Supporting social and economic participation

The experts who contributed to the drafting of the Recommendations on the Effective Participation of National Minorities in Social and Economic Life, present the publication at the institution’s 30th anniversary conference at the Peace Palace, The Hague, 24 October 2023.

(OSCE/Arnaud Roelofsz) Photo details

The High Commissioner has observed that when minorities are able to participate effectively in the social and economic life of their country, this can have positive effects on integration, social cohesion, and peace and stability.

The High Commissioner provides guidance and recommendations to states on how they can promote the social and economic participation of national minorities, which contributes to prosperity and security in the country and region, and benefits majority and minority communities.

The High Commissioner supports states to work towards a future in which every national minority group can thrive, have influence and be empowered, weaving a tapestry rich in diversity, equity and inclusion.

OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities

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OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities > Supporting social and economic participation

Highlights

Event: Under the Watchful Eye: Human Rights, Gender and Surveillance

To mark International Women’s Day 2024, OSCE institutions supported by the Chairpersonship of Malta, organized a conference to examine the intersection of gender and digital surveillance.

L-R. Fernand de Varennes UN Special Rapporteur on Minority Issues, High Commissioner on National Minorities Kairat Abdrakhmanov, and Csaba Kőrösi President of the UN General Assembly highlighted the need for decision-makers to actively engage with minority women and youth and include them in peace negotiations. (OSCE/HCNM)

OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities, the UN and regional organizations discuss co-operation, integration, and engagement with women and youth

High-level event, May 2023

From left: Professor John Packer, Director of the Human Rights Research and Education Centre at the University of Ottawa; Joanna Skoczek, First Counsellor, Deputy Permanent Representative of the Republic of Poland to the United Nations in New York; OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities Kairat Abdrakhmanov; Petra Rota, Professor of international relations University of Ljubljana; UN Special rapporteur on Minority Issues Dr. Fernand de Varennes; Iryna Ulasiuk, HCNM senior adviser and section head; and Elzbieta Kuzborska-Pacha, Senior HCNM Legal Adviser, at an event on the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Persons Belonging to National or Ethnic, Religious and Linguistic Minorities and considerations relevant to conflicts and conflict prevention, organized with the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Minorities Issues and the Permanent Mission of the Republic of Poland to the United Nations in New York, representing the Chairmanship-in-Office of the OSCE, on the margins of the of the 77th session of the UNGA Third Committee and the presentation of the thematic report by the UN Special rapporteur on Minority Issues, 21 October 2022, New York. (OSCE)

High Commissioner on National Minorities Kairat Abdrakhmanov continues dialogue with United States on national minority issues

October 2022

(l-r) Anastasia Crickley, Chairperson of the UN Committee for Elimination of Racial Discrimination from 2016 to 2018; Michelle Bachelet, High Commissioner for Human Rights; Kairat Abdrakhmanov, OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities and Tatiana Valovaya, Director-General of the UN Office in Geneva address the OSCE-UN conference on the Effective Participation of National Minorities in Economic Life as a Strategy for Conflict Prevention, Palais des Nations, Geneva, 12 November 2021. (OSCE)

OSCE and UN promote socio-economic inclusion of minorities as a strategy for conflict prevention

Conference on the Effective Participation of National Minorities in Economic Life as a Strategy for Conflict Prevention, November 2021

Economic consequences of COVID-19 on national minorities and importance of post-pandemic recovery policies focus of OSCE discussion

Office of the Co-ordinator of OSCE Economic and Environmental Activities (OCEEA) and High Commissioner on National Minorities (HCNM) discussion, October 2020

OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities Lamberto Zannier (OSCE)

HCNM and COVID-19

In March and April 2020, the High Commissioner issued guidance on how to mitigate the disproportionate effects of COVID-19 on members of national minorities, which could lead to inter-ethnic tensions