UNDP has an important advocacy role in the promotion of human development and human rights. UNDP publications like the National Human Development Reports (NHDRs) or MDG progress reports can raise awareness of gaps in human development for minorities and highlight good practice. NHDRs that include disaggregated statistics could encourage other actors to collect such data. Minority groups can rely on the data as authoritative for their advocacy. The launch of NHDRs can provide useful occasions for starting dialogue with stakeholders on human development and governance issues of concern to minorities. The Regional Human Development Report on the Roma has been helpful at the national level in advancing dialogue between government and Roma representatives. Producing similar regional HDRs focused on minority groups could be effective in raising relevant minority issues.

The quiet ‘development diplomacy’ of senior managers in the field is another means of advocating for minority rights. The gains in sustainable peace and development that stem from attention to minority issues and protection of minority rights could be emphasised.

The UN Millennium Campaign is another useful platform for bringing attention to minorities and the MDGs. The Millennium Campaign reaches out to CSOs to engage them in advocacy on
such issues.

Inviting minorities to participate in UNDP events provides opportunitity for advocacy to minorities. Support to minority campaigns when engaging with government officials may help to raise the profile of such campaigns.