Purpose

We are a group of academics and practitioners working in the field of minority rights (in different ways and in different disciplines). Many but not all of us are currently based in the UK, but we have a variety of different backgrounds and regional experiences. We came together to discuss, review, and reinforce our work in international minority rights through cooperation, support, and reflections on the latest trends on minority rights protection. Our aim is to build on the cooperation by developing and maintaining robust links among a variety of experts concerned with minority rights and by providing support and space for collaboration to our members.

Background

The Network was established in January 2023 following discussions at the UN Regional Forums on Minority Issues and at the UN Forum on Minority Issues in Geneva in 2022, where the idea of new minority rights treaty was discussed and subsequently proposed by the then UN Special Rapporteur on Minority Issues, Fernand de Varennes. A number of our members were previously involved with the UK Network on Minority Groups and Human Rights and our work builds on those earlier experiences and initiatives.

Events

Our first official event was organised in conjunction with the Sussex Centre for Human Rights Research led by Stephanie Berry, Co-Director of the SCHRR at the University of Sussex on 11 May 2023, and was focused on REFORM of the UN Minority Rights Regime.

To find out more about the network and our future plans, please email one of the co-chairs Tawhida Ahmed and Elizabeth Craig or other members of our steering group Lilija Alijeva, Stephanie Berry, Anna-Mária Bíró, Dr Corinne Lennox and Isilay Taban-McQuade.