of opportunity. It is one that has gained increased attention in recent years, however, especially after the global financial crisis and recognition of the need for more stringent regulatory frameworks in the labor and financial sectors (Stiglitz 2013; see also Ferreira and Peragine 2015). By developing a methodology for the collection of comparable cross-country global data, the researchers aim to create a framework for the identification of gaps in the legislation of countries around the world that, if addressed, may help tackle the marginalization of minorities and ultimately strengthen the economy of those countries.

The rest of the paper is structured as follows: Section II provides definitional clarifications. Section III discusses the theoretical underpinnings of the research and relevant literature on equality of opportunity and equality legislation. Section IV presents the survey design and data collection methodology. Section V is divided into six subsections and is a summary of some of the major findings in the six pilot countries for the six indicators. Section VI concludes.

# II. Definitions

_Discrimination_ was defined in the 1989 Human Rights Committee’s Comment on Non-Discrimination as follows: any distinction, exclusion, restriction or preference which is based on a number of identified grounds and which has the purpose or effect of nullifying or impairing the recognition, enjoyment or exercise by all persons, on an equal footing, of all rights or freedoms.<sup>2</sup> The definition of _minorities_ used in this paper is the one used in the United Nations human rights system, which was provided in 1977 by Francesco Capotorti, special rapporteur of the United Nations Sub-Commission on Prevention of Discrimination and Protection of Minorities, who stated the following:

[A minority is] a group numerically inferior to the rest of the population of a State, in a nondominant position, whose members—being nationals of the State—possess ethnic, religious or linguistic characteristics differing from those of the rest of the population and show, if only implicitly, a sense of solidarity, directed towards preserving their culture, traditions, religion or language.<sup>3</sup> Since 1977, the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights has further defined this concept and specified that to be a minority, a group does not need to be numerically inferior to the majority. Although in most instances, a minority group will be a numerical minority, in other instances, a numerical majority may also find itself in a minority-like or nondominant position.<sup>4</sup> _Indigenous peoples_ are defined thus: Indigenous communities, peoples and nations are those which, having a historical continuity with preinvasion and pre-colonial societies that developed on their territories, consider themselves distinct from other sectors of the societies now prevailing on those territories, or parts of them. They form at present non-dominant sectors of society and are determined to preserve, develop and transmit to future generations their ancestral territories, and their ethnic identity, as the basis of their continued existence as peoples, in accordance with their own cultural patterns, social institutions and legal system. (United Nations 2004) Under international law, indigenous peoples are granted their own set of rights and duties (UNOHCHR 2010). Among them are communal land rights, which are at times violated by the central government or the ruling group.<sup>5</sup> Like ethnic

> 2 Human Rights Committee 1989. Authoritative interpretation that formulates a legal definition and understanding of the meaning and reach of nondiscrimination at the international level.

> 3 See UNOHCHR n.d.

> 4 Ibid.

> 5 For many indigenous peoples, traditional lands are an integral part of their beliefs and traditions and are essential to their existence. Countries around the world are gradually recognizing those practices and are granting exceptions from laws that may interfere with

Anti-Discrimination Law and Shared Prosperity 4