Minority rights are rooted in the philosophy of universal human rights. Universal human rights, in particular the rule of non-discrimination and
the standard freedoms of expression, association, religion and political participation, strong democratic institutions, a firmly anchored rule
of law and a thriving civil society, are invaluable for securing the rights of all, including those of minorities.
But the majority rule of liberal
democracies also carries the risk of the wishes and preferences of the minority being permanently ignored.
The unavoidable connection between
the State and a particular culture (the choice of a language for public services for instance) means that the minority culture suffers a systemic
disadvantage.
Minority rights are thus a remedial solution to compensate for unequal circumstances. They aim at reducing the vulnerability of minority
groups to decisions of the larger society and at allowing them to achieve "the same ability to live and work in their own language and culture that
the members of majority cultures take for granted" (citation from Will Kymlicka).

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