Presentation of findings from a survey of participants in MRG's Neelan Tiruchelvam Programme and the Working Group on Minorities

4 March 2004

Thank you Mr Chairman.

I speak on behalf of Minority Rights Group International. I would like to share with you some of the findings which we have compiled, from a questionnaire which we sent to the previous participants in the MRG/OHCHR training programme (an important focus of which is participation in the Working Group on Minorities). We undertook this survey because we began to realise, when speaking to some of our partners, that there was evidence that NGOs were quietly making use of their advocacy at the WGM and other international forums, to make progress on their issues domestically, a process which the forums themselves may often not be aware of.

Participants were asked how taking part in the WGM and training seminar impacted on their work and the situations of their communities.

There were 25 respondents to the questionnaire. 14 stated that they had achieved the advocacy objectives that they had set for themselves prior to coming to Geneva. 21 stated that their intervention at the WGM helped with their advocacy work domestically. 14 stated that making an intervention at the WGM improved the way the authorities viewed their organisation, and 11 stated that it improved the nature of their dialogue with the authorities. 21 stated that speaking at the UN increased international awareness of their situation. 16 stated that while in Geneva, they made contacts with other actors, such as UN staff, special rapporteurs, and staff of other agencies or NGOs, which they made use of when they returned home.

I will now cite some examples of positive outcomes that the respondents cited. Note that, in each case, it is the participant's opinion that the outcomes achieved were wholly or in part due to advocacy carried out in Geneva, but that, as ever with advocacy work, absolute proof is almost impossible to obtain.

- [Our organisation] put [our community's issues] onto the international agenda at the Working Group on Minorities. The government took the issue on board, the Lands Minister had a meeting with us. Now the Minister is in consultations with [my] people. All this is due to the international focus, which began with the WGM. We used the statements we made at the WGM to lobby the government. Now we have an official statement from the President that minority rights have to be protected in the new Constitution. We believe that the fact that we tabled these issues at the WGM contributed to these developments, and made it easier for us to gain access to the government - they take us more seriously. And for most minorities, the WGM is the only avenue of access to the UN system.

- We made many statements at the WGM about [my] people, the government knows about them. After I returned to [my country], the local administrative authorities invited me to a meeting to discuss minority issues. Now one of the National Human Rights Commissioners has called a meeting with representatives [of my community], and will make recommendations to the Cabinet, I believe this in part because of the attention we drew to this at the WGM �c In Geneva we learnt that we can make progress with the government if we use peaceful processes, and avoid being confrontational. And the government sees not only that we understand what minority rights are, and how the international system works, but also that we see their side of things, and the limitations on what they can do.

- Participating in the WGM helped in a lot of ways, we felt empowered. Once we had said these things at the UN, it was easier to say them in [my country]. We spoke at the WGM to ask for [members of my community] who were in pre-trial detention, to either be tried or released. Finally, [a] committee was set up to review their situation. 90% were released. We cannot guarantee that this was solely due to our advocacy, but [our organisation] was at the forefront of the legal work on this issue. We also believe that, as a result of our taking part in the WGM, the authorities took us more seriously. They made an effort to contact us, and we gave testimony to the Committee.

- [My intervention in Geneva and follow-up advocacy in my country achieved a] different attitude of more respect from government officials to approach the Afro-descendant minorities. Political parties open opportunities for political participation of minorities. Three Afro-descendants were elected to the National Parliament, including a woman. One of the Deputies to the Parliament is an active member of our organisation. Our black community is gaining more awareness in the struggle for their rights �c [for the first time] the annual report of the State of The Nation in Human Sustainable Development for the year 2001-2002 �c [mentions] the Afro-descendants Minority �c with data.

- I visited many villages and informed them about my intervention. The same for the local authorities �cI also met the forest and environment Minister, who promised to consider the case of [my] people; the local authorities promised to participate in the follow-up session, to be informed more about [our] rights. Some of the authorities were surprised that [members of my community] are invited to UN sessions.

- In UN WGM, 2002, there were seven interventions, two were mine. They had a great impact on the Government Representative. He confessed that the government �c was �gashamed�f of the atrocities committed against the minority.

- When I came back from the training, the peace talks �c were going on. I gave my intervention to the governor of [my region], so that he can distribute it to the others. I was given a positive response �c in that they read it and some of the issues I included were discussed in the peace talks.

- When I come back to [my country], I organized a workshop for 60 teachers who teach human rights in secondary schools in our region, I participated in preparing a manual for these teachers and I put some articles of the minorities declaration in this manual, and I added to the manual some principles of human rights concerning equality before the law and non-discrimination �c The project covered 28000 students and it was very successful project.

- [For the visit to my country of the] UN Special Rapporteur, [my organisation] was able to set-up an exclusive appointment. [Our] member leaders from North to South prepared statements and affidavits as proof of the destructive cycle of human rights violations in [their] communities. These reports were handed to [the Special Rapporteur]�c organizations are now more conscious in preparing reports in affidavit format �c [we] are able to use government lingo to demand that government bodies explain human rights atrocities.

- Partly as a result of NGOs [from my country] lobbying at the UN, the UN Special Rapporteur (on racism) visited [my country] �c we lobbied for the adoption of a law against discrimination at the WGM, and discussed this with the representative from [my country], we lobbied the Department of Minorities �c In November 2000, [my country] adopted this law, outlawing all forms of discrimination on grounds of ethnicity, race or gender, inter alia, including in private spheres.

- In October 2001, in [one town in my country], the mayor announced the creation of a 'ghetto for Roma'. After a field visit, the report made by [our organisation] was sent to contacts made at the Working Group on Minorities. The action of the mayor was stopped.

- [During the coup d'etat in my country we tried to maintain] international awareness and [ensure that my country] was not isolated, reporting from an NGO perspective �c after the coup, we made submissions to the military and interim government �c we provided our perception of how we saw the way forward: convening parliament and appointing a new government of national unity �c the Commonwealth Envoy �c took on board [our] recommendations �c the military [asked my organisation], for a legal opinion, we advised them to return to constitutional rule.

Mr Chairman, we feel that these examples show how the WGM and training seminar can help minority NGOs to:

- Put additional pressure on governments who are failing in their minority rights obligations, by combining international and domestic advocacy, and media attention;

- Ensure governments listen to and respect them, due to the legitimacy that speaking at an official UN body confers upon them, and their mastery of the language of international human rights;

- Establish relationships with UN officials, diplomatic representations in Geneva, international NGOs, which they then build on when back home to further their advocacy aims;

- Establish links with other minority NGOs to share experiences, undertake common campaigns etc.

- Increase their own confidence in international, non-violent channels for airing grievances

In conclusion, MRG would like to recommend:

- That the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights request information from past, present and future participants of the WGM regarding how they follow up on their advocacy at the UN when they return home, and make the findings public, ensuring confidentiality where appropriate;

- That the Commission on Human Rights approve the draft decision, submitted to it by the Sub-commission, creating a voluntary fund for minorities, so that more minority representatives can gain access to the WGM and to the broader advocacy opportunities available in Geneva.

Thank you Mr Chairman.