Minority rights / Documents
Below are the agreements and other documents of international organizations which concern the situation of national minorities and regulate their legal status.
CHARTER OF FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS OF THE EUROPEAN UNION
The Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union was drafted by the European Convent, which consisted of representatives of the national governments and selected members of the European Commission, of the European Parliament and of the national parliaments. They defined the main values of the European Union in 7 chapters and 54 articles. The Charta was signed on the Nice Summit on 7 December 2000. These civil, political, economic and social rights are protected by the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights in Vienna, which is active since the 1st of March, 2007. Furthermore, the goal of the agency is to familiarise the citizens of Europe with their rights; moreover it connects the organisations dealing with the protection of fundamental rights issues.
The Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union can be seen here.
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THE BARCELONA DECLARATION - UNIVERSAL DECLARATION ON LINGUISTIC RIGHTS
On the World Conference on Linguistic Rights on 6 June 1996 in Barcelona, the signing institutions and NGOs adopted the document which, in its preamble, expresses the “faith in fundamental human rights, in the dignity and worth of the human person and in the equal rights of men and women” and adheres to the underlying principles of respect for all languages and their overall development.
The document can be downloaded here.
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THE TREATY ON EUROPEAN UNION
This treaty marks a new stage in the process of ever-growing unification, in which the decisions are taken as openly as possible and as close to the citizens as possible. The European Union is based on this treaty and the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union.
The Treaty on European Union is available here.
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THE CHARTER OF THE UNITED NATIONS
The Charter of the United Nations was signed on June 26, 1945, in San Francisco and came into force in the same year on 24 October (United Nation’s Day). According to the Charter, the goal of the establishment and functioning of the United Nations is to maintain international peace and security, to develop friendly relationships between countries, to achieve cooperation in solving the economic, social, cultural and humanitarian issues faced by mankind and to act as a conciliatory panel of discussion for the activities undertaken in favour of the common goals by some of the nations.
The Charter of the United Nations can be downloaded here.
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THE OSLO RECOMMENDATIONS REGARDING THE LINGUISTIC RIGHTS OF NATIONAL MINORITIES
The Oslo Recommendations of February 1998 relate to the language use of persons belonging to national minorities. Concerning the rights of minorities, the Framework Convention contains the norms that demand continuous execution by states.
The Oslo Recommendations are accessible here.
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EUROPEAN CHARTER FOR REGIONAL OR MINORITY LANGUAGES
The European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages is an international agreement that was adopted by the Council of Europe Committee of Ministers in Strasbourg. Its goal is to help protect and promote Europe's lesser used local and minority languages.
The entire document can be downloaded here.
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UNIVERSAL DECLARATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights expresses the acknowledgement of the fundamental principles of human rights by the United Nations. The UN declaration was inspired by the inhumanities of World War II and proclaimed on December 10, 1948. According to the decision made by the United Nations General Assembly in 1950 the proclamation day of the declaration is celebrated as the day of human rights.
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights can be found here.
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REPORT ON THE PREFERENTIAL TREATMENT OF NATIONAL MINORITIES BY THEIR KIN-STATE
The document adopted in Venice in October 2001 describes what kind of preferential treatment the kin-states should guarantee to the persons belonging to minorities living beyond these countries.
The document can be accessed here.
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THE HAGUE RECOMMENDATIONS REGARDING THE EDUCATION RIGHTS OF NATIONAL MINORITIES & EXPLANATORY NOTES
The right of the people belonging to national minorities to the conservation of their identity can be implemented only if during the educational process they can acquire their mother tongue. The Hague Recommendations equally apply to the elementary school level, to the secondary school level and to the level of higher education.
The Hague Recommendations are available here.
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UN DECLARATION ON THE RIGHTS OF PERSONS BELONGING TO NATIONAL OR ETHNIC, RELIGIOUS AND LINGUISTIC MINORITIES
The declaration adopted in 1992 proposes the acknowledgement of the rights of persons belonging to a minority concerning the participation in the cultural, societal, religious, economic and public life, the trans-border relations and the foundation of own institutions.
The entire declaration can be accessed here.
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FRAMEWORK CONVENTION FOR THE PROECTION OF NATIONAL MINORITIES
The Framework Convention is the first statutory multilateral document which deals with the protection of national minorities in its generality. Its goal is the support of the persistence of national minorities in their territory by the signing parties. The Framework Convention intends to promote the full and effective equality of national minorities by creating adequate conditions for minorities to preserve and develop their cultures and retain their identity. The document was signed in 1992.
The Framework Convention can be accessed here.
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EUROPEAN CHARTER OF LOCAL SELF-GOVERNMENT
The European Charta of Local Self-Government can be regarded as the basic document in the field of local self-government, which sums up the common values inherent to the functioning of a European democratic local self-government. The Charta was adopted by the Council of Europe in 1985.
The document can be found here.
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CONVENTION FOR THE PROTECTION OF HUMAN RIGHTS AND FUNDAMENTAL FREEDOMS
The Convention is the first step for the guarantee of several rights formulated in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
The document can be downloaded here.
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RECOMMENDATION OF THE COUNCIL OF EUROPE REGARDING THE ACCESS OF MINORITIES TO HIGHER EDUCATION
The Council of Europe elaborated the Recommendation in1998, with which it proclaims the support of minorities regarding their access to higher education.
The document can be found here.
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The Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union was drafted by the European Convent, which consisted of representatives of the national governments and selected members of the European Commission, of the European Parliament and of the national parliaments. They defined the main values of the European Union in 7 chapters and 54 articles. The Charta was signed on the Nice Summit on 7 December 2000. These civil, political, economic and social rights are protected by the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights in Vienna, which is active since the 1st of March, 2007. Furthermore, the goal of the agency is to familiarise the citizens of Europe with their rights; moreover it connects the organisations dealing with the protection of fundamental rights issues.
The Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union can be seen here.
.......................................................................................................................................................................
THE BARCELONA DECLARATION - UNIVERSAL DECLARATION ON LINGUISTIC RIGHTS
On the World Conference on Linguistic Rights on 6 June 1996 in Barcelona, the signing institutions and NGOs adopted the document which, in its preamble, expresses the “faith in fundamental human rights, in the dignity and worth of the human person and in the equal rights of men and women” and adheres to the underlying principles of respect for all languages and their overall development.
The document can be downloaded here.
........................................................................................................................................................................
THE TREATY ON EUROPEAN UNION
This treaty marks a new stage in the process of ever-growing unification, in which the decisions are taken as openly as possible and as close to the citizens as possible. The European Union is based on this treaty and the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union.
The Treaty on European Union is available here.
........................................................................................................................................................................
THE CHARTER OF THE UNITED NATIONS
The Charter of the United Nations was signed on June 26, 1945, in San Francisco and came into force in the same year on 24 October (United Nation’s Day). According to the Charter, the goal of the establishment and functioning of the United Nations is to maintain international peace and security, to develop friendly relationships between countries, to achieve cooperation in solving the economic, social, cultural and humanitarian issues faced by mankind and to act as a conciliatory panel of discussion for the activities undertaken in favour of the common goals by some of the nations.
The Charter of the United Nations can be downloaded here.
.......................................................................................................................................................................
THE OSLO RECOMMENDATIONS REGARDING THE LINGUISTIC RIGHTS OF NATIONAL MINORITIES
The Oslo Recommendations of February 1998 relate to the language use of persons belonging to national minorities. Concerning the rights of minorities, the Framework Convention contains the norms that demand continuous execution by states.
The Oslo Recommendations are accessible here.
.......................................................................................................................................................................
EUROPEAN CHARTER FOR REGIONAL OR MINORITY LANGUAGES
The European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages is an international agreement that was adopted by the Council of Europe Committee of Ministers in Strasbourg. Its goal is to help protect and promote Europe's lesser used local and minority languages.
The entire document can be downloaded here.
......................................................................................................................................................................
UNIVERSAL DECLARATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights expresses the acknowledgement of the fundamental principles of human rights by the United Nations. The UN declaration was inspired by the inhumanities of World War II and proclaimed on December 10, 1948. According to the decision made by the United Nations General Assembly in 1950 the proclamation day of the declaration is celebrated as the day of human rights.
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights can be found here.
.....................................................................................................................................................................
REPORT ON THE PREFERENTIAL TREATMENT OF NATIONAL MINORITIES BY THEIR KIN-STATE
The document adopted in Venice in October 2001 describes what kind of preferential treatment the kin-states should guarantee to the persons belonging to minorities living beyond these countries.
The document can be accessed here.
.....................................................................................................................................................................
THE HAGUE RECOMMENDATIONS REGARDING THE EDUCATION RIGHTS OF NATIONAL MINORITIES & EXPLANATORY NOTES
The right of the people belonging to national minorities to the conservation of their identity can be implemented only if during the educational process they can acquire their mother tongue. The Hague Recommendations equally apply to the elementary school level, to the secondary school level and to the level of higher education.
The Hague Recommendations are available here.
.....................................................................................................................................................................
UN DECLARATION ON THE RIGHTS OF PERSONS BELONGING TO NATIONAL OR ETHNIC, RELIGIOUS AND LINGUISTIC MINORITIES
The declaration adopted in 1992 proposes the acknowledgement of the rights of persons belonging to a minority concerning the participation in the cultural, societal, religious, economic and public life, the trans-border relations and the foundation of own institutions.
The entire declaration can be accessed here.
.....................................................................................................................................................................
FRAMEWORK CONVENTION FOR THE PROECTION OF NATIONAL MINORITIES
The Framework Convention is the first statutory multilateral document which deals with the protection of national minorities in its generality. Its goal is the support of the persistence of national minorities in their territory by the signing parties. The Framework Convention intends to promote the full and effective equality of national minorities by creating adequate conditions for minorities to preserve and develop their cultures and retain their identity. The document was signed in 1992.
The Framework Convention can be accessed here.
......................................................................................................................................................................
EUROPEAN CHARTER OF LOCAL SELF-GOVERNMENT
The European Charta of Local Self-Government can be regarded as the basic document in the field of local self-government, which sums up the common values inherent to the functioning of a European democratic local self-government. The Charta was adopted by the Council of Europe in 1985.
The document can be found here.
.......................................................................................................................................................................
CONVENTION FOR THE PROTECTION OF HUMAN RIGHTS AND FUNDAMENTAL FREEDOMS
The Convention is the first step for the guarantee of several rights formulated in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
The document can be downloaded here.
.....................................................................................................................................................................
RECOMMENDATION OF THE COUNCIL OF EUROPE REGARDING THE ACCESS OF MINORITIES TO HIGHER EDUCATION
The Council of Europe elaborated the Recommendation in1998, with which it proclaims the support of minorities regarding their access to higher education.
The document can be found here.
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