The
World Conference against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia
and Related Intolerance
Durban, South
Africa - August 31- September 7, 2001
Origin and
background of the World Conference
In
1997, the UN General Assembly decided to convene a World conference
against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance
(WCAR) by no later than 2001. The decision reflected growing, concern
about the rise worldwide in the incidents of racism, racial discrimination,
xenophobia and related intolerance, and recognition of the challenges
and prospects for combating these phenomena.
In
1998, the General Assembly designated the United Nations High Commissioner
for Human Rights, Mary Robinson, as Secretary-General of the Conference.
The Assembly invited States and regional organizations to set up,
at the national or regional level, coordination structures responsible
for promoting preparations for the Conference and for sensitizing
public opinion to its importance and its objectives. Governments,
international and regional organizations and non-governmental organizations
are requested to participate in the preparations of the Conference
by undertaking reviews and studies and submitting recommendations,
among, other activities, to the Preparatory Committee (Prepcom).
The UN Commission on Human Rights will act as the Preparatory Committee
for the Conference. The first Prepcom took place in May 2000 and
the second Prepcom occurred in May 2001 in Geneva.
Non-
governmental organizations have been and will continue to participate
actively in the preparations for the Conference and will hold a
forum in Durban from August 28th to September 1st. United
Nations bodies and agencies have been requested to contribute, as
have UN mechanisms dealing with racism and racial discrimination
- such as the committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination,
the Sub-Commission on Protection of Human Rights and the Special
Rapporteurs of the Commission on Human Rights.
Objectives
of the Conference
The
objectives of the 2001 World Conference, as set forth by the General
Assembly, are
- To
review progress made in the fight against racism and racial discrimination,
in particular since the adoption of the Universal Declaration
of Human Rights, and to reappraise the obstacles to progress in
the field and to identify ways to overcome them;
- To
consider ways and means to better ensure the application of existing
standards and their implementation to combat racism and racial
discrimination;
- To
increase the level of awareness about the scourge of racism and
racial discrimination;
- To
formulate concrete recommendations on ways to increase the effectiveness
of the activities and mechanisms of the United Nations through
programmes aimed at combating racism and racial discrimination;
-
To review the political, historical, economic, social, cultural
and other factors leading to racism and racial discrimination;
- To
formulate concrete recommendations to further action-oriented
national, regional and international measures aimed at combating
all forms of racism and racial discrimination; and
- To
draw up concrete recommendations to ensure that the United Nations
has the necessary resources for its activities to combat racism
and racial discrimination.
Themes of
the WCAR
The
following themes have been adopted by the preparatory committee
to be included in the provisional agenda for the World Conference
(note that the word compensatory in theme 4 is in square brackets
because there was no general agreement for this term):
- Sources,
causes, forms and contemporary manifestations of racism, racial
discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance.
- Victims
of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance.
- Measures
of prevention, education and protection aimed at the eradication
of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance
at the national, regional and international levels.
- Provision
of effective remedies, recourse, redress, [compensatory] and other
measures at the national, regional and international levels.
- Strategies
to achieve full and effective equality, including international
co-operation and enhancement of the United Nations and other international
mechanisms in combating racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia
and related intolerance, and follow-up.
Previous
World Conferences on Racism
The
first World Conference to Combat Racism and Racial Discrimination
was held in Geneva in 1978, at the mid-point of the first Decade.
The second World Conference to Combat Racism and Racial Discrimination,
held in Geneva, August 1983, reviewed and assessed the activities
undertaken during the Decade and formulated specific measures to
ensure the implementation of United Nations instruments to eliminate
racism, racial discrimination and apartheid. Between 1973 and 2003,
the UN designated three decades for action to combat racism and
racial discrimination and to ensure support for people struggling
for racial equality.
- The
Programme of Action for the First Decade was structured around
measures which should be taken to implement the United Nations
instruments concerning the elimination of racism and racial discrimination
and the pursuit of a worldwide education campaign.
- The
Programme of Action for the Second Decade emphasized recourse
procedures for victims of racial discrimination. Its programme
included a world public information campaign for human rights
and the drafting by the Commission of Human Rights of a "model
national legislations' to guide Governments in the enactment of
legislation against racial discrimination.
- The
Programme of Action for the Third Decade, which ends in 2003,
underlines the pivotal role of human rights education in securing
respect for human rights. It has been marked by a broadened view
of the problem of racism and the realization that every society
in the world is affected and hindered by discrimination.
For
more information on the WCAR visit:
Official
United Nations Website for the WCAR: http://www.un.org/WCAR/
NGO
Forum Website: http://www.racism.org.za
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