Forums

Third session of the Forum on Minority Issues

Date

14 - 15 December 2010

THEME

Minorities and effective participation in economic life

Held on 14 and 15 December 2010, the third United Nations Forum on Minority issues focused on “Minorities and effective participation in economic life”.

Prof. Gita Sen, Professor of Public Policy at the Indian Institute of Management in Bangalore, India and Adjunct Professor of Global Health and Population at the Harvard School of Public Health, chaired the session.

Outcome documents

Further information

  • List of participants
  • Provisional agenda: A | C | E | F | R | S
  • Concept note “Minorities and effective participation in economic life”: A | C | E | F | R | S

Side events

Oral statements

Item I – Opening meeting

Item II – Overview of Recent Global Initiatives regarding the rights of minorities to effective participation in economic life

  • Dr. Selim Jahan, Director, Poverty Practice, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)
  • Ms. Kirsi Madi, Deputy Director of UNICEF Regional Office for the CEE/CIS

Item III and IV– Sustainable Livelihoods

Assigned speakers

  • Mr. Pijush Kumar Barman, Program Manager for Capacity Enhancement of Indigenous Peoples Project Implemented by Community Health Care Project on “The Loss Of Land And Livelihood And Its Impact On Minority Communities”
  • Ms. Clemencia Carabali, Expert on Afro-Colombian issues and member of Municipal Association of Women on “How Afro-Colombians Are Losing Their Land”
  • Mr. Anurag Varma, Civil Rights Attorney, Patton Boggs LLP on “Achieving Justice for Minority Farmers Through Litigation”
  • Ms. Rawia Abu Rabia. Social Activist and Human Rights Lawyer with the Association for Civil Rights in Israel on “Land And Housing Rights For Arab Minorities In Israel”
  • Dr. Leopold von Carlowitz, Senior Researcher with the Center for International Peace Operations, on “Minority Land Rights Projects In Africa And Eastern Europe”

Participants

Item V – Work and Social Security

Assigned speakers

  • Ms. Adelle Blackett, Associate Professor & William Dawson Scholar, Faculty of Law, McGill University on “Racial Inequalities, Labour Rights, and Decent Work”
  • Ms. Magdalena Sepulveda Carmona, Independent Expert on human rights and extreme poverty, Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights on “The Importance of Social Protections”
  • Ms. Hawe Bouba, Expert on African indigenous women on “Social Security And Women’s Empowerment In Cameroon”
  • Ms. Hadra El Sana, Executive Director, Sidreh on “Bedouin Women’s Grassroots Organisations And The Promotion Of Employment And Small Business Development”
  • Ms. Claire Courteille, Director of the Equality Department at the International Trade Union Confederation on “Discrimination In The Labour Market”
  • Ms. Myrtle Witbooi, Chair of the International Domestic Workers’ Network and General Secretary SADSAWU (South African Domestic Service and Allied Workers Union), on “Minority Women As Domestic Workers”
  • Ms. Maria Luisa Hurtado Angulo, Coordinator of the Black Women’s National Coordination Chapter in Esmeraldas on “The Situation Of Afro-Ecuadoran Women In The Labor Force”
  • Mr. Azzouz Kerdoun, United Nations Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, on “Minorities And General Comment No. 18 On The Right To Work Under Article 6 Of The International Covenant On Economic, Social And Cultural Rights”
  • Ms. Barbara Wilson, Professor of Public International Law at Lausanne University and Member of the Advisory Committee of the Framework Convention on the Protection of National Minorities of the Council of Europe on “Discrimination In Access To Employment Of Persons Belonging To National Minorities”

Participants

Item VI – Discrimination and Positive measures/affirmative action

Assigned speakers

  • Mr. Marcelo Jorge de Paula Paixao, Associate Professor at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro and Coordinator of the Laboratory of Economic Analysis, Historical, Social Statistics and Race Relations (LAES) on “Positive Measures/Affirmative Action as a Means To Promote Racial Equality In The Brazilian Social Context”
  • Mr. Chris Maina Peter, Member of UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD) on “Affirmation Action Under the International Convention on Racial Discrimination”
  • Ms. Victoria Popescu, Member of UN Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) on “Discrimination Against Minority Women In The Workplace”
  • Mr. Omar Khan, Senior Researcher and Policy Analyst at Runnymede Trust on“Financial Inclusion, Ethnicity And Policy Action”

Participants

Item VII and VIII – Meaningful and effective participation in economic and development policy-making

Assigned speakers

  • H.E Dr. Be, Vice Standing Chairman of the Committee for Ethnic Minority Affairs on “Experiences, challenges and good practices in promoting the effective participation of ethnic minorities in the economic development of Vietnam”
  • Mr. Pedro de Jesus, Director of Diversity and Interculturalism, State for Social Affairs and Citizen’s Participation on “Meaningful And Effective Participation In Economic And Development Policy-Making”
  • Mr. Celeo Alvarez, President of ODECO (Ethnic Community Development Organization) on “The Incorporation Of Minority Issues In Community-Based Development And Effective Strategies For National Consultative Mechanisms (E.G. National Budget Allocation)”
  • Mr. Vincent de Graaf, Legal Advisor, Office of the High Commissioner for National Minorities (OSCE) on “The Economic Aspects Of Minority Integration And Conflict Prevention”.
  • Mr. David Winjobi, Principal Coordinator of CAFSO-WRAG for Development Nigeria on “The Millenium Development Goals and Minorities”
  • Mr. Yosef Jabareen, Senior Lecturer of the Faculty of Architecture and Town Planning at the Israel Institute of Technology on “The Involvement of Minorities In Urban Planning And Social Policy Development”
  • Mr. Tezerah Getahn Tiruneh, Expert on Pastoralists in Ethiopia on “Meaningful Participation On The Example Of PRSP Process In Ethiopia/Policy Frameworks And Instruments”
  • Ms. Aleksandra Dimitrijevic, Senior Lawyer Investigator, Head of the field office in Gračanica with the Ombudsperson Institution on “Economic Inclusion Through The Promotion And Protection Of Minority Rights And Local/International Guarantees”

Participants

Item IX – Concrete steps to advance and build capacity of minorities to participate effectively in economic life

Assigned speakers

  • Mr. Roberto Bissio, Executive Director of the Third World Institute and Coordinator of Social Watch on “Concrete Steps And Measures To Economic Participation Of Minorities”
  • Mr. Paul N. Divakar, Convenor of Indian National Campaign for Dalit Human Rights on “Policies And Projects Fostering Participatory Approaches For Economic Inclusion”
  • Mr. John A. Powell, Professor of Law at the University of Minnesota on “Concrete Steps And Legislative Measures To Counter Dynamics Created By The Intersections Of Race And Poverty”
  • Mr. Jan Jarab, OHCHR Regional Representative for Europe on “The Status Of The Current Efforts At The European Level On Roma Inclusion”

Participants

Item VIII – Concluding Remarks

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