Despite the Universal Declaration of Human Rights adopted by the United Nations in 1948, the issue of the human rights of ethnic minority groups is widely ignored in the United States--both in policy and as an issue worthy of examination. In this country and abroad, violations of human rights continue to take place regularly; minority group members are denied many of the basic rights, such as the right to health, to food, to clothing and housing, to free expression, and to self determination. At present, there are three major organizations that address the concern for ethnicity and human rights worldwide: the Anti-Slavery Society, the Minority Rights Group, and Amnesty International. In addition, the United Nations Commission on Human Rights and its subcommission on slavery and native peoples deserves mention. As the social and demographic trends of urbanization and urban decay threaten the very existence of ethnic minority populations, it is imperative that more individuals and organizations address the issue of human rights for these groups. (GC)