Report of the Special Rapporteur on minority issues

Abstract

The Secretariat has the honour to transmit to the Human Rights Council the report of the Special Rapporteur on minority issues, Fernand de Varennes, prepared pursuant to Human Rights Council resolution 34/6, which extended the mandate under the same terms as provided for in resolution 25/5. The report is the first one submitted to the Council by Mr. de Varennes in his capacity as Special Rapporteur. It provides a summary of the activities undertaken by the mandate holder since he assumed his functions on 1 August 2017 and outlines his main priorities and vision for the mandate. The report also contains a review of the activities of the previous mandate holder, Rita Izsák-Ndiaye, from January to July 2017. In the report, the Special Rapporteur gives an update on the work of the tenth Forum on Minority Issues, held on 30 November and 1 December 2017, entitled “Minority youth: towards inclusive and diverse societies”. He highlights the crucial role that minority youth play in advocating for and protecting the rights of minorities, particularly through the use of digital media and various social media platforms. He underscores the importance of including minority youth in decision-making processes, which transform them into active agents of change in their respective contexts.