Demographics and power distribution both play a role in determining which groups are in need of protection as minorities. The size of the group matters but it is not the main factor in determining whether minority protection is required. The main factors in determining the need for minority protection are access to power and vulnerability to exclusion. In most countries, the largest ethnic, religious or linguistic group is the most powerful, necessitating specific measures of protection for numerically smaller groups. In other countries, numerically small group(s) may be the most powerful and therefore do not require any additional measures of minority protection. There are also cases where there is no clear numerical majority or minority group; in such countries, it is important to take account of the distribution of power among groups in determining which groups may require protection. For example, the Fulani pastoralist people are present in several countries of West Africa, sometimes migrating across borders, and may have a different status in each country. It is possible that the ethnic, religious or linguistic group with the least access to power is numerically the largest group in the country and, consequently, entitled to special protection measures.

These dynamics of power distribution can change over time and may differ in the political, economic and social spheres. For example, numerical minorities in a dominant position might quickly become non-dominant when a regime changes and they find themselves subject to discrimination. Economically-dominant minorities could be simultaneously politically or socially excluded. Therefore, access to power must be assessed in a disaggregated manner to identify non-dominance and vulnerability in different spheres.

Geography can also influence minority status. A group could constitute a majority within the country but become a numerical minority within a sub-region. Minority rights protection for groups in this situation can be determined on a case-by-case basis. There are reasons why such groups may need minority rights protection, especially where regional autonomy arrangements exist. For example, majority linguistic groups living in minority regions are still entitled to learn their mother tongue and to form peaceful associations.

Demographics and power distribution both play a role in determining which groups are in need of protection as minorities. The main factors in determining the need for minority protection are access to power and vulnerability to exclusion. These dynamics of power distribution can change over time and may differ in the political, economic and social spheres. Access to power must be assessed in a disaggregated manner to identify non-dominance and vulnerability in different spheres.

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