EU report on Minority Discrimination

The EU has issued a report on minority discrimination. The report has been referred to by the German magazine, Der Spiegel at http://www.spiegel.de/international/europe/0,1518,666317,00.html#ref=nlint. The actual report in PDF format can be found here: European Union Minorities and Discrimination Survey. According to the Der Spiegel account, the most discriminated groups are the Roma in the Czech Republic, Hungary and Greece, Subsaharan Africans in Ireland, and North Africans in Italy. Muslims are another group subject to discrimination as well as Brazilians living in Portugal.

Recent Articles

Indigenizing Intellectual Property Law: Customary Law, Legal Pluralism, and the Protection of Indigenous Peoples' Rights, Identity, and Resources Danielle M. Conway Texas Wesleyan Law Review, Volume 15, Number 2, Spring 2009, p.207

Protecting the Traditional Knowledge and Cultural Expressions of Russia's "Numerically-Small" Indigenous Peoples: What Has Been Done, What Remains to Be Done Michael Newcity Texas Wesleyan Law Review, Volume 15, Number 2, Spring 2009, p.357

The Cultural and Intellectual Property Interests of the Indigenous Peoples of Turkey and Iraq Hannibal Travis Texas Wesleyan Law Review, Volume 15, Number 2, Spring 2009, p.415

UN Human Rights Day 2009

Human Rights Day 2009 on 10 December will focus on non-discrimination. “All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights”. These first few famous words of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights established 60 years ago the basic premise of international human rights law. Yet today, the fight against discrimination remains a daily struggle for millions around the globe.

“Our main objective is to help promote discrimination-free societies and a world of equal treatment for all,” says the High Commissioner who this year will mark Human Rights Day in South Africa.

She encourages people everywhere - including the UN family, governments, civil society, national human rights institutions, the media, educators, and individuals - to seize the opportunity of Human Rights Day 2009 to join hands to embrace diversity and end discrimination.

The realisation of all human rights - social, economic and cultural rights as well as civil and political rights – is hampered by discrimination. All too often, when faced with prejudice and discrimination, political leaders, governments and ordinary citizens are silent or complacent.

Yet everyone of us can make a difference. You are encouraged to celebrate Human Rights Day by advocating non-discrimination, organizing activities, raising awareness and reaching out to your local communities on 10 December and throughout 2010.

continues here:
http://www.ohchr.org/EN/AboutUs/Pages/HumanRightsDay2009.aspx.