Americas Regional Forum: Working toward conflict prevention through the protection of minority rights

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GENEVA (23 April 2021) – The Americas Regional Forum on conflict prevention and the protection of the human rights of minorities in the region, convened by the UN Special Rapporteur on minority issues Fernand de Varennes, will take place on 27 and 28 April.

Hosted by the Government of Mexico, the Regional Forum will bring together minority participants and state representatives from some 15 countries, as well as UN representatives and civil society groups.

The Americas Regional Forum is the first among four regional fora which the Special Rapporteur on Minority Issues will convene in 2021 on maintaining peace through justice and human rights to address grievances often at the root of most of the world’s conflicts today. Discussions will inform the work and recommendations of the 14th session of the global UN Forum on Minority Issues taking place in Geneva in December 2021 on the theme of “Conflict Prevention and the Protection of the Human Rights of Minorities”.

The Americas Forum will take place on-line this year because of the pandemic and is open to the media. The event will be livestreamed at:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ligBnibmG5w

Learn more about the Americas Regional Forum on Minority Issues

ENDS

BACKGROUND:

Pursuant to Human Rights Councilresolution 6/15 of 28 September 2007 renewed by resolution 19/23 of 23 March2012, a forum on minority issues has been established to provide a platform for promoting dialogue and cooperation on issues pertaining to national or ethnic, religious and linguistic minorities, as well as thematic contributions and expertise to the work of the Special Rapporteur on minority issues. The Forum shall identify and analyze best practices, challenges, opportunities and initiatives for the further implementation of the Declaration on the Rights ofPersons Belonging to National or Ethnic, Religious and Linguistic Minorities.

The Forum meets annually for two working days allocated to thematic discussions. The Special Rapporteur on minority issues, Mr Fernand de Varennes, is tasked to guide the work of the Forum, prepare its annual meetings and report on the thematic recommendations of the Forum to the Human Rights Council.

For inquiries and media requests, please contact: Marina Narvaez (+41-22 917 9286 / mnarvaez@ohchr.org) or Hee-Kyong Yoo (+41- 22 917 9723/ hyoo@ohchr.org)

For media inquiries related to other UN independent experts please contact Jeremy Laurence (+ 41 22 917 9445 / jlaurence@ohchr.org)
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