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The 46th edition of the UN Human Rights Council ended yesterday. It was a great opportunity for MRG and our partners to raise challenges faced by minorities and indigenous peoples across different countries, and to advocate for their inclusion in all discussions and initiatives about human rights at the UN!
For the first time this year, the Council was organised fully online. With our partners, we organised one public event, and we made or supported no less than eight statements on countries, situations and issues deserving the attention of states and of the UN human rights system.
Here is what we spoke up about:
 | We hailed the UN Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief’s report on Islamophobia: this worldwide scourge affects the fulfilment of all human rights for millions of Muslims or persons perceived as such. Read more > |
| We advocated for an intersectional approach to pandemic-related policies: persons with disabilities are even more at risk when coming from minority or indigenous communities. Read more > |  |
 | We endorsed a call by Earthjustice urging the Council to recognise the right of all to a safe, clean, healthy and sustainable environment. Read more > |
| We joined other organizations in condemning the crackdown on human rights defenders carried out by the Egyptian government and urged the Council to react. Read more > |  |
 | We welcomed the new report of the UN Special Rapporteur on Minorities on ‘hate speech, social media and minorities‘. Online hate speech lays ground for offline discrimination and persecution of marginalised groups. Read more > |
| We encouraged states to increase support to the UN Forum on Minority Issues and insisted on its importance to unpack the challenges faced by minorities worldwide. Read more > |  |
 | Along with partners, we addressed the Council about police violence against Black and LGBT+ Brazilians. Brazil must give answers to the families of victims of police violence. Read more > |
| We co-signed a joint statement on the negative impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic on culture and cultural rights worldwide. Read more > |  |
Click here to read more about how we advocate for the world’s minorities and indigenous peoples.
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Featured photo: Human Rights and Alliance of Civilizations Room of the Palace of Nations, Geneva (Switzerland), 5 August 2015. Credit: Ludovic Courtès. Published on Wikimedia Commons under Creative Commons licence.
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