Synopses & Reviews
History shows a pattern of oppression, forced assimilation, and even destruction of minority groups. Although legal and quasi-legal instruments were adopted after both the First and Second World Wars, it was not until after the fall of the Berlin Wall that the protection of persons belonging to national minorities became a dominant issue in the international legal and political arenas. This book focuses on three mechanisms in the field: the OSCE High Commission on National Minorities (established in 1992), the UN Working Group on Minorities (established 1995), and the CoE Advisory Committee on Minorities (established 1997). The core question examined is whether these mechanisms, with the variety of approaches and working methods at their disposal, really make a difference in the protection of national minorities. Rianne Letschert received the University of Tilburg Prize for the second best dissertation for the doctoral thesis The Impact of Minority Rights Mechanisms on the impact of international minority rights mechanisms on the implementation of minority rights.
Synopsis
Focuses on three mechanisms set up for the protection of minority groups: the OSCE High Commission on National Minorities (established in 1992), the UN Working Group on Minorities (established 1995), and the CoE Advisory Committee on Minorities (established 1997). The core question examined is whether these mechanisms, with the variety of approaches and working methods at their disposal, really make a difference in the protection of national minorities.
Synopsis
Examines whether three mechanisms set up for the protection of minority groups really make a difference.
Table of Contents
Part I. Introduction: 1. Minority rights mechanisms, standards and beneficiaries; Part II. Analysis of Aims and Specific Working Methods: 2. The OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities; 3. The UN working group on minorities; 4. The COE advisory committee on minorities; 5. Evaluating strengths, weaknesses, and overlap; Part III. An Analysis of the Three Mechanisms Through Case Studies: 6. The involvement of the three mechanisms in Macedonia; 7. The involvement of the three mechanisms in Croatia; 8. Conditions and factors influencing the implementation of minority rights; Part IV. Concluding Observations: 9. The impact of minority rights mechanisms.