A/HRC/37/66
United Nations
General Assembly
Distr.: General
16 January 2018
Original: English
Human Rights Council
Thirty-seventh session
26 February–23 March 2018
Agenda item 3
Promotion and protection of all human rights, civil,
political, economic, social and cultural rights,
including the right to development
Report of the Special Rapporteur on minority issues
Note by the Secretariat
The Secretariat has the honour to transmit to the Human Rights Council the report of
the Special Rapporteur on minority issues, Fernand de Varennes, prepared pursuant to
Human Rights Council resolution 34/6, which extended the mandate under the same terms
as provided for in resolution 25/5.
The report is the first one submitted to the Council by Mr. de Varennes in his
capacity as Special Rapporteur. It provides a summary of the activities undertaken by the
mandate holder since he assumed his functions on 1 August 2017 and outlines his main
priorities and vision for the mandate. The report also contains a review of the activities of
the previous mandate holder, Rita Izsák-Ndiaye, from January to July 2017.
In the report, the Special Rapporteur gives an update on the work of the tenth Forum
on Minority Issues, held on 30 November and 1 December 2017, entitled “Minority youth:
towards inclusive and diverse societies”. He highlights the crucial role that minority youth
play in advocating for and protecting the rights of minorities, particularly through the use of
digital media and various social media platforms. He underscores the importance of
including minority youth in decision-making processes, which transform them into active
agents of change in their respective contexts.
GE.18-00676(E)