Committee for Justice (CFJ) participated in the 18th session of the UN Forum on Minority Issues, held at the United Nations in Geneva on 27–28 November 2025, pursuant to Human Rights Council resolutions 6/15 and 19/23, under the theme: “Contributions of minorities to building diverse, resilient and peaceful societies.”
CFJ was represented at the Forum by a delegation composed of its Executive Director, Ahmed Mefreh, and its UN and Regional communication Officer, Usama Mehmetoglu . The delegation took part in the plenary session and several interactive panels, as well as bilateral meetings with representatives of UN mechanisms, international and regional organisations, and civil society groups.
Discussions at the Forum focused on the role of minorities in building cohesive, inclusive and resilient societies, through three main thematic panels that addressed:
- Trust-building, social cohesion and overcoming obstacles to peaceful coexistence;
- Fair participation of minorities in economic, social, cultural, political and institutional life;
- Strengthening the voices of minorities in peacebuilding processes, accountability and transitional justice.
In its interventions, CFJ drew attention to the situation of religious, ethnic and linguistic minorities in the Arab region, North Africa and the Sahel, and to the systematic patterns of discrimination, exclusion and marginalisation they face. CFJ also highlighted the targeting of human rights defenders belonging to minority communities, including through abusive prosecutions, smear campaigns, and restrictions on the rights to association, expression and participation in public affairs.
CFJ underlined the importance of recognising minorities as a constitutive part of the national fabric, rather than as a threat to state unity. It stressed that protecting minority rights is a cornerstone of building safe and diverse societies and that genuine coexistence cannot be achieved through vague rhetoric alone, but requires concrete policies, laws and institutions that guarantee equality and non-discrimination and ensure the effective participation of minorities in shaping the policies and decisions that affect their lives.
CFJ also called on states in the region to:
- Align their laws and policies with the UN Declaration on the Rights of Persons Belonging to National or Ethnic, Religious and Linguistic Minorities;
- Address hate speech and incitement to violence on the basis of religious, ethnic or linguistic identity;
- Ensure minorities have access to justice and effective remedies when their rights are violated;
- Involve minority representatives – including women and young people – in peacebuilding, institutional reform and transitional justice processes.
Committee for Justice affirms that the Forum on Minority Issues is a key space for exchanging experiences and good practices, and for developing concrete recommendations that can be translated into national and regional policies to advance equality and protect societies from sliding into violence and identity-based conflict. CFJ will work to integrate the outcomes and recommendations of the 18th session into its documentation, advocacy and litigation efforts in defence of minority rights across the region.