United Nations

General Assembly

/RES/11/433

Distr.: LIMITED
14 May 2014
Original: ENGLISH

Resolution adopted by the General Assembly

Addressing Inter-ethnic Issues Involving Minorities

The General Assembly,

Guided by the principles of the United Nations Charter
Recognizing that the United Nations is a global organisation that works for all
people, without distinction based on race, sex, language, ethnicity, and religion or other
Reaffirming territorial integrity of states as one of the guiding principles of international
community
Acknowledging that the protection of minorities is vital to the maintenance of
international peace and security
Bearing in mind the historic events and armed conflicts that were provoked by
discrimination and ignorance of existence of minorities
Guided by the principles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights
(UDHR 1948) the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Persons belonging to National
or Ethnic, Religious and Linguistic Minorities (1992) and the International Labour
Organization Convention on Indigenous Peoples (ILO Convention 169, 1989)
Recalling Article 27 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR
1966/1976)

Recognizing that the existence and rights of minority groups and indigenous people
demands an urgent response and coordinated efforts by the international community;
Recognizing the following is a minimum required effort for non discrimination of
minority groups and is a baseline from which states are encouraged to act;
Acknowledging that every human being has the right to enjoy and exercise their rights
and respect the rights of others, regardless of their cultural, ethnic, religious and linguistic
identity;
Acknowledging, that minority groups have a strong will and desire to preserve and
develop their unique cultural, ethnic, religious and linguistic identity;

1. Stresses the importance of cooperative coordination on regional, bilateral and

multilateral levels for minority protection;
2. Reaffirms that a minority group is a group of people who should be recognized and
respected with the purpose of effective care of their rights;
3. Recognizes the right of persons belonging to minorities and indigenous peoples to be
included in all developmental undertakings, both as beneficiaries as well as co-creators, when
these directly affect their well being or the preservation of their cultural, ethnic, linguistic or
religious heritage;
4. Requests all States to fully grant the principles of equality and nondiscrimination for
all persons belonging to minorities
5. Emphasizes that every individual member of a minority group has all the rights and
obligations as a responsible citizen of a state, meaning their actions as a member of a minority
group shall not be contrary to national and international law;
6. Takes note of the necessity to foster educational awareness about minorities, their
respective identities and culture, in order to enhance respectful coexistence among peoples
7. Reminds states of their obligation to uphold the United Nations Charter values of
human rights, and the dignity and worth of the human person, and the practice of tolerance and
living in peace;
8. Calls upon states to come to an agreement regarding an international regime for the
protection of minorities at the next General Assembly meeting in the year 2015;
9. Remains actively seized upon the matter.