In the present report, the Special Rapporteur on minority issues, Fernand de Varennes, provides a summary of his activities since his previous report to the General Assembly and highlights continuing work on the thematic priorities of statelessness, education and minority languages, hate speech targeting minorities in social media, as well as initiatives on a regional approach to minority issues. He also provides a summary of his country visits, communications and other activities.

In the thematic study on the significance and scope of the four categories of minorities – national or ethnic, religious and linguistic – the Special Rapporteur reviews the history, approaches and jurisprudence on the categories within United Nations mechanisms and entities, as well as the views of Member States, civil society organizations, minorities and other stakeholders, in order to provide greater clarity for his own mandate and all other stakeholders in upholding the human rights of minorities. He makes a number of recommendations to ensure greater consistency within and outside the United Nations on the categories of beneficiaries under the United Nations minority rights system and to guide the activities of his mandate on the human rights of persons belonging to minorities.