Country visits

An important element of the work of the Special Rapporteur is conducting country visits. Country visits require official invitations from the Governments concerned. Normally two country visits are undertaken each year and the Special Rapporteur strives to conduct visits in all regions. Once an invitation has been made the  Special Rapporteur travels to the country and meets with national authorities, including Minister and other senior government representatives with responsibilities related to minority issues, members of the judiciary and of legislative bodies; UN and other international agencies; civil society and non-governmental organizations. Meeting directly with minority communities and organizations is also a key element of the  Special Rapporteur's visits.

For further information on Country Visits see Terms of Reference for Fact-Finding Missions by Special Procedures.
The reports on these country visits, published annually as addenda to the Special Rapporteur’s report to the Human Rights Council, include an assessment of the relevant institutional and legal framework concerning the rights of minorities and the right to equality and non-discrimination in the countries visited, as well as a general description of the main issues affecting minorities. The reports include a number of conclusions and recommendations addressed to the Government in question and to other actors.

The Special Rapporteur’s evaluation of minority issues in the countries that the Special Rapporteur visits is based on the 1992 Declaration on Minorities and other relevant international standards, from which the Special Rapporteur has identified four broad areas of concern relating to minorities globally. These are:

(a) the protection of a minority’s survival, through combating violence against them and preventing genocide;

(b) the protection and promotion of the cultural identity of minority groups and the right of national, ethnic, religious or linguistic groups to enjoy their collective identity and to reject forced assimilation;

(c) the guarantee of the rights to non-discrimination and equality, including ending structural or systemic discrimination and the promotion of affirmative action when required; and

(d) the guarantee of the right to effective participation of members of minorities in public life, especially with regard to decisions that affect them.

Follow-up to Country Visit Recommendations

In October 2016, the former Special Rapporteur Ms. Rita Izák-Ndiaye, wrote to all States visited officially by her predecessor and herself to inquire about the implementation of the recommendations contained in the country visit reportsvisited officially by her predecessor, Gay MacDougall, and herself, up to 2015, to inquire about the implementation of the recommendations contained in the country visit reports. The Special Rapporteur wishes to thank Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Canada, Colombia, France, Greece, Hungary, Rwanda and Viet Nam for their responses. An overview of the main developments in the States concerned regarding the implementation of the recommendations is provided in her 2017 report to the General Assembly (A/72/165, paras 46  - 72).  

Bosnia and Hezegovina E
Bulgaria E
Canada EF
Colombia S
France F
Greece E
Hungary
Rwanda  E
Viet Nam E

You will be able to find a list of the forthcoming country visits by the Special Rapporteur and of all the past and requested country visits through the relevant links.