Adopted by General Assembly resolution 47/135 of 18 December 1992
The General Assembly ,
Reaffirming that one of the basic aims of the United Nations, as
proclaimed in the Charter, is to promote and encourage respect for
human rights and for fundamental freedoms for all, without
distinction as to race, sex, language or religion,
Reaffirming faith in fundamental human rights, in the dignity and
worth of the human person, in the equal rights of men and women and
of nations large and small,
Desiring to promote the realization of the principles contained
in the Charter, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the
Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of
Genocide, the International Convention on the Elimination of All
Forms of Racial Discrimination, the International Covenant on Civil
and Political Rights, the International Covenant on Economic, Social
and Cultural Rights, the Declaration on the Elimination of All Forms
of Intolerance and of Discrimination Based on Religion or Belief,
and the Convention on the Rights of the Child, as well as other
relevant international instruments that have been adopted at the
universal or regional level and those concluded between individual
States Members of the United Nations,
Inspired by the provisions of article 27 of the International
Covenant on Civil and Political Rights concerning the rights of
persons belonging to ethnic, religious and linguistic minorities,
Considering that the promotion and protection of the rights of
persons belonging to national or ethnic, religious and linguistic
minorities contribute to the political and social stability of
States in which they live,
Emphasizing that the constant promotion and realization of the
rights of persons belonging to national or ethnic, religious and
linguistic minorities, as an integral part of the development of
society as a whole and within a democratic framework based on the
rule of law, would contribute to the strengthening of friendship and
cooperation among peoples and States,
Considering that the United Nations has an important role to play
regarding the protection of minorities,
Bearing in mind the work done so far within the United Nations
system, in particular by the Commission on Human Rights, the
Sub-Commission on Prevention of Discrimination and Protection of
Minorities and the bodies established pursuant to the International
Covenants on Human Rights and other relevant international human
rights instruments in promoting and protecting the rights of persons
belonging to national or ethnic, religious and linguistic
minorities,
Taking into account the important work which is done by
intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations in protecting
minorities and in promoting and protecting the rights of persons
belonging to national or ethnic, religious and linguistic
minorities,
Recognizing the need to ensure even more effective implementation
of international human rights instruments with regard to the rights
of persons belonging to national or ethnic, religious and linguistic
minorities,
Proclaims this Declaration on the Rights of Persons Belonging to
National or Ethnic, Religious and Linguistic Minorities:
Article 1
1. States shall protect the existence and the national or
ethnic, cultural, religious and linguistic identity of minorities
within their respective territories and shall encourage conditions
for the promotion of that identity.
2. States shall adopt appropriate legislative and other
measures to achieve those ends.
Article 2
1. Persons belonging to national or ethnic, religious and
linguistic minorities (hereinafter referred to as persons belonging
to minorities) have the right to enjoy their own culture, to profess
and practise their own religion, and to use their own language, in
private and in public, freely and without interference or any form
of discrimination.
2. Persons belonging to minorities have the right to
participate effectively in cultural, religious, social, economic and
public life.
3. Persons belonging to minorities have the right to
participate effectively in decisions on the national and, where
appropriate, regional level concerning the minority to which they
belong or the regions in which they live, in a manner not
incompatible with national legislation.
4. Persons belonging to minorities have the right to
establish and maintain their own associations.
5. Persons belonging to minorities have the right to
establish and maintain, without any discrimination, free and
peaceful contacts with other members of their group and with persons
belonging to other minorities, as well as contacts across frontiers
with citizens of other States to whom they are related by national
or ethnic, religious or linguistic ties.
Article 3
1. Persons belonging to minorities may exercise their
rights, including those set forth in the present Declaration,
individually as well as in community with other members of their
group, without any discrimination.
2. No disadvantage shall result for any person belonging to
a minority as the consequence of the exercise or non-exercise of the
rights set forth in the present Declaration.
Article 4
1. States shall take measures where required to ensure that
persons belonging to minorities may exercise fully and effectively
all their human rights and fundamental freedoms without any
discrimination and in full equality before the law.
2. States shall take measures to create favourable
conditions to enable persons belonging to minorities to express
their characteristics and to develop their culture, language,
religion, traditions and customs, except where specific practices
are in violation of national law and contrary to international
standards.
3. States should take appropriate measures so that, wherever
possible, persons belonging to minorities may have adequate
opportunities to learn their mother tongue or to have instruction in
their mother tongue.
4. States should, where appropriate, take measures in the
field of education, in order to encourage knowledge of the history,
traditions, language and culture of the minorities existing within
their territory. Persons belonging to minorities should have
adequate opportunities to gain knowledge of the society as a whole.
5. States should consider appropriate measures so that
persons belonging to minorities may participate fully in the
economic progress and development in their country.
Article 5
1. National policies and programmes shall be planned and
implemented with due regard for the legitimate interests of persons
belonging to minorities.
2. Programmes of cooperation and assistance among States
should be planned and implemented with due regard for the legitimate
interests of persons belonging to minorities.
Article 6
States should cooperate on questions relating to persons
belonging to minorities, inter alia , exchanging information and
experiences, in order to promote mutual understanding and
confidence.
Article 7
States should cooperate in order to promote respect for the
rights set forth in the present Declaration.
Article 8
1. Nothing in the present Declaration shall prevent the
fulfilment of international obligations of States in relation to
persons belonging to minorities. In particular, States shall fulfil
in good faith the obligations and commitments they have assumed
under international treaties and agreements to which they are
parties.
2. The exercise of the rights set forth in the present
Declaration shall not prejudice the enjoyment by all persons of
universally recognized human rights and fundamental freedoms.
3. Measures taken by States to ensure the effective
enjoyment of the rights set forth in the present Declaration shall
not prima facie be considered contrary to the principle of equality
contained in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
4. Nothing in the present Declaration may be construed as
permitting any activity contrary to the purposes and principles of
the United Nations, including sovereign equality, territorial
integrity and political independence of States.
Article 9
The specialized agencies and other organizations of the United
Nations system shall contribute to the full realization of the
rights and principles set forth in the present Declaration, within
their respective fields of competence.
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