Welcome to the United Nations 
OHCHR 
Forums
Fourth session of the Forum on Minority Issues
Date
29 - 30 November 2011
THEME
Guaranteeing the rights of minority women
Ms. Graciela J. Dixon C., former Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Panama, chaired the Fourth Session of the Forum on Minority Issues on 29 and 30 November 2011. The thematic focus of this session of the Forum on Minority Issues was “Guaranteeing the rights of minority women”.
Outcome documents
- Chairperson’s summary of the Forum discussions
- Recommendations from the 2011 Forum on minority issues on Guaranteeing the rights of minority women and girls (A/HRC/19/71)
Further information
- List of delegations/organizations that attended the Forum
- Concept Note on "Guaranteeing the rights of minority women" (A/HRC/FMI/2011/2)
- Provisional agenda (A/HRC/FMI/2011/1)
- Programme of work: English
Side events
- Side event organized by OHCHR on Tuesday, 29 November 2011
- Side event organized by MRG and UNPO on Wednesday 30 November 2011
Oral statements
Item I – Opening meeting
- H.E. Ambassador Laura Dupuy Lasserre, President of the Human Rights Council
- Video message by Ms. Rita Izsák [Version in pdf], Independent Expert on Minority Issues
- Ms. Graciela Dixon, Chair of the Forum on Minority Issues
Item II – International and regional human rights frameworks and recent global initiatives relating to minority women’s rights
Assigned speakers
- Ms. Anastasia Crickley, Member, Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination
- Ms. Soyata Maiga, Special Rapporteur on the rights of women in Africa , African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights
- Mr. Leonardo Reales Jimenéz, Colombia
Participants
- Council of Europe
- Permanent Mission of Hungary
Item III – Minority women and girls and the right to education
Assigned speakers
- Ms. Maya Sahli, Member, Working Group of Experts on People of African Descent
- Ms. Kirsi Madi, Deputy Director of UNICEF Regional Office for the CEE/CIS
- Ms. Farah Naqvi, India
- Ms. Beata Bislim Olahova, Slovakia
- Ms. Hannan Elsaneh, Israel
- Ms. Maria Joyce, Ireland
Participants
- Permanent Mission of Austria
- Permanent Mission of Greece
- Community Development Resource Network
- World Sindhi Congress
- Saudi Association for Women Development
- Permanent Mission of China
- Balochistan Peoples Party
- Center for Social Equity and Inclusion
- Communauté des Potiers du Rwanda
- Federation of Western Thrace Turks in Europe ABTTF
- National Association of Youth Organisations
- Ahwaz Education and Human Rights Foundation
- Permanent Mission of the United States
- Institute for Regional Studies
- ECMI Caucasus
- World Azerbanjanians’ Union
- AZIDI
- Ogaden Youth and Student Union
- YASA e.v Kurdish Centre for Legal Studies and Consultancy
- Afri Forum
- Western Thrace Minority University Graduates Associations
- United Nations Watch
- Reseau des Associations Pygmees en RD Congo
- Khmer Krom Federation
- Ahwaz Human Right Organization
- Permanent Mission of Saudi Arabia
Item IV – Minority women and effective political participation
Assigned speakers
- Ms. Mercedes Barquet, Member, Working Group on the issue of discrimination against women in law and in practice
- Ms. Sonu Rani Das, Bangladesh
- Ms. Renu Sijapati, Nepal
- Ms. Sherine Xavier, Sri Lanka
- Ms. Kareen Jabre, Inter-Parliamentary Union
- Ms. Anastasia Chukhman, Member, Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples
Participants
- IRA Mauritania
- Partners Association for Development
- Montagnard - Foundation
- Lumah Ma Dilaut
- Support Nepal
- NCDHR India
- Murmansk Region Autonomy Saami
- Saudi Association for Women Development
- Permanent Mission of Russian Federation
- ARC Culture
- Organization of Islamic Cooperation
- Permanent Mission of China
- Operation Black Vote
- Crimean Tatar Youth Council
- International Movement against All forms of Discrimination and Racism
- International Kurdish Union
- Permanent Mission of Australia
- Western Thrace Minority University Graduate Association
- Assyrian Universal Alliance
- Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Council
- National Roma Centrum ERTF COE
- Minority Rights Group International
- Permanent Mission of Greece
- Crimean Tatar’s PEN-Club
Item V – Minority women and effective participation in economic, social and cultural life
Assigned speakers
- Ms. Pramila Patten, Member, Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women
- Ms. Heisoo Shin, Member, Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights
- Ms. Atieno Jennipher Kere, Kenya
- Ms. Mariam Yassin Hagi Yussuf , Somalia
Participants – First Slot
- World Uyghur Congress
- TR Plus Centre for Turkey in Europe
- Evidence India
- Navsarjan Trust
- Kurdocide Watch
- Parivartan Kendra (Centre for Change)
- Association for Human Rights in Kurdistan of Iran
- Association for Social Change
- Resolve Ogden Coalition
- Permanent Mission of Finland
- Nepali National Dalit Social Welfare Organization
- Humanity Knights Network
- Permanent Mission of Croatia
Assigned speakers
- Ms. Aleksandra Bojadjieva , The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia
- Ms. Jocelyne Stevens , Canada
- Ms. Sonia Pie , Dominican Republic
- Ms. Maria Vicenta Andrade Chalán, UN Women
Participants – Second Slot
- Feminist Dalit Organization Nepal
- People’s Empowerment Foundation
- International Office of Champa
- Nisa Ul Haqq Fi Bangsa Moro Philippines
- Center for Multicultural Education
- Comission nationale des droits de l’homme, Algeria
- Universal Esperanto Association
- Al Moustakbal
- Permanent Mission of the Russian Federation
- Permanent Mission of Australia
- Council of Europe
- Ahwaz Studies Centre
- Azidi Solidarity and Fraternity League
- Saudi Association for Women Development
- Yasa Kurdis Centre for Legal Studies and Consultancy
- Centre for Social Equity and Inclusion India
- Ms. Navanethem Pillay, High Commissioner for Human Rights
Item VI – National practices and experiences: positive measures/ affirmative action and role models
Assigned speakers
- Ms. Shaista Gohir, United Kingdom
- Ms. Angie Cruickshank, Costa Rica
- Ms. Libérate Nicayenzi, Burundi
- Ms. Mucha-Shim Quiling Arquiza, The Phillipines
- Ms. Marilin Pasco González, Colombia
- Ms. Nagwa Musa Konda, Sudan
Participants
- Permanent Mission of Austria
- Permanent Mission of Canada
- Permanent Mission of Sri Lanka
- Council of Europe
- Human Rights Commission of Saudi Arabia
- Parole Board UK
- Nisa Ul Haqq Fi Bangsa Moro
- Permanent Mission of Saudi Arabia
- Permanent Mission of Norway
- Permanent Mission of Nepal
- Permanent Mission of China
- Permanent Mission of Bangladesh
- Permanent Mission of Pakistan
- Permanent Mission of Mexico
- Special Advisor of the State Secretariat for Social Inclusion Ministry of Public Administration and Justice, Hungary
- Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Council Europe
- Réseau des Associations Pygmées Permanent
- Permanent Mission of Romania
- Permanent Mission of South Africa
- Permanent Mission of Bulgaria
- Association of World Citizens
- Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Council UK
Item VII – Concrete steps aimed at guaranteeing the rights of minority women
Participants
- Permanent Mission of Switzerland
- African Rights Monitor
- Permanent Mission of Hungary
- Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization
- Speaker on the Third International Conference of Roma Women( 24-25 October 2011, Granada, Spain)
- International Movement against All Forms of Discrimanation and Racism
- Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Council Youth Front
- Minority Rights Group International
- Assyrian Universal Alliance
Item VIII – Concluding Remarks
- Ms. Graciela Dixon, Chair of the Forum of Minority Issues