Protection of the rights of National Minorities in the United Nations: political and legal aspect

Abstract

The article attempts to briefly outline the problem of protection of fundamental rights and freedoms of national communities under international law. The author defines the concept of fundamental rights in accordance with the legal acts adopted after the Second World War – in the 40s and 60s of the twentieth century. It is emphasised that one of the first international normative documents to mention minority rights was the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, but it did not refer to national minorities, only to linguistic, religious and ethnic minorities. The article focuses on the activities of individual UN working bodies on national minority issues – the author discusses the work of both individual bodies (individual experts) and collective bodies (working groups and commissions). In addition, the author points out the important role of the Universal Periodic Review as a mechanism that serves to summarise information on the observance of minority rights in all UN member states. One of the most important instruments for the protection of national minorities is the Framework Convention, which contains a preamble and 32 articles. The study notes that this particular Convention is the first binding multilateral legal instrument that serves to protect the rights and freedoms of national communities around the world.