ethnic, Religious
and Linguistic Minorities:
Article 1
1. States shall
protect the existence and the national or ethnic, cultural, religious and
linguistic identity of minorities within their respective territories and shall
encourage conditions for the promotion of that identity.
2. States shall adopt
appropriate legislative and other measures to achieve those ends.
Article 2
1. Persons belonging
to national or ethnic, religious and linguistic minorities (hereinafter referred
to as persons belonging to minorities) have the right to enjoy their own
culture, to profess and practise their own religion, and to use their own
language, in private and in public, freely and without interference or any form
of discrimination.
2. Persons belonging
to minorities have the right to participate effectively in cultural, religious,
social, economic and public life.
3. Persons belonging
to minorities have the right to participate effectively in decisions on the
national and, where appropriate, regional level concerning the minority to
which they belong or the regions in which they live, in a manner not
incompatible with national legislation.
4. Persons belonging
to minorities have the right to establish and maintain their own associations.
5. Persons belonging
to minorities have the right to establish and maintain, without any
discrimination, free and peaceful contacts with other members of their group
and with persons belonging to other minorities, as well as contacts across
frontiers with citizens of other States to whom they are related by national or
ethnic, religious or linguistic ties.
Article 3
1. Persons belonging
to minorities may exercise their rights, including those set forth in the
present Declaration, individually as well as in community with other members of
their group, without any discrimination.
2. No disadvantage
shall result for any person belonging to a minority as the consequence of the
exercise or non-exercise of the rights set forth in the present Declaration.
Article 4
1. States shall take
measures where required to ensure that persons belonging to minorities may
exercise fully and effectively all their human rights and fundamental freedoms
without any discrimination and in full equality before the law.
2. States shall take
measures to create favourable conditions to enable persons belonging to
minorities to express their characteristics and to develop their culture,
language, religion, traditions and customs, except where specific practices are
in violation of national law and contrary to international standards.
3. States should take
appropriate measures so that, wherever possible, persons belonging to
minorities may have adequate opportunities to learn their mother tongue or to
have instruction in their mother tongue.
4. States should,
where appropriate, take measures in the field of education, in order to
encourage knowledge of the history, traditions, language and culture of the
minorities existing within their territory. Persons belonging to minorities
should have adequate opportunities to gain knowledge of the society as a whole.
5. States should
consider appropriate measures so that persons belonging to minorities may
participate fully in the economic progress and development in their country.
Article 5
1. National policies
and programmes shall be planned and implemented with due regard for the
legitimate interests of persons belonging to minorities.
2. Programmes of
cooperation and assistance among States should be planned and implemented with
due regard for the legitimate interests of persons belonging to minorities.
Article 6
States should
cooperate on questions relating to persons belonging to minorities, inter alia,
exchanging information and experiences, in order to promote mutual
understanding and confidence.
Article 7
States should
cooperate in order to promote respect for the rights set forth in the present
Declaration.
Article 8
1. Nothing in the
present Declaration shall prevent the fulfilment of international obligations
of States in relation to persons belonging to minorities. In particular, States
shall fulfil in good faith the obligations and commitments they have assumed
under international treaties and agreements to which they are parties.
2. The exercise of the
rights set forth in the present Declaration shall not prejudice the enjoyment
by all persons of universally recognized human rights and fundamental freedoms.
3. Measures taken by
States to ensure the effective enjoyment of the rights set forth in the present
Declaration shall not prima facie be considered contrary to the principle of
equality contained in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
4. Nothing in the
present Declaration may be construed as permitting any activity contrary to the
purposes and principles of the United Nations, including sovereign equality,
territorial integrity and political independence of States.
Article 9
The specialized
agencies and other organizations of the United Nations system shall contribute
to the full realization of the rights and principles set forth in the present
Declaration, within their respective fields of competence.
© Copyright 1997 - 2000
Office
of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights
Geneva,
Switzerland