Legis

A/CONF.189/12
Report of the World Conference against Racism,
Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia
and Related Intolerance
Durban, 31 August - 8 September 2001
GE.02-10005 (E) 100102
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02-21543 (E) 160102
*0221543*
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CONTENTS
Chapter Page
I. DOCUMENTS ADOPTED BY THE CONFERENCE .................................... 5
Declaration ........................................................................................................ 5
Programme of Action ........................................................................................ 26
Resolutions adopted by the Conference ............................................................ 67
II. ATTENDANCE AND ORGANIZATION OF WORK .................................... 69
A. Date and place of the Conference .............................................................. 69
B. Opening of the Conference ........................................................................ 69
C. Attendance ................................................................................................. 69
D. Election of the President of the Conference .............................................. 76
E. Opening addresses ..................................................................................... 77
F. Messages from heads of State and other personalities .............................. 77
G. Adoption of the rules of procedure ............................................................ 77
H. Election of officers other than the President ............................................. 77
I. Adoption of the agenda of the Conference ................................................ 78
J. Organization of work, including establishment of the Main
Committee and the Drafting Committee of the Conference and its
two working groups (Working Group on the Draft Declaration
and Working Group on the Draft Programme of Action) ......................... 79
K. Appointment of the members of the Credentials Committee .................... 79
L. Other matters ............................................................................................. 79
III. GENERAL DEBATE ........................................................................................ 80
IV. REPORT OF THE MAIN COMMITTEE ......................................................... 90
V. REPORT OF THE DRAFTING COMMITTEE ............................................... 98
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CONTENTS (continued)
Chapter Page
VI. REPORT OF THE CREDENTIALS COMMITTEE ........................................ 100
VII. ADOPTION OF THE FINAL DOCUMENT AND THE REPORT OF
THE CONFERENCE ........................................................................................ 103
VIII. CLOSURE OF THE CONFERENCE ............................................................... 125
Annexes
I. List of documents .............................................................................................. 129
II. Opening statements ........................................................................................... 131
III. Round table discussions .................................................................................... 144
IV. Closing statements ............................................................................................. 146
V. Parallel and associated activities ....................................................................... 157
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CHAPTER I. DOCUMENTS ADOPTED BY THE CONFERENCE
Declaration
Having met in Durban, South Africa, from 31 August to 8 September 2001,
Expressing deep appreciation to the Government of South Africa for hosting this World
Conference,
Drawing inspiration from the heroic struggle of the people of South Africa against the
institutionalized system of apartheid, as well as for equality and justice under democracy,
development, the rule of law and respect for human rights, recalling in this context the important
contribution to that struggle of the international community and, in particular, the pivotal role of
the people and Governments of Africa, and noting the important role that different actors of civil
society, including non-governmental organizations, played in that struggle and in ongoing efforts
to combat racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance,
Recalling that the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action, adopted by the World
Conference on Human Rights in June 1993, calls for the speedy and comprehensive elimination
of all forms of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance,
Recalling Commission on Human Rights resolution 1997/74 of 18 April 1997,
General Assembly resolution 52/111 of 12 December 1997 and subsequent resolutions of those
bodies concerning the convening of the World Conference against Racism, Racial
Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance and recalling also the two World
Conferences to Combat Racism and Racial Discrimination, held in Geneva in 1978 and 1983,
respectively,
Noting with grave concern that despite the efforts of the international community, the
principal objectives of the three Decades to Combat Racism and Racial Discrimination have not
been attained and that countless human beings continue to the present day to be victims of
racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance,
Recalling that the year 2001 is the International Year of Mobilization against Racism,
Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance, aimed at drawing the world’s
attention to the objectives of the World Conference and giving new momentum to the political
commitment to eliminate all forms of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related
intolerance,
Welcoming the decision of the General Assembly to proclaim the year 2001 as the
United Nations Year of Dialogue among Civilizations, which underlines tolerance and respect
for diversity and the need to seek common ground among and within civilizations in order to
address common challenges to humanity that threaten shared values, universal human rights and
the fight against racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance, through
cooperation, partnership and inclusion,
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Welcoming also the proclamation by the General Assembly of the period 2001-2010 as
the Decade for a Culture of Peace and Non-Violence for Children of the World, as well as the
adoption by the General Assembly of the Declaration and Plan of Action on a Culture of Peace,
Recognizing that the World Conference against Racism, Racial Discrimination,
Xenophobia and Related Intolerance, in conjunction with the International Decade of the
World’s Indigenous People, presents a unique opportunity to consider the invaluable
contributions of indigenous peoples to political, economic, social, cultural and spiritual
development throughout the world to our societies, as well as the challenges faced by them,
including racism and racial discrimination,
Recalling the United Nations Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial
Countries and Peoples of 1960,
Reaffirming our commitment to the purposes and principles contained in the Charter of
the United Nations and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights,
Affirming that racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance
constitute a negation of the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations,
Reaffirming the principles of equality and non-discrimination in the Universal
Declaration of Human Rights and encouraging respect for human rights and fundamental
freedoms for all without distinction of any kind such as race, colour, sex, language, religion,
political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status,
Convinced of the fundamental importance of universal accession to or ratification of and
full implementation of our obligations arising under the International Convention on the
Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination as the principal international instrument to
eliminate racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance,
Recognizing the fundamental importance for States, in combating racism, racial
discrimination, xenophobia, and related intolerance, to consider signing, ratifying or acceding to
all relevant international human rights instruments, with a view to universal adherence,
Having taken note of the reports of the regional conferences organized at Strasbourg,
Santiago, Dakar and Tehran and other inputs from States, as well as the reports of expert
seminars, non-governmental organization regional meetings and other meetings organized in
preparation for the World Conference,
Noting with appreciation the Vision Statement launched by President Thabo Mbeki of
South Africa under the patronage of The Honourable Nelson Mandela, first President of the new
South Africa, and at the initiative of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights
and Secretary-General of the World Conference, and signed by seventy-four heads of State,
heads of Government and dignitaries,
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Reaffirming that cultural diversity is a cherished asset for the advancement and welfare
of humanity at large and should be valued, enjoyed, genuinely accepted and embraced as a
permanent feature which enriches our societies,
Acknowledging that no derogation from the prohibition of racial discrimination,
genocide, the crime of apartheid and slavery is permitted, as defined in the obligations under the
relevant human rights instruments,
Having listened to the peoples of the world and recognizing their aspirations to justice, to
equality of opportunity for all and everyone, to the enjoyment of their human rights, including
the right to development, to live in peace and freedom and to equal participation without
discrimination in economic, social, cultural, civil and political life,
Recognizing that the equal participation of all individuals and peoples in the formation of
just, equitable, democratic and inclusive societies can contribute to a world free from racism,
racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance,
Emphasizing the importance of the equitable participation of all, without any
discrimination, in domestic as well as global decision-making,
Affirming that racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance, where
they amount to racism and racial discrimination, constitute serious violations of and obstacles to
the full enjoyment of all human rights and deny the self-evident truth that all human beings are
born free and equal in dignity and rights, are an obstacle to friendly and peaceful relations among
peoples and nations, and are among the root causes of many internal and international conflicts,
including armed conflicts, and the consequent forced displacement of populations,
Recognizing that national and international actions are required to combat racism, racial
discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance, in order to ensure the full enjoyment of all
human rights, economic, social, cultural, civil and political, which are universal, indivisible,
interdependent and interrelated, and to improve the living conditions of men, women and
children of all nations,
Reaffirming the importance of the enhancement of international cooperation for the
promotion and protection of human rights and for the achievement of the objectives of the
fight against racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance,
Acknowledging that xenophobia, in its different manifestations, is one of the main
contemporary sources and forms of discrimination and conflict, combating which requires urgent
attention and prompt action by States, as well as by the international community,
Fully aware that, despite efforts undertaken by the international community,
Governments and local authorities, the scourge of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia
and related intolerance persists and continues to result in violations of human rights, suffering,
disadvantage and violence, which must be combated by all available and appropriate means
and as a matter of the highest priority, preferably in cooperation with affected communities,
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Noting with concern the continued and violent occurrence of racism, racial
discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance, and that theories of superiority of certain
races and cultures over others, promoted and practised during the colonial era, continue to be
propounded in one form or another even today,
Alarmed by the emergence and continued occurrence of racism, racial discrimination,
xenophobia and related intolerance in their more subtle and contemporary forms and
manifestations, as well as by other ideologies and practices based on racial or ethnic
discrimination or superiority,
Strongly rejecting any doctrine of racial superiority, along with theories which attempt to
determine the existence of so-called distinct human races,
Recognizing that failure to combat and denounce racism, racial discrimination,
xenophobia and related intolerance by all, especially by public authorities and politicians at all
levels, is a factor encouraging their perpetuation,
Reaffirming that States have the duty to protect and promote the human rights and
fundamental freedoms of all victims, and that they should apply a gender1 perspective,
recognizing the multiple forms of discrimination which women can face, and that the enjoyment
of their civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights is essential for the development of
societies throughout the world,
Recognizing both the challenges and opportunities presented by an increasingly
globalized world in relation to the struggle to eradicate racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia
and related intolerance,
Determined, in an era when globalization and technology have contributed considerably
to bringing people together, to materialize the notion of a human family based on equality,
dignity and solidarity, and to make the twenty-first century a century of human rights, the
eradication of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance and the
realization of genuine equality of opportunity and treatment for all individuals and peoples,
Reaffirming the principles of equal rights and self-determination of peoples and recalling
that all individuals are born equal in dignity and rights, stressing that such equality must be
protected as a matter of the highest priority and recognizing the duty of States to take prompt,
decisive and appropriate measures with a view to eliminating all forms of racism, racial
discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance,
Dedicating ourselves to combating the scourge of racism, racial discrimination,
xenophobia and related intolerance fully and effectively as a matter of priority, while drawing
lessons from manifestations and past experiences of racism in all parts of the world with a view
to avoiding their recurrence,
Joining together in a spirit of renewed political will and commitment to universal
equality, justice and dignity, we salute the memory of all victims of racism, racial discrimination,
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xenophobia and related intolerance all over the world and solemnly adopt the Durban
Declaration and Programme of Action,2
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General issues
1. We declare that for the purpose of the present Declaration and Programme of
Action, the victims of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance are
individuals or groups of individuals who are or have been negatively affected by, subjected to, or
targets of these scourges;
2. We recognize that racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related
intolerance occur on the grounds of race, colour, descent or national or ethnic origin and that
victims can suffer multiple or aggravated forms of discrimination based on other related grounds
such as sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, social origin, property, birth or other
status;
3. We recognize and affirm that, at the outset of the third millennium, a global fight
against racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance and all their abhorrent
and evolving forms and manifestations is a matter of priority for the international community,
and that this Conference offers a unique and historic opportunity for assessing and identifying all
dimensions of those devastating evils of humanity with a view to their total elimination through,
inter alia, the initiation of innovative and holistic approaches and the strengthening and
enhancement of practical and effective measures at the national, regional and international
levels;
4. We express our solidarity with the people of Africa in their continuing struggle
against racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance and recognize the
sacrifices made by them, as well as their efforts in raising international public awareness of these
inhuman tragedies;
5. We also affirm the great importance we attach to the values of solidarity, respect,
tolerance and multiculturalism, which constitute the moral ground and inspiration for our
worldwide struggle against racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance,
inhuman tragedies which have affected people throughout the world, especially in Africa, for too
long;
6. We further affirm that all peoples and individuals constitute one human family,
rich in diversity. They have contributed to the progress of civilizations and cultures that form the
common heritage of humanity. Preservation and promotion of tolerance, pluralism and respect
for diversity can produce more inclusive societies;
7. We declare that all human beings are born free, equal in dignity and rights and
have the potential to contribute constructively to the development and well-being of their
societies. Any doctrine of racial superiority is scientifically false, morally condemnable, socially
unjust and dangerous, and must be rejected along with theories which attempt to determine the
existence of separate human races;
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8. We recognize that religion, spirituality and belief play a central role in the lives of
millions of women and men, and in the way they live and treat other persons. Religion,
spirituality and belief may and can contribute to the promotion of the inherent dignity and worth
of the human person and to the eradication of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and
related intolerance;
9. We note with concern that racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related
intolerance may be aggravated by, inter alia, inequitable distribution of wealth, marginalization
and social exclusion;
10. We reaffirm that everyone is entitled to a social and international order in which
all human rights can be fully realized for all, without any discrimination;
11. We note that the process of globalization constitutes a powerful and dynamic
force which should be harnessed for the benefit, development and prosperity of all countries,
without exclusion. We recognize that developing countries face special difficulties in
responding to this central challenge. While globalization offers great opportunities, at present its
benefits are very unevenly shared, while its costs are unevenly distributed. We thus express our
determination to prevent and mitigate the negative effects of globalization. These effects could
aggravate, inter alia, poverty, underdevelopment, marginalization, social exclusion, cultural
homogenization and economic disparities which may occur along racial lines, within and
between States, and have an adverse impact. We further express our determination to maximize
the benefits of globalization through, inter alia, the strengthening and enhancement of
international cooperation to increase equality of opportunities for trade, economic growth and
sustainable development, global communications through the use of new technologies and
increased intercultural exchange through the preservation and promotion of cultural diversity,
which can contribute to the eradication of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related
intolerance. Only through broad and sustained efforts to create a shared future based upon our
common humanity, and all its diversity, can globalization be made fully inclusive and equitable;
12. We recognize that interregional and intraregional migration has increased as a
result of globalization, in particular from the South to the North, and stress that policies towards
migration should not be based on racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related
intolerance;
Sources, causes, forms and contemporary manifestations of racism, racial discrimination,
xenophobia and related intolerance
13. We acknowledge that slavery and the slave trade, including the transatlantic slave
trade, were appalling tragedies in the history of humanity not only because of their abhorrent
barbarism but also in terms of their magnitude, organized nature and especially their negation of
the essence of the victims, and further acknowledge that slavery and the slave trade are a crime
against humanity and should always have been so, especially the transatlantic slave trade and are
among the major sources and manifestations of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and
related intolerance, and that Africans and people of African descent, Asians and people of Asian
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descent and indigenous peoples were victims of these acts and continue to be victims of their
consequences;
14. We recognize that colonialism has led to racism, racial discrimination,
xenophobia and related intolerance, and that Africans and people of African descent, and people
of Asian descent and indigenous peoples were victims of colonialism and continue to be victims
of its consequences. We acknowledge the suffering caused by colonialism and affirm that,
wherever and whenever it occurred, it must be condemned and its reoccurrence prevented. We
further regret that the effects and persistence of these structures and practices have been among
the factors contributing to lasting social and economic inequalities in many parts of the world
today;
15. We recognize that apartheid and genocide in terms of international law constitute
crimes against humanity and are major sources and manifestations of racism, racial
discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance, and acknowledge the untold evil and
suffering caused by these acts and affirm that wherever and whenever they occurred, they must
be condemned and their recurrence prevented;
16. We recognize that xenophobia against non-nationals, particularly migrants,
refugees and asylum-seekers, constitutes one of the main sources of contemporary racism and
that human rights violations against members of such groups occur widely in the context of
discriminatory, xenophobic and racist practices;
17. We note the importance of paying special attention to new manifestations of
racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance to which youth and other
vulnerable groups might be exposed;
18. We emphasize that poverty, underdevelopment, marginalization, social exclusion
and economic disparities are closely associated with racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia
and related intolerance, and contribute to the persistence of racist attitudes and practices which in
turn generate more poverty;
19. We recognize the negative economic, social and cultural consequences of racism,
racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance, which have contributed significantly to
the underdevelopment of developing countries and, in particular, of Africa and resolve to free
every man, woman and child from the abject and dehumanizing conditions of extreme poverty to
which more than one billion of them are currently subjected, to make the right to development a
reality for everyone and to free the entire human race from want;
20. We recognize that racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related
intolerance are among the root causes of armed conflict and very often one of its consequences
and recall that non-discrimination is a fundamental principle of international humanitarian law.
We underscore the need for all parties to armed conflicts to abide scrupulously by this principle
and for States and the international community to remain especially vigilant during periods of
armed conflict and continue to combat all forms of racial discrimination;
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21. We express our deep concern that socio-economic development is being
hampered by widespread internal conflicts which are due, among other causes, to gross
violations of human rights, including those arising from racism, racial discrimination,
xenophobia and related intolerance, and from lack of democratic, inclusive and participatory
governance;
22. We express our concern that in some States political and legal structures or
institutions, some of which were inherited and persist today, do not correspond to
the multi-ethnic, pluricultural and plurilingual characteristics of the population and, in
many cases, constitute an important factor of discrimination in the exclusion of indigenous
peoples;
23. We fully recognize the rights of indigenous peoples consistent with the
principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity of States, and therefore stress the need to adopt
the appropriate constitutional, administrative, legislative and judicial measures, including those
derived from applicable international instruments;
24. We declare that the use of the term “indigenous peoples” in the Declaration and
Programme of Action of the World Conference against Racism, Racial Discrimination,
Xenophobia and Related Intolerance is in the context of, and without prejudice to the outcome
of, ongoing international negotiations on texts that specifically deal with this issue, and cannot
be construed as having any implications as to rights under international law;
25. We express our profound repudiation of the racism, racial discrimination,
xenophobia and related intolerance that persist in some States in the functioning of the
penal systems and in the application of the law, as well as in the actions and attitudes of
institutions and individuals responsible for law enforcement, especially where this has
contributed to certain groups being over-represented among persons under detention or
imprisoned;
26. We affirm the need to put an end to impunity for violations of the human rights
and fundamental freedoms of individuals and groups of individuals who are victimized by
racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance;
27. We express our concern that, beyond the fact that racism is gaining ground,
contemporary forms and manifestations of racism and xenophobia are striving to regain political,
moral and even legal recognition in many ways, including through the platforms of some
political parties and organizations and the dissemination through modern communication
technologies of ideas based on the notion of racial superiority;
28. We recall that persecution against any identifiable group, collectivity or
community on racial, national, ethnic or other grounds that are universally recognized as
impermissible under international law, as well as the crime of apartheid, constitute serious
violations of human rights and, in some cases, qualify as crimes against humanity;
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29. We strongly condemn the fact that slavery and slavery-like practices still exist
today in parts of the world and urge States to take immediate measures as a matter of priority to
end such practices, which constitute flagrant violations of human rights;
30. We affirm the urgent need to prevent, combat and eliminate all forms of
trafficking in persons, in particular women and children, and recognize that victims of trafficking
are particularly exposed to racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance;
Victims of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance
31. We also express our deep concern whenever indicators in the fields of, inter alia,
education, employment, health, housing, infant mortality and life expectancy for many peoples
show a situation of disadvantage, particularly where the contributing factors include racism,
racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance;
32. We recognize the value and diversity of the cultural heritage of Africans and
people of African descent and affirm the importance and necessity of ensuring their full
integration into social, economic and political life with a view to facilitating their full
participation at all levels in the decision-making process;
33. We consider it essential for all countries in the region of the Americas and all
other areas of the African Diaspora to recognize the existence of their population of African
descent and the cultural, economic, political and scientific contributions made by that population,
and recognize the persistence of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related
intolerance that specifically affect them, and recognize that, in many countries, their
long-standing inequality in terms of access to, inter alia, education, health care and housing has
been a profound cause of the socio-economic disparities that affect them;
34. We recognize that people of African descent have for centuries been victims of
racism, racial discrimination and enslavement and of the denial by history of many of their
rights, and assert that they should be treated with fairness and respect for their dignity and should
not suffer discrimination of any kind. Recognition should therefore be given to their rights to
culture and their own identity; to participate freely and in equal conditions in political, social,
economic and cultural life; to development in the context of their own aspirations and customs;
to keep, maintain and foster their own forms of organization, their mode of life, culture,
traditions and religious expressions; to maintain and use their own languages; to the protection of
their traditional knowledge and their cultural and artistic heritage; to the use, enjoyment and
conservation of the natural renewable resources of their habitat and to active participation in the
design, implementation and development of educational systems and programmes, including
those of a specific and characteristic nature; and where applicable to their ancestrally
inhabited land;
35. We recognize that in many parts of the world, Africans and people of African
descent face barriers as a result of social biases and discrimination prevailing in public and
private institutions and express our commitment to work towards the eradication of all forms of
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racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance faced by Africans and people
of African descent;
36. We recognize that in many parts of the world, Asians and people of Asian descent
face barriers as a result of social biases and discrimination prevailing in public and private
institutions and express our commitment to work towards the eradication of all forms of racism,
racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance faced by Asians and people of Asian
descent;
37. We note with appreciation that despite the racism, racial discrimination,
xenophobia and related intolerance faced by them for centuries, people of Asian descent have
contributed and continue to contribute significantly to the economic, social, political, scientific
and cultural life of the countries where they live;
38. We call upon all States to review and, where necessary, revise any immigration
policies which are inconsistent with international human rights instruments, with a view to
eliminating all discriminatory policies and practices against migrants, including Asians and
people of Asian descent;
39. We recognize that the indigenous peoples have been victims of discrimination for
centuries and affirm that they are free and equal in dignity and rights and should not suffer any
discrimination, particularly on the basis of their indigenous origin and identity, and we stress the
continuing need for action to overcome the persistent racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia
and related intolerance that affect them;
40. We recognize the value and diversity of the cultures and the heritage of
indigenous peoples, whose singular contribution to the development and cultural pluralism of
society and full participation in all aspects of society, in particular on issues that are of concern
to them, are fundamental for political and social stability, and for the development of the States
in which they live;
41. We reiterate our conviction that the full realization by indigenous peoples of their
human rights and fundamental freedoms is indispensable for eliminating racism, racial
discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance. We firmly reiterate our determination to
promote their full and equal enjoyment of civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights, as
well as the benefits of sustainable development, while fully respecting their distinctive
characteristics and their own initiatives;
42. We emphasize that, in order for indigenous peoples freely to express their own
identity and exercise their rights, they should be free from all forms of discrimination, which
necessarily entails respect for their human rights and fundamental freedoms. Efforts are now
being made to secure universal recognition for those rights in the negotiations on the draft
declaration on the rights of indigenous peoples, including the following: to call themselves by
their own names; to participate freely and on an equal footing in their country’s political,
economic, social and cultural development; to maintain their own forms of organization,
lifestyles, cultures and traditions; to maintain and use their own languages; to maintain their own
economic structures in the areas where they live; to take part in the development of their
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educational systems and programmes; to manage their lands and natural resources, including
hunting and fishing rights; and to have access to justice on a basis of equality;
43. We also recognize the special relationship that indigenous peoples have with the
land as the basis for their spiritual, physical and cultural existence and encourage States,
wherever possible, to ensure that indigenous peoples are able to retain ownership of their lands
and of those natural resources to which they are entitled under domestic law;
44. We welcome the decision to create the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues
within the United Nations system, giving concrete expression to major objectives of the
International Decade of the World’s Indigenous People and the Vienna Declaration and
Programme of Action;
45. We welcome the appointment by the United Nations of the Special Rapporteur on
the situation of human rights and fundamental freedoms of indigenous people and express our
commitment to cooperate with the Special Rapporteur;
46. We recognize the positive economic, social and cultural contributions made by
migrants to both countries of origin and destination;
47. We reaffirm the sovereign right of each State to formulate and apply its own legal
framework and policies for migration, and further affirm that these policies should be consistent
with applicable human rights instruments, norms and standards, and designed to ensure that they
are free of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance;
48. We note with concern and strongly condemn the manifestations and acts of
racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance against migrants and the
stereotypes often applied to them; reaffirm the responsibility of States to protect the human
rights of migrants under their jurisdiction and reaffirm the responsibility of States to safeguard
and protect migrants against illegal or violent acts, in particular acts of racial discrimination and
crimes perpetrated with racist or xenophobic motivation by individuals or groups; and stress the
need for their fair, just and equitable treatment in society and in the workplace;
49. We highlight the importance of creating conditions conducive to greater harmony,
tolerance and respect between migrants and the rest of society in the countries in which they find
themselves, in order to eliminate manifestations of racism and xenophobia against migrants. We
underline that family reunification has a positive effect on integration and emphasize the need
for States to facilitate family reunion;
50. We are mindful of the situation of vulnerability in which migrants frequently find
themselves, owing, inter alia, to their departure from their countries of origin and to the
difficulties they encounter because of differences in language, customs and culture, as well as
economic and social difficulties and obstacles to the return of migrants who are undocumented
or in an irregular situation;
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51. We reaffirm the necessity of eliminating racial discrimination against migrants,
including migrant workers, in relation to issues such as employment, social services, including
education and health, as well as access to justice, and that their treatment must be in accordance
with international human rights instruments, free from racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia
and related intolerance;
52. We note with concern that, among other factors, racism, racial discrimination,
xenophobia and related intolerance contribute to forced displacement and the movement of
people from their countries of origin as refugees and asylum-seekers;
53. We recognize with concern that, despite efforts to combat racism, racial
discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance, instances of various forms of racism, racial
discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance against refugees, asylum-seekers and
internally displaced persons, among others, continue;
54. We underline the urgency of addressing the root causes of displacement and of
finding durable solutions for refugees and displaced persons, in particular voluntary return in
safety and dignity to the countries of origin, as well as resettlement in third countries and local
integration, when and where appropriate and feasible;
55. We affirm our commitment to respect and implement humanitarian obligations
relating to the protection of refugees, asylum-seekers, returnees and internally displaced persons,
and note in this regard the importance of international solidarity, burden-sharing and
international cooperation to share responsibility for the protection of refugees, reaffirming that
the 1951 Convention relating to the Status of Refugees and its 1967 Protocol remain the
foundation of the international refugee regime and recognizing the importance of their full
application by States parties;
56. We recognize the presence in many countries of a Mestizo population of mixed
ethnic and racial origins and its valuable contribution to the promotion of tolerance and respect
in these societies, and we condemn discrimination against them, especially because such
discrimination may be denied owing to its subtle nature;
57. We are conscious of the fact that the history of humanity is replete with major
atrocities as a result of gross violations of human rights and believe that lessons can be learned
through remembering history to avert future tragedies;
58. We recall that the Holocaust must never be forgotten;
59. We recognize with deep concern religious intolerance against certain religious
communities, as well as the emergence of hostile acts and violence against such communities
because of their religious beliefs and their racial or ethnic origin in various parts of the world
which in particular limit their right to freely practise their belief;
60. We also recognize with deep concern the existence in various parts of the world
of religious intolerance against religious communities and their members, in particular limitation
of their right to practise their beliefs freely, as well as the emergence of increased negative
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stereotyping, hostile acts and violence against such communities because of their religious
beliefs and their ethnic or so-called racial origin;
61. We recognize with deep concern the increase in anti-Semitism and Islamophobia
in various parts of the world, as well as the emergence of racial and violent movements based on
racism and discriminatory ideas against Jewish, Muslim and Arab communities;
62. We are conscious that humanity’s history is replete with terrible wrongs inflicted
through lack of respect for the equality of human beings and note with alarm the increase of such
practices in various parts of the world, and we urge people, particularly in conflict situations, to
desist from racist incitement, derogatory language and negative stereotyping;
63. We are concerned about the plight of the Palestinian people under foreign
occupation. We recognize the inalienable right of the Palestinian people to self-determination
and to the establishment of an independent State and we recognize the right to security for all
States in the region, including Israel, and call upon all States to support the peace process and
bring it to an early conclusion;
64. We call for a just, comprehensive and lasting peace in the region in which all
peoples shall co-exist and enjoy equality, justice and internationally recognized human rights,
and security;
65. We recognize the right of refugees to return voluntarily to their homes and
properties in dignity and safety, and urge all States to facilitate such return;
66. We affirm that the ethnic, cultural, linguistic and religious identity of minorities,
where they exist, must be protected and that persons belonging to such minorities should be
treated equally and enjoy their human rights and fundamental freedoms without discrimination
of any kind;
67. We recognize that members of certain groups with a distinct cultural identity face
barriers arising from a complex interplay of ethnic, religious and other factors, as well as their
traditions and customs, and call upon States to ensure that measures, policies and programmes
aimed at eradicating racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance address
the barriers that this interplay of factors creates;
68. We recognize with deep concern the ongoing manifestations of racism, racial
discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance, including violence, against
Roma/Gypsies/Sinti/Travellers and recognize the need to develop effective policies and
implementation mechanisms for their full achievement of equality;
69. We are convinced that racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related
intolerance reveal themselves in a differentiated manner for women and girls, and can be among
the factors leading to a deterioration in their living conditions, poverty, violence, multiple forms
of discrimination, and the limitation or denial of their human rights. We recognize the need to
integrate a gender perspective into relevant policies, strategies and programmes of action against
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racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance in order to address multiple
forms of discrimination;
70. We recognize the need to develop a more systematic and consistent approach to
evaluating and monitoring racial discrimination against women, as well as the disadvantages,
obstacles and difficulties women face in the full exercise and enjoyment of their civil, political,
economic, social and cultural rights because of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and
related intolerance;
71. We deplore attempts to oblige women belonging to certain faiths and religious
minorities to forego their cultural and religious identity, or to restrict their legitimate expression,
or to discriminate against them with regard to opportunities for education and employment;
72. We note with concern the large number of children and young people, particularly
girls, among the victims of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance and
stress the need to incorporate special measures, in accordance with the principle of the best
interests of the child and respect for his or her views, in programmes to combat racism, racial
discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance, in order to give priority attention to the rights
and the situation of children and young people who are victims of these practices;
73. We recognize that a child belonging to an ethnic, religious or linguistic minority
or who is indigenous shall not be denied the right, individually or in community with other
members of his or her group, to enjoy his or her own culture, to profess and practise his or her
own religion, or to use his or her own language;
74. We recognize that child labour is linked to poverty, lack of development and
related socio-economic conditions and could in some cases perpetuate poverty and racial
discrimination by disproportionately denying children from affected groups the opportunity to
acquire the human capabilities needed in productive life and to benefit from economic growth;
75. We note with deep concern the fact that, in many countries, people infected or
affected by HIV/AIDS, as well as those who are presumed to be infected, belong to groups
vulnerable to racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance, which has a
negative impact and impedes their access to health care and medication;
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
76. We recognize that inequitable political, economic, cultural and social conditions
can breed and foster racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance, which in
turn exacerbate the inequity. We believe that genuine equality of opportunity for all, in all
spheres, including that for development, is fundamental for the eradication of racism, racial
discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance;
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77. We affirm that universal adherence to and full implementation of the International
Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination are of paramount
importance for promoting equality and non-discrimination in the world;
78. We affirm the solemn commitment of all States to promote universal respect for,
and observance and protection of, all human rights, economic, social, cultural, civil and political,
including the right to development, as a fundamental factor in the prevention and elimination of
racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance;
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79. We firmly believe that the obstacles to overcoming racial discrimination and
achieving racial equality mainly lie in the lack of political will, weak legislation and lack of
implementation strategies and concrete action by States, as well as the prevalence of racist
attitudes and negative stereotyping;
80. We firmly believe that education, development and the faithful implementation of
all international human rights norms and obligations, including enactment of laws and political,
social and economic policies, are crucial to combat racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and
related intolerance;
81. We recognize that democracy, transparent, responsible, accountable and
participatory governance responsive to the needs and aspirations of the people, and respect for
human rights, fundamental freedoms and the rule of law are essential for the effective prevention
and elimination of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance. We
reaffirm that any form of impunity for crimes motivated by racist and xenophobic attitudes plays
a role in weakening the rule of law and democracy and tends to encourage the recurrence of such
acts;
82. We affirm that the Dialogue among Civilizations constitutes a process to attain
identification and promotion of common grounds among civilizations, recognition and
promotion of the inherent dignity and of the equal rights of all human beings and respect for
fundamental principles of justice; in this way, it can dispel notions of cultural superiority based
on racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance, and facilitate the building
of a reconciled world for the human family;
83. We underline the key role that political leaders and political parties can and ought
to play in combating racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance and
encourage political parties to take concrete steps to promote solidarity, tolerance and respect;
84. We condemn the persistence and resurgence of neo-Nazism, neo-Fascism and
violent nationalist ideologies based on racial or national prejudice, and state that these
phenomena can never be justified in any instance or in any circumstances;
85. We condemn political platforms and organizations based on racism, xenophobia
or doctrines of racial superiority and related discrimination, as well as legislation and practices
based on racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance, as incompatible with
democracy and transparent and accountable governance. We reaffirm that racism, racial
discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance condoned by governmental policies violate
human rights and may endanger friendly relations among peoples, cooperation among nations
and international peace and security;
86. We recall that the dissemination of all ideas based upon racial superiority or
hatred shall be declared an offence punishable by law with due regard to the principles embodied
in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the rights expressly set forth in article 5 of the
International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination;
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87. We note that article 4, paragraph b, of the International Convention on the
Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination places an obligation upon States to be vigilant
and to proceed against organizations that disseminate ideas based on racial superiority or hatred,
acts of violence or incitement to such acts. These organizations shall be condemned and
discouraged;
88. We recognize that the media should represent the diversity of a multicultural
society and play a role in fighting racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related
intolerance. In this regard we draw attention to the power of advertising;
89. We note with regret that certain media, by promoting false images and negative
stereotypes of vulnerable individuals or groups of individuals, particularly of migrants and
refugees, have contributed to the spread of xenophobic and racist sentiments among the public
and in some cases have encouraged violence by racist individuals and groups;
90. We recognize the positive contribution that the exercise of the right to freedom of
expression, particularly by the media and new technologies, including the Internet, and full
respect for the freedom to seek, receive and impart information can make to the fight against
racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance; we reiterate the need to respect
the editorial independence and autonomy of the media in this regard;
91. We express deep concern about the use of new information technologies, such as
the Internet, for purposes contrary to respect for human values, equality, non-discrimination,
respect for others and tolerance, including to propagate racism, racial hatred, xenophobia, racial
discrimination and related intolerance, and that, in particular, children and youth having access
to this material could be negatively influenced by it;
92. We also recognize the need to promote the use of new information and
communication technologies, including the Internet, to contribute to the fight against racism,
racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance; new technologies can assist the
promotion of tolerance and respect for human dignity, and the principles of equality and
non-discrimination;
93. We affirm that all States should recognize the importance of community media that
give a voice to victims of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance;
94. We reaffirm that the stigmatization of people of different origins by acts or
omissions of public authorities, institutions, the media, political parties or national or local
organizations is not only an act of racial discrimination but can also incite the recurrence of such
acts, thereby resulting in the creation of a vicious circle which reinforces racist attitudes and
prejudices, and which must be condemned;
95. We recognize that education at all levels and all ages, including within the family,
in particular human rights education, is a key to changing attitudes and behaviour based on
racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance and to promoting tolerance and
respect for diversity in societies; we further affirm that such education is a determining factor in
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the promotion, dissemination and protection of the democratic values of justice and equity,
which are essential to prevent and combat the spread of racism, racial discrimination,
xenophobia and related intolerance;
96. We recognize that quality education, the elimination of illiteracy and access to
free primary education for all can contribute to more inclusive societies, equity, stable and
harmonious relations and friendship among nations, peoples, groups and individuals, and a
culture of peace, fostering mutual understanding, solidarity, social justice and respect for all
human rights for all;
97. We underline the links between the right to education and the struggle against
racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance and the essential role of
education, including human rights education and education which is sensitive to and respects
cultural diversity, especially amongst children and young people, in the prevention and
eradication of all forms of intolerance and discrimination;
Provision of effective remedies, recourse, redress, and compensatory and other
measures at the national, regional and international levels
98. We emphasize the importance and necessity of teaching about the facts and truth
of the history of humankind from antiquity to the recent past, as well as of teaching about the
facts and truth of the history, causes, nature and consequences of racism, racial discrimination,
xenophobia and related intolerance, with a view to achieving a comprehensive and objective
cognizance of the tragedies of the past;
99. We acknowledge and profoundly regret the massive human suffering and the
tragic plight of millions of men, women and children caused by slavery, the slave trade, the
transatlantic slave trade, apartheid, colonialism and genocide, and call upon States concerned to
honour the memory of the victims of past tragedies and affirm that, wherever and whenever
these occurred, they must be condemned and their recurrence prevented. We regret that these
practices and structures, political, socio-economic and cultural, have led to racism, racial
discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance;
100. We acknowledge and profoundly regret the untold suffering and evils inflicted on
millions of men, women and children as a result of slavery, the slave trade, the transatlantic slave
trade, apartheid, genocide and past tragedies. We further note that some States have taken the
initiative to apologize and have paid reparation, where appropriate, for grave and massive
violations committed;
101. With a view to closing those dark chapters in history and as a means of
reconciliation and healing, we invite the international community and its members to honour the
memory of the victims of these tragedies. We further note that some have taken the initiative of
regretting or expressing remorse or presenting apologies, and call on all those who have not yet
contributed to restoring the dignity of the victims to find appropriate ways to do so and, to this
end, appreciate those countries that have done so;
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102. We are aware of the moral obligation on the part of all concerned States and call
upon these States to take appropriate and effective measures to halt and reverse the lasting
consequences of those practices;
103. We recognize the consequences of past and contemporary forms of racism, racial
discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance as serious challenges to global peace and
security, human dignity and the realization of human rights and fundamental freedoms of many
people in the world, in particular Africans, people of African descent, people of Asian descent
and indigenous peoples;
104. We also strongly reaffirm as a pressing requirement of justice that victims of
human rights violations resulting from racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related
intolerance, especially in the light of their vulnerable situation socially, culturally and
economically, should be assured of having access to justice, including legal assistance where
appropriate, and effective and appropriate protection and remedies, including the right to seek
just and adequate reparation or satisfaction for any damage suffered as a result of such
discrimination, as enshrined in numerous international and regional human rights instruments, in
particular the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Convention on the
Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination;
105. Guided by the principles set out in the Millennium Declaration and the
recognition that we have a collective responsibility to uphold the principles of human dignity,
equality and equity and to ensure that globalization becomes a positive force for all the world’s
people, the international community commits itself to working for the beneficial integration of
the developing countries into the global economy, resisting their marginalization, determined to
achieve accelerated economic growth and sustainable development and to eradicate poverty,
inequality and deprivation;
106. We emphasize that remembering the crimes or wrongs of the past, wherever and
whenever they occurred, unequivocally condemning its racist tragedies and telling the truth
about history are essential elements for international reconciliation and the creation of societies
based on justice, equality and solidarity;
Strategies to achieve full and effective equality, including international cooperation and
enhancement of the United Nations and other international mechanisms in combating
racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance
107. We underscore the need to design, promote and implement at the national,
regional and international levels strategies, programmes and policies, and adequate legislation,
which may include special and positive measures, for furthering equal social development and
the realization of the civil and political, economic, social and cultural rights of all victims of
racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance, including through more
effective access to the political, judicial and administrative institutions, as well as the need to
promote effective access to justice, as well as to guarantee that the benefits of development,
science and technology contribute effectively to the improvement of the quality of life for all,
without discrimination;
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108. We recognize the necessity for special measures or positive actions for the
victims of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance in order to promote
their full integration into society. Those measures for effective action, including social
measures, should aim at correcting the conditions that impair the enjoyment of rights and the
introduction of special measures to encourage equal participation of all racial and cultural,
linguistic and religious groups in all sectors of society and to bring all onto an equal footing.
Those measures should include measures to achieve appropriate representation in educational
institutions, housing, political parties, parliaments and employment, especially in the judiciary,
police, army and other civil services, which in some cases might involve electoral reforms, land
reforms and campaigns for equal participation;
109. We recall the importance of enhancing international cooperation to promote
(a) the fight against racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance; (b) the
effective implementation by States of international treaties and instruments that forbid these
practices; (c) the goals of the Charter of the United Nations in this regard; (d) the achievement of
the goals established by the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development held
in Rio de Janeiro in 1992, the World Conference on Human Rights held in Vienna in 1993,
the International Conference on Population and Development held in Cairo in 1994, the
World Summit for Social Development held in Copenhagen in 1995, the Fourth World
Conference on Women held in Beijing in 1995, the United Nations Conference on
Human Settlements (Habitat II) held in Istanbul in 1996; and the World Food Summit held
in Rome in 1996, making sure that such goals encompass with equity all the victims of racism,
racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance;
110. We recognize the importance of cooperation among States, relevant international
and regional organizations, the international financial institutions, non-governmental
organizations and individuals in the worldwide fight against racism, racial discrimination,
xenophobia and related intolerance, and that success in this fight requires specifically taking into
consideration the grievances, opinions and demands of the victims of such discrimination;
111. We reiterate that the international response and policy, including financial
assistance, towards refugees and displaced persons in different parts of the world should not be
based on discrimination on the grounds of race, colour, descent, or national or ethnic origin of
the refugees and displaced persons concerned and, in this context, we urge the international
community to provide adequate assistance on an equitable basis to host countries, in particular to
host developing countries and countries in transition;
112. We recognize the importance of independent national human rights institutions
conforming to the Principles relating to the status of national institutions for the
promotion and protection of human rights, annexed to General Assembly resolution 48/134
of 20 December 1993, and other relevant specialized institutions created by law for the
promotion and protection of human rights, including ombudsman institutions, in the struggle
against racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance, as well as for the
promotion of democratic values and the rule of law. We encourage States, as appropriate, to
establish such institutions and call upon the authorities and society in general in those countries
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where they are performing their tasks of promotion, protection and prevention to cooperate to the
maximum extent possible with these institutions, while respecting their independence;
113. We recognize the important role relevant regional bodies, including regional
associations of national human rights institutions, can play in combating racism, racial
discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance, and the key role they can play in monitoring
and raising awareness about intolerance and discrimination at the regional level, and reaffirm
support for such bodies where they exist and encourage their establishment;
114. We recognize the paramount role of parliaments in the fight against racism, racial
discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance in adopting appropriate legislation,
overseeing its implementation and allocating the requisite financial resources;
115. We stress the importance of involving social partners and other non-governmental
organizations in the design and implementation of training and development programmes;
116. We recognize the fundamental role of civil society in the fight against racism,
racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance, in particular in assisting States to
develop regulations and strategies, in taking measures and action against such forms of
discrimination and through follow-up implementation;
117. We also recognize that promoting greater respect and trust among different groups
within society must be a shared but differentiated responsibility of government institutions, political
leaders, grass-roots organizations and citizens. We underline that civil society plays an important
role in promoting the public interest, especially in combating racism, racial discrimination,
xenophobia and related intolerance;
118. We welcome the catalytic role that non-governmental organizations play in
promoting human rights education and raising awareness about racism, racial discrimination,
xenophobia and related intolerance. They can also play an important role in raising awareness of
such issues in the relevant bodies of the United Nations, based upon their national, regional or
international experiences. Bearing in mind the difficulties they face, we commit ourselves to
creating an atmosphere conducive to the effective functioning of human rights non-governmental
organizations, in particular anti-racist non-governmental organizations, in combating racism,
racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance. We recognize the precarious situation
of human rights non-governmental organizations, including anti-racist non-governmental
organizations, in many parts of the world and express our commitment to adhere to our
international obligations and to lift any unlawful barriers to their effective functioning;
119. We encourage the full participation of non-governmental organizations in the
follow-up to the World Conference;
120. We recognize that international and national exchange and dialogue, and the
development of a global network among youth, are important and fundamental elements in
building intercultural understanding and respect, and will contribute to the elimination of racism,
racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance;
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121. We underline the usefulness of involving youth in the development of
forward-looking national, regional and international strategies and in policies to fight racism,
racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance;
122. We affirm that our global drive for the total elimination of racism, racial
discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance is undertaken, and that the recommendations
contained in the Programme of Action are made, in a spirit of solidarity and international
cooperation and are inspired by the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations
and other relevant international instruments. These recommendations are made with due
consideration for the past, the present and the future, and with a constructive and
forward-looking approach. We recognize that the formulation and implementation of these
strategies, policies, programmes and actions, which should be carried out efficiently and
promptly, are the responsibility of all States, with the full involvement of civil society at the
national, regional and international levels.
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Programme of Action
Recognizing the urgent need to translate the objectives of the Declaration into a practical
and workable Programme of Action, the World Conference against Racism, Racial
Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance:
I. Sources, causes, forms and contemporary manifestations of racism,
racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance
1. Urges States in their national efforts, and in cooperation with other States,
regional and international organizations and financial institutions, to promote the use of public
and private investment in consultation with the affected communities in order to eradicate
poverty, particularly in those areas in which victims of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia
and related intolerance predominantly live;
2. Urges States to take all necessary and appropriate measures to end enslavement
and contemporary forms of slavery-like practices, to initiate constructive dialogue among States
and implement measures with a view to correcting the problems and the damage resulting
therefrom;
II. Victims of racism, racial discrimination,
xenophobia and related intolerance
Victims: General
3. Urges States to work nationally and in cooperation with other States and relevant
regional and international organizations and programmes to strengthen national mechanisms to
promote and protect the human rights of victims of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and
related intolerance who are infected, or presumably infected, with pandemic diseases such as
HIV/AIDS and to take concrete measures, including preventive action, appropriate access to
medication and treatment, programmes of education, training and mass media dissemination, to
eliminate violence, stigmatization, discrimination, unemployment and other negative
consequences arising from these pandemics;
Africans and people of African descent
4. Urges States to facilitate the participation of people of African descent in all
political, economic, social and cultural aspects of society and in the advancement and economic
development of their countries, and to promote a greater knowledge of and respect for their
heritage and culture;
5. Requests States, supported by international cooperation as appropriate, to
consider positively concentrating additional investments in health-care systems, education,
public health, electricity, drinking water and environmental control, as well as other affirmative
or positive action initiatives, in communities of primarily African descent;
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6. Calls upon the United Nations, international financial and development
institutions and other appropriate international mechanisms to develop capacity-building
programmes intended for Africans and people of African descent in the Americas and around the
world;
7. Requests the Commission on Human Rights to consider establishing a working
group or other mechanism of the United Nations to study the problems of racial discrimination
faced by people of African descent living in the African Diaspora and make proposals for the
elimination of racial discrimination against people of African descent;
8. Urges financial and development institutions and the operational programmes and
specialized agencies of the United Nations, in accordance with their regular budgets and the
procedures of their governing bodies:
(a) To assign particular priority, and allocate sufficient funding, within their areas of
competence and budgets, to improving the situation of Africans and people of African descent,
while devoting special attention to the needs of these populations in developing countries,
inter alia through the preparation of specific programmes of action;
(b) To carry out special projects, through appropriate channels and in collaboration
with Africans and people of African descent, to support their initiatives at the community level
and to facilitate the exchange of information and technical know-how between these populations
and experts in these areas;
(c) To develop programmes intended for people of African descent allocating
additional investments to health systems, education, housing, electricity, drinking water and
environmental control measures and promoting equal opportunities in employment, as well as
other affirmative or positive action initiatives;
9. Requests States to increase public actions and policies in favour of women and
young males of African descent, given that racism affects them more deeply, placing them in a
more marginalized and disadvantaged situation;
10. Urges States to ensure access to education and promote access to new
technologies that would offer Africans and people of African descent, in particular women and
children, adequate resources for education, technological development and long-distance
learning in local communities, and further urges States to promote the full and accurate inclusion
of the history and contribution of Africans and people of African descent in the education
curriculum;
11. Encourages States to identify factors which prevent equal access to, and the
equitable presence of, people of African descent at all levels of the public sector, including the
public service, and in particular the administration of justice, and to take appropriate measures to
remove the obstacles identified and also to encourage the private sector to promote equal access
to, and the equitable presence of, people of African descent at all levels within their
organizations;
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12. Calls upon States to take specific steps to ensure full and effective access to the
justice system for all individuals, particularly those of African descent;
13. Urges States, in accordance with international human rights standards and their
respective domestic legal framework, to resolve problems of ownership of ancestral lands
inhabited for generations by people of African descent and to promote the productive utilization
of land and the comprehensive development of these communities, respecting their culture and
their specific forms of decision-making;
14. Urges States to recognize the particularly severe problems of religious prejudice
and intolerance that many people of African descent experience and to implement policies and
measures that are designed to prevent and eliminate all such discrimination on the basis of
religion and belief, which, when combined with certain other forms of discrimination, constitutes
a form of multiple discrimination;
Indigenous peoples
15. Urges States:
(a) To adopt or continue to apply, in concert with them, constitutional,
administrative, legislative, judicial and all necessary measures to promote, protect and ensure the
enjoyment by indigenous peoples of their rights, as well as to guarantee them the exercise of
their human rights and fundamental freedoms on the basis of equality, non-discrimination and
full and free participation in all areas of society, in particular in matters affecting or concerning
their interests;
(b) To promote better knowledge of and respect for indigenous cultures and heritage;
and welcomes measures already taken by States in these respects;
16. Urges States to work with indigenous peoples to stimulate their access to
economic activities and increase their level of employment, where appropriate, through the
establishment, acquisition or expansion by indigenous peoples of enterprises, and the
implementation of measures such as training, the provision of technical assistance and credit
facilities;
17. Urges States to work with indigenous peoples to establish and implement
programmes that provide access to training and services that could benefit the development of
their communities;
18. Requests States to adopt public policies and give impetus to programmes on
behalf of and in concert with indigenous women and girls, with a view to promoting their civil,
political, economic, social and cultural rights; to putting an end to their situation of disadvantage
for reasons of gender and ethnicity; to dealing with urgent problems affecting them in regard to
education, their physical and mental health, economic life and in the matter of violence against
them, including domestic violence; and to eliminating the situation of aggravated discrimination
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suffered by indigenous women and girls on multiple grounds of racism and gender
discrimination;
19. Recommends that States examine, in conformity with relevant international
human rights instruments, norms and standards, their Constitutions, laws, legal systems and
policies in order to identify and eradicate racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related
intolerance towards indigenous peoples and individuals, whether implicit, explicit or inherent;
20. Calls upon concerned States to honour and respect their treaties and agreements
with indigenous peoples and to accord them due recognition and observance;
21. Calls upon States to give full and appropriate consideration to the
recommendations produced by indigenous peoples in their own forums on the
World Conference;
22. Requests States:
(a) To develop and, where they already exist, support institutional mechanisms to
promote the accomplishment of the objectives and measures relating to indigenous peoples
agreed in this Programme of Action;
(b) To promote, in concert with indigenous organizations, local authorities and
non-governmental organizations, actions aimed at overcoming racism, racial discrimination,
xenophobia and related intolerance against indigenous peoples and to make regular assessments
of the progress achieved in this regard;
(c) To promote understanding among society at large of the importance of special
measures to overcome disadvantages faced by indigenous peoples;
(d) To consult indigenous representatives in the process of decision-making
concerning policies and measures that directly affect them;
23. Calls upon States to recognize the particular challenges faced by indigenous
peoples and individuals living in urban environments and urges States to implement effective
strategies to combat the racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance they
encounter, paying particular attention to opportunities for their continued practice of their
traditional, cultural, linguistic and spiritual ways of life;
Migrants
24. Requests all States to combat manifestations of a generalized rejection of
migrants and actively to discourage all racist demonstrations and acts that generate xenophobic
behaviour and negative sentiments towards, or rejection of, migrants;
25. Invites international and national non-governmental organizations to include
monitoring and protection of the human rights of migrants in their programmes and activities and
to sensitize Governments and increase public awareness in all States about the need to prevent
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racist acts and manifestations of discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance against
migrants;
26. Requests States to promote and protect fully and effectively the human rights and
fundamental freedoms of all migrants, in conformity with the Universal Declaration of Human
Rights and their obligations under international human rights instruments, regardless of the
migrants’ immigration status;
27. Encourages States to promote education on the human rights of migrants and to
engage in information campaigns to ensure that the public receives accurate information
regarding migrants and migration issues, including the positive contribution of migrants to the
host society and the vulnerability of migrants, particularly those who are in an irregular situation;
28. Calls upon States to facilitate family reunification in an expeditious and effective
manner which has a positive effect on integration of migrants, with due regard for the desire of
many family members to have an independent status;
29. Urges States to take concrete measures that would eliminate racism, racial
discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance in the workplace against all workers,
including migrants, and ensure the full equality of all before the law, including labour law, and
further urges States to eliminate barriers, where appropriate, to: participating in vocational
training, collective bargaining, employment, contracts and trade union activity; accessing judicial
and administrative tribunals dealing with grievances; seeking employment in different parts of
their country of residence; and working in safe and healthy conditions;
30. Urges States:
(a) To develop and implement policies and action plans, and to reinforce and
implement preventive measures, in order to foster greater harmony and tolerance between
migrants and host societies, with the aim of eliminating manifestations of racism, racial
discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance, including acts of violence, perpetrated in
many societies by individuals or groups;
(b) To review and revise, where necessary, their immigration laws, policies and
practices so that they are free of racial discrimination and compatible with States’ obligations
under international human rights instruments;
(c) To implement specific measures involving the host community and migrants in
order to encourage respect for cultural diversity, to promote the fair treatment of migrants and to
develop programmes, where appropriate, that facilitate their integration into social, cultural,
political and economic life;
(d) To ensure that migrants, regardless of their immigration status, detained by public
authorities are treated with humanity and in a fair manner, and receive effective legal protection
and, where appropriate, the assistance of a competent interpreter in accordance with the relevant
norms of international law and human rights standards, particularly during interrogation;
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(e) To ensure that the police and immigration authorities treat migrants in a dignified
and non-discriminatory manner, in accordance with international standards, through, inter alia,
organizing specialized training courses for administrators, police officers, immigration officials
and other interested groups;
(f) To consider the question of promoting the recognition of the educational,
professional and technical credentials of migrants, with a view to maximizing their contribution
to their new States of residence;
(g) To take all possible measures to promote the full enjoyment by all migrants of all
human rights, including those related to fair wages and equal remuneration for work of equal
value without distinction of any kind, and to the right to security in the event of unemployment,
sickness, disability, widowhood, old age or other lack of livelihood in circumstances beyond
their control, social security, including social insurance, access to education, health care, social
services and respect for their cultural identity;
(h) To consider adopting and implementing immigration policies and programmes
that would enable immigrants, in particular women and children who are victims of spousal or
domestic violence, to free themselves from abusive relationships;
31. Urges States, in the light of the increased proportion of women migrants, to place
special focus on gender issues, including gender discrimination, particularly when the multiple
barriers faced by migrant women intersect; detailed research should be undertaken not only in
respect of human rights violations perpetrated against women migrants, but also on the
contribution they make to the economies of their countries of origin and their host countries, and
the findings should be included in reports to treaty bodies;
32. Urges States to recognize the same economic opportunities and responsibilities to
documented long-term migrants as to other members of society;
33. Recommends that host countries of migrants consider the provision of adequate
social services, in particular in the areas of health, education and adequate housing, as a matter of
priority, in cooperation with the United Nations agencies, the regional organizations and
international financial bodies; also requests that these agencies provide an adequate response to
requests for such services;
Refugees
34. Urges States to comply with their obligations under international human rights,
refugee and humanitarian law relating to refugees, asylum-seekers and displaced persons, and
urges the international community to provide them with protection and assistance in an equitable
manner and with due regard to their needs in different parts of the world, in keeping with
principles of international solidarity, burden-sharing and international cooperation, to share
responsibilities;
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35. Calls upon States to recognize the racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and
related intolerance that refugees may face as they endeavour to engage in the life of the societies
of their host countries and encourages States, in accordance with their international obligations
and commitments, to develop strategies to address this discrimination and to facilitate the full
enjoyment of the human rights of refugees. States parties should ensure that all measures
relating to refugees must be in full accordance with the 1951 Convention relating to the Status of
Refugees and its 1967 Protocol;
36. Urges States to take effective steps to protect refugee and internally displaced
women and girls from violence, to investigate any such violations and to bring those responsible
to justice, in collaboration, when appropriate, with the relevant and competent organizations;
Other victims
37. Urges States to take all possible measures to ensure that all persons, without any
discrimination, are registered and have access to the necessary documentation reflecting their
legal identity to enable them to benefit from available legal procedures, remedies and
development opportunities, as well as to reduce the incidence of trafficking;
38. Recognizes that victims of trafficking are particularly exposed to racism, racial
discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance. States shall ensure that all measures taken
against trafficking in persons, in particular those that affect the victims of such trafficking, are
consistent with internationally recognized principles of non-discrimination, including the
prohibition of racial discrimination and the availability of appropriate legal redress;
39. Calls upon States to ensure that Roma/Gypsy/Sinti/Traveller children and youth,
especially girls, are given equal access to education and that educational curricula at all levels,
including complementary programmes on intercultural education, which might, inter alia,
include opportunities for them to learn the official languages in the pre-school period and to
recruit Roma/Gypsy/Sinti/Traveller teachers and classroom assistants in order for such children
and youth to learn their mother tongue, are sensitive and responsive to their needs;
40. Encourages States to adopt appropriate and concrete policies and measures, to
develop implementation mechanisms, where these do not already exist, and to exchange
experiences, in cooperation with representatives of the Roma/Gypsies/Sinti/Travellers, in order
to eradicate discrimination against them, enable them to achieve equality and ensure their full
enjoyment of all their human rights, as recommended in the case of the Roma by the Committee
on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination in its general recommendation XXVII, so that their
needs are met;
41. Recommends that the intergovernmental organizations address, as appropriate, in
their projects of cooperation with and assistance to various States, the situation of the
Roma/Gypsies/Sinti/Travellers and promote their economic, social and cultural advancement;
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42. Calls upon States and encourages non-governmental organizations to raise
awareness about the racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance
experienced by the Roma/Gypsies/Sinti/Travellers, and to promote knowledge and respect for
their culture and history;
43. Encourages the media to promote equal access to and participation in the media
for the Roma/Gypsies/Sinti/Travellers, as well as to protect them from racist, stereotypical and
discriminatory media reporting, and calls upon States to facilitate the media’s efforts in this
regard;
44. Invites States to design policies aimed at combating racism, racial discrimination,
xenophobia and related intolerance that are based on reliable statistical data recognizing the
concerns identified in consultation with the Roma/Gypsies/Sinti/Travellers themselves reflecting
as accurately as possible their status in society. All such information shall be collected in
accordance with provisions on human rights and fundamental freedoms, such as data protection
regulations and privacy guarantees, and in consultation with the persons concerned;
45. Encourages States to address the problems of racism, racial discrimination,
xenophobia and related intolerance against people of Asian descent and urges States to take all
necessary measures to eliminate the barriers that such persons face in participating in economic,
social, cultural and political life;
46. Urges States to ensure within their jurisdiction that persons belonging to national
or ethnic, religious and linguistic minorities can exercise fully and effectively all human rights
and fundamental freedoms without any discrimination and in full equality before the law, and
also urges States and the international community to promote and protect the rights of such
persons;
47. Urges States to guarantee the rights of persons belonging to national or ethnic,
religious and linguistic minorities, individually or in community with other members of their
group, to enjoy their own culture, to profess and practise their own religion, and to use their own
language, in private and in public, freely and without interference, and to participate effectively
in the cultural, social, economic and political life of the country in which they live, in order to
protect them from any form of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance
that they are or may be subjected to;
48. Urges States to recognize the effect that discrimination, marginalization and
social exclusion have had and continue to have on many racial groups living in a numerically
based minority situation within a State, and to ensure that persons in such groups can exercise, as
individual members of such groups, fully and effectively, all human rights and fundamental
freedoms without distinction and in full equality before the law, and to take, where applicable,
appropriate measures in respect of employment, housing and education with a view to preventing
racial discrimination;
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49. Urges States to take, where applicable, appropriate measures to prevent racial
discrimination against persons belonging to national or ethnic, religious and linguistic minorities
in respect of employment, health care, housing, social services and education, and in this context
forms of multiple discrimination should be taken into account;
50. Urges States to incorporate a gender perspective in all programmes of action
against racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance and to consider the
burden of such discrimination which falls particularly on indigenous women, African women,
Asian women, women of African descent, women of Asian descent, women migrants and
women from other disadvantaged groups, ensuring their access to the resources of production on
an equal footing with men, as a means of promoting their participation in the economic and
productive development of their communities;
51. Urges States to involve women, especially women victims of racism, racial
discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance, in decision-making at all levels when
working towards the eradication of such discrimination, and to develop concrete measures to
incorporate race and gender analysis in the implementation of all aspects of the Programme of
Action and national plans of action, particularly in the fields of employment programmes and
services and resource allocation;
52. Recognizing that poverty shapes economic and social status and establishes
obstacles to the effective political participation of women and men in different ways and to
different extents, urges States to undertake gender analyses of all economic and social policies
and programmes, especially poverty eradication measures, including those designed and
implemented to benefit those individuals or groups of individuals who are victims of racism,
racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance;
53. Urges States and encourages all sectors of society to empower women and girls
who are victims of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance, so that they
can fully exercise their rights in all spheres of public and private life, and to ensure the full, equal
and effective participation of women in decision-making at all levels, in particular in the design,
implementation and evaluation of policies and measures which affect their lives;
54. Urges States:
(a) To recognize that sexual violence which has been systematically used as a
weapon of war, sometimes with the acquiescence or at the instigation of the State, is a serious
violation of international humanitarian law that, in defined circumstances, constitutes a crime
against humanity and/or a war crime, and that the intersection of discrimination on grounds of
race and gender makes women and girls particularly vulnerable to this type of violence, which is
often related to racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance;
(b) To end impunity and prosecute those responsible for crimes against humanity and
war crimes, including crimes related to sexual and other gender-based violence against women
and girls, as well as to ensure that persons in authority who are responsible for such crimes,
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including by committing, ordering, soliciting, inducing, aiding in, abetting, assisting or in any
other way contributing to their commission or attempted commission, are identified,
investigated, prosecuted and punished;
55. Requests States, in collaboration where necessary with international
organizations, having the best interests of the child as a primary consideration, to provide
protection against racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance against
children, especially those in circumstances of particular vulnerability, and to pay special
attention to the situation of such children when designing relevant policies, strategies and
programmes;
56. Urges States, in accordance with their national law and their obligations under the
relevant international instruments, to take all measures to the maximum extent of their available
resources to guarantee, without any discrimination, the equal right of all children to the
immediate registration of birth, in order to enable them to exercise their human rights and
fundamental freedoms. States shall grant women equal rights with men with respect to
nationality;
57. Urges States and international and regional organizations, and encourages
non-governmental organizations and the private sector, to address the situation of persons with
disabilities who are also subject to racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related
intolerance; also urges States to take necessary measures to ensure their full enjoyment of all
human rights and to facilitate their full integration into all fields of life;
III. 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
58. Urges States to adopt and implement, at both the national and international levels,
effective measures and policies, in addition to existing anti-discrimination national legislation
and relevant international instruments and mechanisms, which encourage all citizens and
institutions to take a stand against racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related
intolerance, and to recognize, respect and maximize the benefits of diversity within and among
all nations in working together to build a harmonious and productive future by putting into
practice and promoting values and principles such as justice, equality and non-discrimination,
democracy, fairness and friendship, tolerance and respect within and between communities and
nations, in particular through public information and education programmes to raise awareness
and understanding of the benefits of cultural diversity, including programmes where the public
authorities work in partnership with international and non-governmental organizations and other
sectors of civil society;
59. Urges States to mainstream a gender perspective in the design and development
of measures of prevention, education and protection aimed at the eradication of racism, racial
discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance at all levels, to ensure that they effectively
target the distinct situations of women and men;
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60. Urges States to adopt or strengthen, as appropriate, national programmes for
eradicating poverty and reducing social exclusion which take account of the needs and
experiences of individuals or groups of individuals who are victims of racism, racial
discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance, and also urges that they expand their efforts
to foster bilateral, regional and international cooperation in implementing those programmes;
61. Urges States to work to ensure that their political and legal systems reflect the
multicultural diversity within their societies and, where necessary, to improve democratic
institutions so that they are more fully participatory and avoid marginalization, exclusion and
discrimination against specific sectors of society;
62. Urges States to take all necessary measures to address specifically, through
policies and programmes, racism and racially motivated violence against women and girls and to
increase cooperation, policy responses and effective implementation of national legislation and
of their obligations under relevant international instruments, and other protective and preventive
measures aimed at the elimination of all forms of racially motivated discrimination and violence
against women and girls;
63. Encourages the business sector, in particular the tourist industry and Internet
providers, to develop codes of conduct, with a view to preventing trafficking in persons and
protecting the victims of such traffic, especially those in prostitution, against gender-based and
racial discrimination and promoting their rights, dignity and security;
64. Urges States to devise, enforce and strengthen effective measures at the national,
regional and international levels to prevent, combat and eliminate all forms of trafficking in
women and children, in particular girls, through comprehensive anti-trafficking strategies which
include legislative measures, prevention campaigns and information exchange. It also urges
States to allocate resources, as appropriate, to provide comprehensive programmes designed to
provide assistance to, protection for, healing, reintegration into society and rehabilitation of
victims. States shall provide or strengthen training for law enforcement, immigration and other
relevant officials who deal with victims of trafficking in this regard;
65. Encourages the bodies, agencies and relevant programmes of the United Nations
system and States to promote and to make use of the Guiding Principles on Internal
Displacement (E/CN.4/1998/53/Add.2), particularly those provisions relating to
non-discrimination;
A. National level
1. Legislative, judicial, regulatory, administrative and other measures to
prevent and protect against racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia
and related intolerance
66. Urges States to establish and implement without delay national policies and action
plans to combat racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance, including their
gender-based manifestations;
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67. Urges States to design or reinforce, promote and implement effective legislative
and administrative policies, as well as other preventive measures, against the serious situation
experienced by certain groups of workers, including migrant workers, who are victims of racism,
racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance. Special attention should be given to
protecting people engaged in domestic work and trafficked persons from discrimination and
violence, as well as to combating prejudice against them;
68. Urges States to adopt and implement, or strengthen, national legislation and
administrative measures that expressly and specifically counter racism and prohibit racial
discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance, whether direct or indirect, in all spheres of
public life, in accordance with their obligations under the International Convention on the
Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination, ensuring that their reservations are not
contrary to the object and purpose of the Convention;
69. Urges States to enact and implement, as appropriate, laws against trafficking in
persons, especially women and children, and smuggling of migrants, taking into account
practices that endanger human lives or lead to various kinds of servitude and exploitation, such
as debt bondage, slavery, sexual exploitation or labour exploitation; also encourages States to
create, if they do not already exist, mechanisms to combat such practices and to allocate
adequate resources to ensure law enforcement and the protection of the rights of victims, and to
reinforce bilateral, regional and international cooperation, including with non-governmental
organizations that assist victims, to combat this trafficking in persons and smuggling of
migrants;
70. Urges States to take all necessary constitutional, legislative and administrative
measures to foster equality among individuals and groups of individuals who are victims of
racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance, and to review existing
measures with a view to amending or repealing national legislation and administrative provisions
that may give rise to such forms of discrimination;
71. Urges States, including their law enforcement agencies, to design and fully
implement effective policies and programmes to prevent, detect and ensure accountability for
misconduct by police officers and other law enforcement personnel which is motivated by
racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance, and to prosecute perpetrators
of such misconduct;
72. Urges States to design, implement and enforce effective measures to eliminate the
phenomenon popularly known as “racial profiling” and comprising the practice of police and
other law enforcement officers relying, to any degree, on race, colour, descent or national or
ethnic origin as the basis for subjecting persons to investigatory activities or for determining
whether an individual is engaged in criminal activity;
73. Urges States to take measures to prevent genetic research or its applications from
being used to promote racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance, to
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protect the privacy of personal genetic information and to prevent such information from being
used for discriminatory or racist purposes;
74. Urges States and invites non-governmental organizations and the private sector:
(a) To create and implement policies that promote a high-quality and diverse police
force free from racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance, and recruit
actively all groups, including minorities, into public employment, including the police force and
other agencies within the criminal justice system (such as prosecutors);
(b) To work to reduce violence, including violence motivated by racism, racial
discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance, by:
(i) Developing educational materials to teach young people the importance of
tolerance and respect;
(ii) Addressing bias before it manifests itself in violent criminal activity;
(iii) Establishing working groups consisting of, among others, local
community leaders and national and local law enforcement officials, to
improve coordination, community involvement, training, education and
data collection, with the aim of preventing such violent criminal activity;
(iv) Ensuring that civil rights laws that prohibit violent criminal activity are
strongly enforced;
(v) Enhancing data collection regarding violence motivated by racism, racial
discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance;
(vi) Providing appropriate assistance to victims, and public education to
prevent future incidents of violence motivated by racism, racial
discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance;
Ratification of and effective implementation of relevant international and regional legal
instruments on human rights and non-discrimination
75. Urges States that have not yet done so to consider ratifying or acceding to the
international human rights instruments which combat racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia
and related intolerance, in particular to accede to the International Convention on the Elimination
of All Forms of Racial Discrimination as a matter of urgency, with a view to universal
ratification by the year 2005, and to consider making the declaration envisaged under article 14,
to comply with their reporting obligations, and to publish and act upon the concluding
observations of the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination. It also urges States
to withdraw reservations contrary to the object and purpose of that Convention and to consider
withdrawing other reservations;
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76. Urges States to give due consideration to the observations and recommendations
of the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination. To that effect, States should
consider setting up appropriate national monitoring and evaluation mechanisms to ensure that all
appropriate steps are taken to follow up on these observations and recommendations;
77. Urges States that have not yet done so to consider becoming parties to the
International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and the International Covenant
on Civil and Political Rights, as well as to consider acceding to the Optional Protocols to the
International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights;
78. Urges those States that have not yet done so to consider signing and ratifying or
acceding to the following instruments:
(a) Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide
of 1948;
(b) International Labour Organization Migration for Employment Convention
(Revised), 1949 (No. 97);
(c) Convention for the Suppression of the Traffic in Persons and of the Exploitation
of the Prostitution of Others of 1949;
(d) Convention relating to the Status of Refugees of 1951, and its 1967 Protocol;
(e) International Labour Organization Discrimination (Employment and Occupation)
Convention, 1958 (No. 111);
(f) Convention against Discrimination in Education, adopted on 14 December 1960
by the General Conference of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural
Organization;
(g) Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women
of 1979, with a view to achieving universal ratification within five years, and its Optional
Protocol of 1999;
(h) Convention on the Rights of the Child of 1989 and its two Optional Protocols
of 2000, and the International Labour Organization Minimum Age Convention, 1973 (No. 138)
and Worst Forms of Child Labour Convention, 1999 (No. 182);
(i) International Labour Organization Migrant Workers (Supplementary Provisions)
Convention, 1975 (No. 143);
(j) International Labour Organization Indigenous and Tribal Peoples
Convention, 1989 (No. 169) and the Convention on Biological Diversity of 1992;
(k) International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers
and Members of Their Families of 1990;
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(l) The Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court of 1998;
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(m) United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime, the Protocol
to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children,
supplementing the Convention and the Protocol against the Smuggling of Migrants by Land, Sea
and Air, supplementing the Convention of 2000;
It further urges States parties to these instruments to implement them fully;
79. Calls upon States to promote and protect the exercise of the rights set out in the
Declaration on the Elimination of All Forms of Intolerance and of Discrimination Based on
Religion or Belief, proclaimed by the General Assembly in its resolution 36/55 of
25 November 1981, in order to obviate religious discrimination which, when combined with
certain other forms of discrimination, constitutes a form of multiple discrimination;
80. Urges States to seek full respect for, and compliance with, the Vienna Convention
on Consular Relations of 1963, especially as it relates to the right of foreign nationals, regardless
of their legal and immigration status, to communicate with a consular officer of their own State
in the case of arrest or detention;
81. Urges all States to prohibit discriminatory treatment based on race, colour,
descent or national or ethnic origin against foreigners and migrant workers, inter alia, where
appropriate, concerning the granting of work visas and work permits, housing, health care and
access to justice;
82. Underlines the importance of combating impunity, including for crimes with a
racist or xenophobic motivation, also at the international level, noting that impunity for
violations of human rights and international humanitarian law is a serious obstacle to a fair and
equitable justice system and, ultimately, reconciliation and stability; it also fully supports the
work of the existing international criminal tribunals and ratification of the Rome Statute of the
International Criminal Court, and urges all States to cooperate with these international criminal
tribunals;
83. Urges States to make every effort to apply fully the relevant provisions of the
International Labour Organization Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work
of 1998, in order to combat racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance;
Prosecution of perpetrators of racist acts
84. Urges States to adopt effective measures to combat criminal acts motivated by
racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance, to take measures so that such
motivations are considered an aggravating factor for the purposes of sentencing, to prevent these
crimes from going unpunished and to ensure the rule of law;
85. Urges States to undertake investigations to examine possible links between
criminal prosecution, police violence and penal sanctions, on the one hand, and racism, racial
discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance, on the other, so as to have evidence for
taking the necessary steps for the eradication of any such links and discriminatory practices;
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86. Calls upon States to promote measures to deter the emergence of and to counter
neo-fascist, violent nationalist ideologies which promote racial hatred and racial discrimination,
as well as racist and xenophobic sentiments, including measures to combat the negative
influence of such ideologies especially on young people through formal and non-formal
education, the media and sport;
87. Urges States parties to adopt legislation implementing the obligations they have
assumed to prosecute and punish persons who have committed or ordered to be committed grave
breaches of the Geneva Conventions of 12 August 1949 and Additional Protocol I thereto and of
other serious violations of the laws and customs of war, in particular in relation to the principle
of non-discrimination;
88. Calls upon States to criminalize all forms of trafficking in persons, in particular
women and children, and to condemn and penalize traffickers and intermediaries, while ensuring
protection and assistance to the victims of trafficking, with full respect for their human rights;
89. Urges States to carry out comprehensive, exhaustive, timely and impartial
investigations of all unlawful acts of racism and racial discrimination, to prosecute criminal
offences ex officio, as appropriate, or initiate or facilitate all appropriate actions arising from
offences of a racist or xenophobic nature, to ensure that criminal and civil investigations and
prosecutions of offences of a racist or xenophobic nature are given high priority and are actively
and consistently undertaken, and to ensure the right to equal treatment before the tribunals and
all other organs administering justice. In this regard, the World Conference underlines the
importance of fostering awareness and providing training to the various agents in the criminal
justice system to ensure fair and impartial application of the law. In this respect, it recommends
that anti-discrimination monitoring services be established;
Establishment and reinforcement of independent specialized national institutions
and mediation
90. Urges States, as appropriate, to establish, strengthen, review and reinforce the
effectiveness of independent national human rights institutions, particularly on issues of racism,
racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance, in conformity with the Principles
relating to the status of national institutions for the promotion and protection of human rights,
annexed to General Assembly resolution 48/134 of 20 December 1993, and to provide them with
adequate financial resources, competence and capacity for investigation, research, education and
public awareness activities to combat these phenomena;
91. Also urges States:
(a) To foster cooperation between these institutions and other national institutions;
(b) To take steps to ensure that those individuals or groups of individuals who are
victims of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance can participate fully
in these institutions;
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(c) To support these institutions and similar bodies, inter alia through the publication
and circulation of existing national laws and jurisprudence, and cooperation with institutions in
other countries, so that knowledge can be gained of the manifestations, functions and
mechanisms of these practices and the strategies designed to prevent, combat and eradicate them;
2. Policies and practices
Data collection and disaggregation, research and study
92. Urges States to collect, compile, analyse, disseminate and publish reliable
statistical data at the national and local levels and undertake all other related measures which are
necessary to assess regularly the situation of individuals and groups of individuals who are
victims of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance;
(a) Such statistical data should be disaggregated in accordance with national
legislation. Any such information shall, as appropriate, be collected with the explicit consent of
the victims, based on their self-identification and in accordance with provisions on human rights
and fundamental freedoms, such as data protection regulations and privacy guarantees. This
information must not be misused;
(b) The statistical data and information should be collected with the objective of
monitoring the situation of marginalized groups, and the development and evaluation of
legislation, policies, practices and other measures aimed at preventing and combating racism,
racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance, as well as for the purpose of
determining whether any measures have an unintentional disparate impact on victims. To that
end, it recommends the development of voluntary, consensual and participatory strategies in the
process of collecting, designing and using information;
(c) The information should take into account economic and social indicators,
including, where appropriate, health and health status, infant and maternal mortality, life
expectancy, literacy, education, employment, housing, land ownership, mental and physical
health care, water, sanitation, energy and communications services, poverty and average
disposable income, in order to elaborate social and economic development policies with a view
to closing the existing gaps in social and economic conditions;
93. Invites States, intergovernmental organizations, non-governmental organizations,
academic institutions and the private sector to improve concepts and methods of data collection
and analysis; to promote research, exchange experiences and successful practices and develop
promotional activities in this area; and to develop indicators of progress and participation of
individuals and groups of individuals in society subject to racism, racial discrimination,
xenophobia and related intolerance;
94. Recognizes that policies and programmes aimed at combating racism, racial
discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance should be based on quantitative and
qualitative research, incorporating a gender perspective. Such policies and programmes should
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take into account priorities identified by individuals and groups of individuals who are victims
of, or subject to, racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance;
95. Urges States to establish regular monitoring of acts of racism, racial
discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance in the public and private sectors, including
those committed by law enforcement officials;
96. Invites States to promote and conduct studies and adopt an integral, objective and
long-term approach to all phases and aspects of migration which will deal effectively with both
its causes and manifestations. These studies and approaches should pay special attention to the
root causes of migratory flows, such as lack of full enjoyment of human rights and fundamental
freedoms, and the effects of economic globalization on migration trends;
97. Recommends that further studies be conducted on how racism, racial
discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance may be reflected in laws, policies, institutions
and practices and how this may have contributed to the victimization and exclusion of migrants,
especially women and children;
98. Recommends that States include where applicable in their periodic reports to
United Nations human rights treaty bodies, in an appropriate form, statistical information
relating to individuals, members of groups and communities within their jurisdiction, including
statistical data on participation in political life and on their economic, social and cultural
situation. All such information shall be collected in accordance with provisions on human rights
and fundamental freedoms, such as data protection regulations and privacy guarantees;
Action-oriented policies and action plans, including affirmative action to ensure
non-discrimination, in particular as regards access to social services, employment,
housing, education, health care, etc.
99. Recognizes that combating racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related
intolerance is a primary responsibility of States. It therefore encourages States to develop or
elaborate national action plans to promote diversity, equality, equity, social justice, equality of
opportunity and the participation of all. Through, among other things, affirmative or positive
actions and strategies, these plans should aim at creating conditions for all to participate
effectively in decision-making and realize civil, cultural, economic, political and social rights in
all spheres of life on the basis of non-discrimination. The World Conference encourages States,
in developing and elaborating such action plans, to establish, or reinforce, dialogue with
non-governmental organizations in order to involve them more closely in designing,
implementing and evaluating policies and programmes;
100. Urges States to establish, on the basis of statistical information, national
programmes, including affirmative or positive measures, to promote the access of individuals
and groups of individuals who are or may be victims of racial discrimination to basic social
services, including primary education, basic health care and adequate housing;
101. Urges States to establish programmes to promote the access without
discrimination of individuals or groups of individuals who are victims of racism, racial
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discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance to health care, and to promote strong efforts
to eliminate disparities, inter alia in the infant and maternal mortality rates, childhood
immunizations, HIV/AIDS, heart diseases, cancer and contagious diseases;
102. Urges States to promote residential integration of all members of the society at the
planning stage of urban development schemes and other human settlements, as well as while
renewing neglected areas of public housing, so as to counter social exclusion and
marginalization;
Employment
103. Urges States to promote and support where appropriate the organization and
operation of enterprises owned by persons who are victims of racism, racial discrimination,
xenophobia and related intolerance by promoting equal access to credit and to training
programmes;
104. Urges States and encourages non-governmental organizations and the private
sector:
(a) To support the creation of workplaces free of discrimination through a
multifaceted strategy that includes civil rights enforcement, public education and communication
within the workplace, and to promote and protect the rights of workers who are subject to
racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance;
(b) To foster the creation, growth and expansion of businesses dedicated to
improving economic and educational conditions in underserved and disadvantaged areas, by
increasing access to capital through, inter alia, community development banks, recognizing that
new businesses can have a positive, dynamic impact on communities in need, and to work with
the private sector to create jobs, help retain existing jobs and stimulate industrial and commercial
growth in economically distressed areas;
(c) To improve the prospects of targeted groups facing, inter alia, the greatest
obstacles in finding, keeping or regaining work, including skilled employment. Particular
attention should be paid to persons subject to multiple discrimination;
105. Urges States to give special attention, when devising and implementing
legislation and policies designed to enhance the protection of workers’ rights, to the serious
situation of lack of protection, and in some cases exploitation, as in the case of trafficked persons
and smuggled migrants, which makes them more vulnerable to ill-treatment such as confinement
in the case of domestic workers and also being employed in dangerous and poorly paid jobs;
106. Urges States to avoid the negative effects of discriminatory practices, racism and
xenophobia in employment and occupation by promoting the application and observance of
international instruments and norms on workers’ rights;
107. Calls upon States and encourages representative trade unions and the business
sector to advance non-discriminatory practices in the workplace and protect the rights of
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workers, including, in particular, the victims of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and
related intolerance;
108. Calls upon States to provide effective access to administrative and legal
procedures and other remedial action to victims of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and
related intolerance in the workplace;
Health, environment
109. Urges States, individually and through international cooperation, to enhance
measures to fulfil the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of
physical and mental health, with a view to eliminating disparities in health status, as indicated in
standard health indexes, which might result from racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and
related intolerance;
110. Urges States and encourages non-governmental organizations and the private
sector:
(a) To provide effective mechanisms for monitoring and eliminating racism, racial
discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance in the health-care system, such as the
development and enforcement of effective anti-discrimination laws;
(b) To take steps to ensure equal access to comprehensive, quality health care
affordable for all, including primary health care for medically underserved people, facilitate the
training of a health workforce that is both diverse and motivated to work in underserved
communities, and work to increase diversity in the health-care profession by recruiting on merit
and potential women and men from all groups, representing the diversity of their societies, for
health-care careers and by retaining them in the health professions;
(c) To work with health-care professionals, community-based health providers,
non-governmental organizations, scientific researchers and private industry as a means of
improving the health status of marginalized communities, in particular victims of racism, racial
discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance;
(d) To work with health professionals, scientific researchers and international and
regional health organizations to study the differential impact of medical treatments and health
strategies on various communities;
(e) To adopt and implement policies and programmes to improve HIV/AIDS
prevention efforts in high-risk communities and work to expand availability of HIV/AIDS care,
treatment and other support services;
111. Invites States to consider non-discriminatory measures to provide a safe and
healthy environment for individuals and groups of individuals victims of or subject to racism,
racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance, and in particular:
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(a) To improve access to public information on health and environment issues;
(b) To ensure that relevant concerns are taken into account in the public process of
decision-making on the environment;
(c) To share technology and successful practices to improve human health and
environment in all areas;
(d) To take appropriate remedial measures, as possible, to clean, re-use and redevelop
contaminated sites and, where appropriate, relocate those affected on a voluntary basis after
consultations;
Equal participation in political, economic, social and cultural decision-making
112. Urges States and encourages the private sector and international financial and
development institutions, such as the World Bank and regional development banks, to promote
participation of individuals and groups of individuals who are victims of racism, racial
discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance in economic, cultural and social
decision-making at all stages, particularly in the development and implementation of poverty
alleviation strategies, development projects, and trade and market assistance programmes;
113. Urges States to promote, as appropriate, effective and equal access of all members
of the community, especially those who are victims of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia
and related intolerance, to the decision-making process in society at all levels and in particular at
the local level, and also urges States and encourages the private sector to facilitate their effective
participation in economic life;
114. Urges all multilateral financial and development institutions, in particular the
World Bank, the International Monetary Fund, the World Trade Organization and regional
development banks, to promote, in accordance with their regular budgets and the procedures of
their governing bodies, participation by all members of the international community in
decision-making processes at all stages and levels in order to facilitate development projects and,
as appropriate, trade and market access programmes;
Role of politicians and political parties
115. Underlines the key role that politicians and political parties can play in combating
racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance and encourages political parties
to take concrete steps to promote equality, solidarity and non-discrimination in society, inter alia
by developing voluntary codes of conduct which include internal disciplinary measures for
violations thereof, so their members refrain from public statements and actions that encourage or
incite racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance;
116. Invites the Inter-Parliamentary Union to encourage debate in, and action by,
parliaments on various measures, including laws and policies, to combat racism, racial
discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance;
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3. Education and awareness-raising measures
117. Urges States, where appropriate working with other relevant bodies, to commit
financial resources to anti-racism education and to media campaigns promoting the values of
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acceptance, tolerance, diversity and respect for the cultures of all indigenous peoples living
within their national borders. In particular, States should promote an accurate understanding of
the histories and cultures of indigenous peoples;
118. Urges the United Nations, other appropriate international and regional
organizations and States to redress the marginalization of Africa’s contribution to world history
and civilization by developing and implementing a specific and comprehensive programme of
research, education and mass communication to disseminate widely a balanced and objective
presentation of Africa’s seminal and valuable contribution to humanity;
119. Invites States and relevant international organizations and non-governmental
organizations to build upon the efforts of the Slave Route Project of the United Nations
Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization and its theme of “Breaking the silence” by
developing texts and testimony, slavery multi-media centres and/or programmes that will collect,
record, organize, exhibit and publish the existing data relevant to the history of slavery and the
trans-Atlantic, Mediterranean and Indian Ocean slave trades, paying particular attention to the
thoughts and actions of the victims of slavery and the slave trade, in their quest for freedom and
justice;
120. Salutes the efforts of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural
Organization made within the framework of the Slave Route Project and requests that the
outcome be made available to the international community as soon as possible;
Access to education without discrimination
121. Urges States to commit themselves to ensuring access to education, including
access to free primary education for all children, both girls and boys, and access for adults to
lifelong learning and education, based on respect for human rights, diversity and tolerance,
without discrimination of any kind;
122. Urges States to ensure equal access to education for all in law and in practice, and
to refrain from any legal or any other measures leading to imposed racial segregation in any form
in access to schooling;
123. Urges States:
(a) To adopt and implement laws that prohibit discrimination on the basis of race,
colour, descent or national or ethnic origin at all levels of education, both formal and non-formal;
(b) To take all appropriate measures to eliminate obstacles limiting the access of
children to education;
(c) To ensure that all children have access without discrimination to education of
good quality;
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(d) To establish and implement standardized methods to measure and track the
educational performance of disadvantaged children and young people;
(e) To commit resources to eliminate, where they exist, inequalities in educational
outcomes for children and young people;
(f) To support efforts to ensure safe school environments, free from violence and
harassment motivated by racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia or related intolerance; and
(g) To consider establishing financial assistance programmes designed to enable all
students, regardless of race, colour, descent or ethnic or national origin, to attend institutions of
higher education;
124. Urges States to adopt, where applicable, appropriate measures to ensure that
persons belonging to national or ethnic, religious and linguistic minorities have access to
education without discrimination of any kind and, where possible, have an opportunity to learn
their own language in order to protect them from any form of racism, racial discrimination,
xenophobia and related intolerance that they may be subjected to;
Human rights education
125. Requests States to include the struggle against racism, racial discrimination,
xenophobia and related intolerance among the activities undertaken within the framework
of the United Nations Decade for Human Rights Education (1995-2004) and to take into
account the recommendations of the mid-term evaluation report of the Decade;
126. Encourages all States, in cooperation with the United Nations, the United Nations
Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization and other relevant international organizations,
to initiate and develop cultural and educational programmes aimed at countering racism, racial
discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance, in order to ensure respect for the dignity and
worth of all human beings and enhance mutual understanding among all cultures and
civilizations. It further urges States to support and implement public information campaigns and
specific training programmes in the field of human rights, where appropriate formulated in local
languages, to combat racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance and
promote respect for the values of diversity, pluralism, tolerance, mutual respect, cultural
sensitivity, integration and inclusiveness. Such programmes and campaigns should be addressed
to all sectors of society, in particular children and young people;
127. Urges States to intensify their efforts in the field of education, including human
rights education, in order to promote an understanding and awareness of the causes,
consequences and evils of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance, and
also urges States, in consultation with educational authorities and the private sector, as
appropriate, and encourages educational authorities and the private sector, as appropriate, to
develop educational materials, including textbooks and dictionaries, aimed at combating those
phenomena and, in this context, calls upon States to give importance, if appropriate, to textbook
and curriculum review and amendment, so as to eliminate any elements that might promote
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racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance or reinforce negative
stereotypes, and to include material that refutes such stereotypes;
128. Urges States, if appropriate in cooperation with relevant organizations, including
youth organizations, to support and implement public formal and non-formal education
programmes designed to promote respect for cultural diversity;
Human rights education for children and youth
129. Urges States to introduce and, as applicable, to reinforce anti-discrimination and
anti-racism components in human rights programmes in school curricula, to develop and
improve relevant educational material, including history and other textbooks, and to ensure that
all teachers are effectively trained and adequately motivated to shape attitudes and behavioural
patterns, based on the principles of non-discrimination, mutual respect and tolerance;
130. Calls upon States to undertake and facilitate activities aimed at educating young
people in human rights and democratic citizenship and instilling values of solidarity, respect and
appreciation of diversity, including respect for different groups. A special effort to inform and
sensitize young people to respect democratic values and human rights should be undertaken or
developed to fight against ideologies based on the fallacious theory of racial superiority;
131. Urges States to encourage all schools to consider developing educational
activities, including extracurricular ones, to raise awareness against racism, racial discrimination,
xenophobia and related intolerance, inter alia by commemorating the International Day for the
Elimination of Racial Discrimination (21 March);
132. Recommends that States introduce, or reinforce, human rights education, with a
view to combating prejudices which lead to racial discrimination and to promoting
understanding, tolerance and friendship between different racial or ethnic groups, in schools and
in institutions of higher education, and support public formal and non-formal education
programmes designed to promote respect for cultural diversity and the self-esteem of victims;
Human rights education for public officials and professionals
133. Urges States to develop and strengthen anti-racist and gender-sensitive human
rights training for public officials, including personnel in the administration of justice,
particularly in law enforcement, correctional and security services, as well as among health-care,
schools and migration authorities;
134. Urges States to pay specific attention to the negative impact of racism, racial
discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance on the administration of justice and fair trial,
and to conduct nationwide campaigns, amongst other measures, to raise awareness among State
organs and public officials concerning their obligations under the International Convention on
the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination and other relevant instruments;
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135. Requests States, wherever appropriate through cooperation with international
organizations, national institutions, non-governmental organizations and the private sector, to
organize and facilitate training activities, including courses or seminars, on international norms
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prohibiting racial discrimination and their applicability in domestic law, as well as on their
international human rights obligations, for prosecutors, members of the judiciary and other
public officials;
136. Calls upon States to ensure that education and training, especially teacher
training, promote respect for human rights and the fight against racism, racial discrimination,
xenophobia and related intolerance and that educational institutions implement policies and
programmes agreed by the relevant authorities on equal opportunities, anti-racism, gender
equality, and cultural, religious and other diversity, with the participation of teachers, parents and
students, and follow up their implementation. It further urges all educators, including teachers at
all levels of education, religious communities and the print and electronic media, to play an
effective role in human rights education, including as a means to combat racism, racial
discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance;
137. Encourages States to consider taking measures to increase the recruitment,
retention and promotion of women and men belonging to groups which are currently
under-represented in the teaching profession as a result of racism, racial discrimination,
xenophobia and related intolerance, and to guarantee them effective equality of access to the
profession. Particular efforts should be made to recruit women and men who have the ability to
interact effectively with all groups;
138. Urges States to strengthen the human rights training and awareness-raising
activities designed for immigration officials, border police and staff of detention centres and
prisons, local authorities and other civil servants in charge of enforcing laws, as well as teachers,
with particular attention to the human rights of migrants, refugees and asylum-seekers, in order
to prevent acts of racial discrimination and xenophobia and to avoid situations where prejudices
lead to decisions based on racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia or related intolerance;
139. Urges States to provide or strengthen training for law enforcement, immigration
and other relevant officials in the prevention of trafficking in persons. The training should focus
on methods used in preventing such trafficking, prosecuting the traffickers and protecting the
rights of victims, including protecting the victims from the traffickers. The training should also
take into account the need to consider human rights and child- and gender-sensitive issues and it
should encourage cooperation with non-governmental organizations, other relevant organizations
and other elements of civil society;
4. Information, communication and the media, including new technologies
140. Welcomes the positive contribution made by the new information and
communications technologies, including the Internet, in combating racism through rapid and
wide-reaching communication;
141. Draws attention to the potential to increase the use of the new information and
communications technologies, including the Internet, to create educational and awareness-raising
networks against racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance, both in and
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out of school, as well as the ability of the Internet to promote universal respect for human rights
and also respect for the value of cultural diversity;
142. Emphasizes the importance of recognizing the value of cultural diversity and of
putting in place concrete measures to encourage the access of marginalized communities to the
mainstream and alternative media through, inter alia, the presentation of programmes that reflect
their cultures and languages;
143. Expresses concern at the material progression of racism, racial discrimination,
xenophobia and related intolerance, including their contemporary forms and manifestations, such
as the use of the new information and communications technologies, including the Internet, to
disseminate ideas of racial superiority;
144. Urges States and encourages the private sector to promote the development by the
media, including the print and electronic media, including the Internet and advertising, taking
into account their independence, through their relevant associations and organizations at the
national, regional and international levels, of a voluntary ethical code of conduct and
self-regulatory measures, and of policies and practices aimed at:
(a) Combating racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance;
(b) Promoting the fair, balanced and equitable representation of the diversity of their
societies, as well as ensuring that this diversity is reflected among their staff;
(c) Combating the proliferation of ideas of racial superiority, justification of racial
hatred and discrimination in any form;
(d) Promoting respect, tolerance and understanding among all individuals, peoples,
nations and civilizations, for example through assistance in public awareness-raising campaigns;
(e) Avoiding stereotyping in all its forms, and particularly the promotion of false
images of migrants, including migrant workers, and refugees, in order to prevent the spread of
xenophobic sentiments among the public and to encourage the objective and balanced portrayal
of people, events and history;
145. Urges States to implement legal sanctions, in accordance with relevant
international human rights law, in respect of incitement to racial hatred through new information
and communications technologies, including the Internet, and further urges them to apply all
relevant human rights instruments to which they are parties, in particular the International
Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination, to racism on the Internet;
146. Urges States to encourage the media to avoid stereotyping based on racism, racial
discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance;
147. Calls upon States to consider the following, taking fully into account existing
international and regional standards on freedom of expression, while taking all necessary
measures to guarantee the right to freedom of opinion and expression:
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(a) Encouraging Internet service providers to establish and disseminate specific
voluntary codes of conduct and self-regulatory measures against the dissemination of racist
messages and those that result in racial discrimination, xenophobia or any form of intolerance
and discrimination; to that end, Internet providers are encouraged to set up mediating bodies at
national and international levels, involving relevant civil society institutions;
(b) Adopting and applying, to the extent possible, appropriate legislation for
prosecuting those responsible for incitement to racial hatred or violence through the new
information and communications technologies, including the Internet;
(c) Addressing the problem of dissemination of racist material through the new
information and communications technologies, including the Internet, inter alia by imparting
training to law enforcement authorities;
(d) Denouncing and actively discouraging the transmission of racist and xenophobic
messages through all communications media, including new information and communications
technologies, such as the Internet;
(e) Considering a prompt and coordinated international response to the rapidly
evolving phenomenon of the dissemination of hate speech and racist material through the new
information and communications technologies, including the Internet; and in this context
strengthening international cooperation;
(f) Encouraging access and use by all people of the Internet as an international and
equal forum, aware that there are disparities in use of and access to the Internet;
(g) Examining ways in which the positive contribution made by the new information
and communications technologies, such as the Internet, can be enhanced through replication of
good practices in combating racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance;
(h) Encouraging the reflection of the diversity of societies among the personnel of
media organizations and the new information and communications technologies, such as the
Internet, by promoting adequate representation of different segments within societies at all levels
of their organizational structure;
B. International level
148. Urges all actors on the international scene to build an international order based on
inclusion, justice, equality and equity, human dignity, mutual understanding and promotion of
and respect for cultural diversity and universal human rights, and to reject all doctrines of
exclusion based on racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance;
149. Believes that all conflicts and disputes should be resolved through peaceful means
and political dialogue. The Conference calls on all parties involved in such conflicts to exercise
restraint and to respect human rights and international humanitarian law;
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150. Calls upon States, in opposing all forms of racism, to recognize the need to
counter anti-Semitism, anti-Arabism and Islamophobia world-wide, and urges all States to take
effective measures to prevent the emergence of movements based on racism and discriminatory
ideas concerning these communities;
151. As for the situation in the Middle East, calls for the end of violence and the swift
resumption of negotiations, respect for international human rights and humanitarian law, respect
for the principle of self-determination and the end of all suffering, thus allowing Israel and the
Palestinians to resume the peace process, and to develop and prosper in security and freedom;
152. Encourages States, regional and international organizations, including financial
institutions, as well as civil society, to address within existing mechanisms, or where necessary
to put in place and/or develop mechanisms, to address those aspects of globalization which may
lead to racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance;
153. Recommends that the Department of Peacekeeping Operations of the Secretariat
and other concerned United Nations agencies, bodies and programmes strengthen their
coordination to discern patterns of serious violations of human rights and humanitarian law with
a view to assessing the risk of further deterioration that could lead to genocide, war crimes or
crimes against humanity;
154. Encourages the World Health Organization and other relevant international
organizations to promote and develop activities for the recognition of the impact of racism, racial
discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance as significant social determinants of physical
and mental health status, including the HIV/AIDS pandemic, and access to health care, and to
prepare specific projects, including research, to ensure equitable health systems for the victims;
155. Encourages the International Labour Organization to carry out activities and
programmes to combat racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance in the
world of work, and to support actions of States, employers’ organizations and trade unions in this
field;
156. Urges the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization to
provide support to States in the preparation of teaching materials and tools for promoting
teaching, training and educational activities relating to human rights and the struggle against
racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance;
IV. Provision of effective remedies, recourse, redress, and other
measures at the national, regional and international levels
157. Recognizes the efforts of developing countries, in particular the commitment and
the determination of the African leaders, to seriously address the challenges of poverty,
underdevelopment, marginalization, social exclusion, economic disparities, instability and
insecurity, through initiatives such as the New African Initiative and other innovative
mechanisms such as the World Solidarity Fund for the Eradication of Poverty, and calls upon
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developed countries, the United Nations and its specialized agencies, as well as international
financial institutions, to provide, through their operational programmes, new and additional
financial resources, as appropriate, to support these initiatives;
158. Recognizes that these historical injustices have undeniably contributed to the
poverty, underdevelopment, marginalization, social exclusion, economic disparities, instability
and insecurity that affect many people in different parts of the world, in particular in developing
countries. The Conference recognizes the need to develop programmes for the social and
economic development of these societies and the Diaspora, within the framework of a new
partnership based on the spirit of solidarity and mutual respect, in the following areas:
Debt relief;
Poverty eradication;
Building or strengthening democratic institutions;
Promotion of foreign direct investment;
Market access;
Intensifying efforts to meet the internationally agreed targets for official development
assistance transfers to developing countries;
New information and communication technologies bridging the digital divide;
Agriculture and food security;
Transfer of technology;
Transparent and accountable governance;
Investment in health infrastructure tackling HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria,
including through the Global AIDS and Health Fund;
Infrastructure development;
Human resource development, including capacity-building;
Education, training and cultural development;
Mutual legal assistance in the repatriation of illegally obtained and illegally transferred
(stashed) funds, in accordance with national and international instruments;
Illicit traffic in small arms and light weapons;
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Restitution of art objects, historical artefacts and documents to their countries of origin,
in accordance with bilateral agreements or international instruments;
Trafficking in persons, particularly women and children;
Facilitation of welcomed return and resettlement of the descendants of enslaved Africans;
159. Urges international financial and development institutions and the operational
programmes and specialized agencies of the United Nations to give greater priority to, and
allocate appropriate funding for, programmes addressing the development challenges of the
affected States and societies, in particular those on the African continent and in the Diaspora;
Legal assistance
160. Urges States to take all necessary measures to address, as a matter of urgency, the
pressing requirement for justice for the victims of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and
related intolerance and to ensure that victims have full access to information, support, effective
protection and national, administrative and judicial remedies, including the right to seek just and
adequate reparation or satisfaction for damage, as well as legal assistance, where required;
161. Urges States to facilitate for victims of racial discrimination, including victims of
torture and ill-treatment, access to all appropriate legal procedures and free legal assistance in a
manner adapted to their specific needs and vulnerability, including through legal representation;
162. Urges States to ensure the protection against victimization of complainants and
witnesses of acts of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance, and to
consider measures such as, where appropriate, making legal assistance, including legal aid,
available to complainants seeking a legal remedy and, if possible, affording the possibility for
non-governmental organizations to support complainants of racism, with their consent, in legal
procedures;
National legislation and programmes
163. For the purposes of effectively combating racism and racial discrimination,
xenophobia and related intolerance in the civil, political, economic, social and cultural fields, the
Conference recommends to all States that their national legislative framework should expressly
and specifically prohibit racial discrimination and provide effective judicial and other remedies
or redress, including through the designation of national, independent, specialized bodies;
164. Urges States, with regard to the procedural remedies provided for in their
domestic law, to bear in mind the following considerations:
(a) Access to such remedies should be widely available, on a non-discriminatory and
equal basis;
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(b) Existing procedural remedies should be made known in the context of the relevant
action, and victims of racial discrimination should be helped to avail themselves of them in
accordance with the particular case;
(c) Inquiries into complaints of racial discrimination and the adjudication of such
complaints must be carried out as rapidly as possible;
(d) Persons who are victims of racial discrimination should be accorded legal
assistance and aid in complaint proceedings, where applicable free of charge, and, where
necessary, should be provided with the help of competent interpreters in such complaint
proceedings or in any civil or criminal cases arising therefrom or connected thereto;
(e) The creation of competent national bodies to investigate effectively allegations of
racial discrimination and to give protection to complainants against intimidation or harassment is
a desirable development and should be undertaken; steps should be taken towards the enactment
of legislation to prohibit discriminatory practices on grounds of race, colour, descent, or national
or ethnic origin, and to provide for the application of appropriate penalties against offenders and
remedies, including adequate compensation, for the victims;
(f) Access to legal remedies should be facilitated for victims of discrimination and, in
this regard, the innovation of conferring a capacity on national and other institutions, as well as
relevant non-governmental organizations, to assist such victims should be seriously considered,
and programmes should be developed to enable the most vulnerable groups to have access to the
legal system;
(g) New and innovative methods and procedures of conflict resolution, mediation
and conciliation between parties involved in conflicts or disputes based on racism, racial
discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance should be explored and, where possible,
established;
(h) The development of restorative justice policies and programmes for the benefit of
victims of relevant forms of discrimination is desirable and should be seriously considered;
(i) States which have made the declaration under article 14 of the International
Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination should make increased
efforts to inform their public of the existence of the complaints mechanism under article 14;
Remedies, reparations, compensation
165. Urges States to reinforce protection against racism, racial discrimination,
xenophobia and related intolerance by ensuring that all persons have access to effective and
adequate remedies and enjoy the right to seek from competent national tribunals and other
national institutions just and adequate reparation and satisfaction for any damage as a result of
such discrimination. It further underlines the importance of access to the law and to the courts
for complainants of racism and racial discrimination and draws attention to the need for judicial
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and other remedies to be made widely known, easily accessible, expeditious and not unduly
complicated;
166. Urges States to adopt the necessary measures, as provided by national law, to
ensure the right of victims to seek just and adequate reparation and satisfaction to redress acts of
racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance, and to design effective
measures to prevent the repetition of such acts;
V. Strategies to achieve full and effective equality, including international
cooperation and enhancement of the United Nations and other
international mechanisms in combating racism, racial discrimination,
xenophobia and related intolerance and follow-up
167. Calls upon States to apply diligently all commitments undertaken by them in the
declarations and plans of action of the regional conferences in which they participated, and to
formulate national policies and action plans to combat racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia
and related intolerance in compliance with the objectives set forth therein, and as provided for in
other relevant instruments and decisions; and further requests that, in cases where such national
policies and action plans to combat racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related
intolerance already exist, States incorporate in them the commitments arising from their regional
conferences;
168. Urges States that have not yet done so to consider acceding to the Geneva
Conventions of 12 August 1949 and their two Additional Protocols of 1977, as well as to other
treaties of international humanitarian law, and to enact, with the highest priority, appropriate
legislation, taking the measures required to give full effect to their obligations under
international humanitarian law, in particular in relation to the rules prohibiting discrimination;
169. Urges States to develop cooperation programmes to promote equal opportunities
for the benefit of victims of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance and
encourages them to propose the creation of multilateral cooperation programmes with the same
objective;
170. Invites States to include the subject of the struggle against racism, racial
discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance in the work programmes of the regional
integration agencies and of the regional cross-boundary dialogue forums;
171. Urges States to recognize the challenges that people of different socially
constructed races, colours, descent, national or ethnic origins, religions and languages experience
in seeking to live together and to develop harmonious multiracial and multicultural societies;
also urges States to recognize that the positive examples of relatively successful multiracial and
multicultural societies, such as some of those in the Caribbean region, need to be examined and
analysed, and that techniques, mechanisms, policies and programmes for reconciling conflicts
based on factors related to race, colour, descent, language, religion, or national or ethnic origin
and for developing harmonious multiracial and multicultural societies need to be systematically
considered and developed, and therefore requests the United Nations and its relevant specialized
agencies to consider establishing an international centre for multiracial and multicultural studies
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and policy development to undertake this critical work for the benefit of the international
community;
172. Urges States to protect the national or ethnic, cultural, religious and linguistic
identity of minorities within their respective territories and to develop appropriate legislative and
other measures to encourage conditions for the promotion of that identity, in order to protect
them from any form of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance. In this
context, forms of multiple discrimination should be fully taken into account;
173. Further urges States to ensure the equal protection and promotion of the identities
of the historically disadvantaged communities in those unique circumstances where this may be
appropriate;
174. Urges States to take or strengthen measures, including through bilateral or
multilateral cooperation, to address root causes, such as poverty, underdevelopment and lack of
equal opportunity, some of which may be associated with discriminatory practices, that make
persons, especially women and children, vulnerable to trafficking, which may give rise to
racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance;
175. Encourages States, in cooperation with non-governmental organizations, to
undertake campaigns aimed at clarifying opportunities, limitations and rights in the event of
migration, so as to enable everyone, in particular women, to make informed decisions and to
prevent them from becoming victims of trafficking;
176. Urges States to adopt and implement social development policies based on
reliable statistical data and centred on the attainment, by the year 2015, of the commitments to
meet the basic needs of all set forth in paragraph 36 of the Programme of Action of the World
Summit for Social Development, held at Copenhagen in 1995, with a view to closing
significantly the existing gaps in living conditions faced by victims of racism, racial
discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance, especially regarding the illiteracy rate,
universal primary education, infant mortality, under-five child mortality, health, reproductive
health care for all and access to safe drinking water. Promotion of gender equality will also be
taken into account in the adoption and implementation of these policies;
International legal framework
177. Urges States to continue cooperating with the Committee on the Elimination of
Racial Discrimination and other human rights treaty monitoring bodies in order to promote,
including by means of a constructive and transparent dialogue, the effective implementation of
the instruments concerned and proper consideration of the recommendations adopted by these
bodies with regard to complaints of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related
intolerance;
178. Requests adequate resources for the Committee on the Elimination of Racial
Discrimination in order to enable it to discharge its mandate fully and stresses the
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importance of providing adequate resources for all the United Nations human rights treaty
bodies;
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General international instruments
179. Endorses efforts of the international community, in particular steps taken under
the auspices of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, to promote
respect for and preserve cultural diversity within and between communities and nations with a
view to creating a harmonious multicultural world, including elaboration of a possible
international instrument in this respect in a manner consistent with international human rights
instruments;
180. Invites the United Nations General Assembly to consider elaborating an integral
and comprehensive international convention to protect and promote the rights and dignity of
disabled people, including, especially, provisions that address the discriminatory practices and
treatment affecting them;
Regional/international cooperation
181. Invites the Inter-Parliamentary Union to contribute to the activities of the
International Year of Mobilization against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and
Related Intolerance by encouraging national parliaments to review progress on the objectives of
the Conference;
182. Encourages States to participate in regional dialogues on problems of migration
and invites them to consider negotiating bilateral and regional agreements on migrant workers
and designing and implementing programmes with States of other regions to protect the rights of
migrants;
183. Urges States, in consultation with civil society, to support or otherwise establish,
as appropriate, regional, comprehensive dialogues on the causes and consequences of migration
that focus not only on law enforcement and border control, but also on the promotion and
protection of the human rights of migrants and on the relationship between migration and
development;
184. Encourages international organizations having mandates dealing specifically with
migration issues to exchange information and coordinate their activities on matters involving
racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance against migrants, including
migrant workers, with the support of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for
Human Rights;
185. Expresses its deep concern over the severity of the humanitarian suffering of
affected civilian populations and the burden carried by many receiving countries, particularly
developing countries and countries in transition, and requests the relevant international
institutions to ensure that urgent adequate financial and humanitarian assistance is maintained for
the host countries to enable them to help the victims and to address, on an equitable basis,
difficulties of populations expelled from their homes, and calls for sufficient safeguards to
enable refugees to exercise freely their right of return to their countries of origin voluntarily, in
safety and dignity;
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186. Encourages States to conclude bilateral, subregional, regional and international
agreements to address the problem of trafficking in women and children, in particular girls, as
well as the smuggling of migrants;
187. Calls upon States, to promote, as appropriate, exchanges at the regional and
international levels among independent national institutions and, as applicable, other relevant
independent bodies with a view to enhancing cooperation to combat racism, racial
discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance;
188. Urges States to support the activities of regional bodies or centres which combat
racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance where they exist in their region,
and recommends the establishment of such bodies or centres in all regions where they do not
exist. These bodies or centres may undertake the following activities, amongst others: assess
and follow up the situation of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance,
and of individuals or groups of individuals who are victims thereof or subject thereto; identify
trends, issues and problems; collect, disseminate and exchange information, inter alia relevant to
the outcome of the regional conferences and the World Conference, and build networks to these
ends; highlight examples of good practices; organize awareness-raising campaigns; develop
proposals, solutions and preventive measures, where possible and appropriate, through joint
efforts by coordinating with the United Nations, regional organizations and States and national
human rights institutions;
189. Urges international organizations, within their mandates, to contribute to the fight
against racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance;
190. Encourages financial and development institutions and the operational
programmes and specialized agencies of the United Nations, in accordance with their regular
budgets and the procedures of their governing bodies:
(a) To assign particular priority and allocate sufficient funding, within their areas of
competence and budgets, to improve the situation of victims of racism, racial discrimination,
xenophobia and related intolerance in order to combat manifestations of racism, racial
discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance, and to include them in the development and
implementation of projects concerning them;
(b) To integrate human rights principles and standards into their policies and
programmes;
(c) To consider including in their regular reporting to their boards of governors
information on their contribution to promoting the participation of victims of racism, racial
discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance within their programmes and activities, and
information on the efforts taken to facilitate such participation and to ensure that these policies
and practices contribute to the eradication of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and
related intolerance;
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(d) To examine how their policies and practices affect victims of racism, racial
discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance, and to ensure that these policies and
practices contribute to the eradication of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related
intolerance;
191. (a) Calls upon States to elaborate action plans in consultation with national
human rights institutions, other institutions created by law to combat racism, and civil society
and to provide the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights with such action plans
and other relevant materials on the measures undertaken in order to implement provisions of the
present Declaration and the Programme of Action;
(b) Requests the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, in follow-up
to the Conference, to cooperate with five independent eminent experts, one from each region,
appointed by the Secretary-General from among candidates proposed by the Chairperson of the
Commission on Human Rights, after consultation with the regional groups, to follow the
implementation of the provisions of the Declaration and Programme of Action. An annual
progress report on the implementation of these provisions will be presented by the High
Commissioner to the Commission on Human Rights and to the General Assembly, taking into
account information and views provided by States, relevant human rights treaty bodies, special
procedures and other mechanisms of the Commission on Human Rights of the United Nations,
international, regional and non-governmental organizations and national human rights
institutions;
(c) Welcomes the intention of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human
Rights to establish, within the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, an
anti-discrimination unit to combat racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related
intolerance and to promote equality and non-discrimination, and invites her to consider the
inclusion in its mandate of, inter alia, the compilation of information on racial discrimination and
its development, and on legal and administrative support and advice to victims of racial
discrimination and the collection of background materials provided by States, international,
regional and non-governmental organizations and national human rights institutions under the
follow-up mechanism of the Conference;
(d) Recommends that the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, in
cooperation with States, international, regional and non-governmental organizations and national
human rights institutions, create a database containing information on practical means to address
racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance, particularly international and
regional instruments and national legislation, including anti-discrimination legislation, as well as
legal means to combat racial discrimination; remedies available through international
mechanisms to victims of racial discrimination, as well as national remedies; educational and
preventive programmes implemented in various countries and regions; best practices to address
racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance; opportunities for technical
cooperation; and academic studies and specialized documents; and ensure that such a database is
as accessible as possible to those in authority and the public at large, through its Web site and by
other appropriate means;
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192. Invites the United Nations and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and
Cultural Organization to continue to organize high-level and other meetings on the Dialogue
among Civilizations and, for this purpose, to mobilize funds and promote partnerships;
Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights
193. Encourages the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights to
continue and expand the appointment and designation of goodwill ambassadors in all countries
of the world in order, inter alia, to promote respect for human rights and a culture of tolerance
and to increase the level of awareness about the scourge of racism, racial discrimination,
xenophobia and related intolerance;
194. Calls upon the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights to continue its
efforts further to increase awareness of the work of the Committee on the Elimination of Racial
Discrimination and the other United Nations human rights treaty bodies;
195. Invites the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, in consultation
with the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, and
non-governmental organizations active in the field of the promotion and protection of human
rights, to undertake regular consultations with them and to encourage research activities aimed at
collecting, maintaining and adapting the technical, scientific, educational and information
materials produced by all cultures around the world to fight racism;
196. Requests the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights to pay special
attention to violations of the human rights of victims of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia
and related intolerance, in particular migrants, including migrant workers, to promote
international cooperation in combating xenophobia and, to this end, to develop programmes
which can be implemented in countries on the basis of appropriate cooperation agreements;
197. Invites States to assist the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights in
developing and funding, upon the request of States, specific technical cooperation projects aimed
at combating racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance;
198. (a) Invites the Commission on Human Rights to include in the mandates of
the special rapporteurs and working groups of the Commission, in particular the Special
Rapporteur on contemporary forms of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related
intolerance, recommendations that they consider the relevant provisions of the Declaration and
the Programme of Action while exercising their mandates, in particular reporting to the
General Assembly and the Commission on Human Rights, and also to consider any other
appropriate means to follow up on the outcome on the Conference;
(b) Calls upon States to cooperate with the relevant special procedures of the
Commission on Human Rights and other mechanisms of the United Nations in matters pertaining
to racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance, in particular with the special
rapporteurs, independent experts and special representatives;
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199. Recommends that the Commission on Human Rights prepare complementary
international standards to strengthen and update international instruments against racism, racial
discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance in all their aspects;
Decades
200. Urges States and the international community to support the activities of the
Third Decade to Combat Racism and Racial Discrimination;
201. Recommends that the General Assembly consider declaring a United Nations year
or decade against trafficking in persons, especially in women, youth and children, in order to
protect their dignity and human rights;
202. Urges States, in close cooperation with the United Nations Educational, Scientific
and Cultural Organization, to promote the implementation of the Declaration and Programme of
Action on a Culture of Peace and the objectives of the International Decade for a Culture of
Peace and Non-Violence for the Children of the World, which started in 2001, and invites the
United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization to contribute to these activities;
Indigenous peoples
203. Recommends that the United Nations Secretary-General conduct an evaluation of
the results of the International Decade of the World’s Indigenous People (1995-2004) and make
recommendations concerning how to mark the end of the Decade, including an appropriate
follow-up;
204. Requests States to ensure adequate funding for the establishment of an operational
framework and a firm basis for the future development of the Permanent Forum on Indigenous
Issues within the United Nations system;
205. Urges States to cooperate with the work of the Special Rapporteur on the situation
of human rights and fundamental freedoms of indigenous people and requests the
Secretary-General and the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights to ensure that
the Special Rapporteur is provided with all the necessary human, technical and financial
resources to fulfil his responsibilities;
206. Calls upon States to conclude negotiations on and approve as soon as possible the
text of the draft declaration on the rights of indigenous peoples, under discussion by the working
group of the Commission on Human Rights to elaborate a draft declaration, in accordance with
Commission resolution 1995/32 of 3 March 1995;
207. Urges States, in the light of the relationship between racism, racial discrimination,
xenophobia and related intolerance and poverty, marginality and social exclusion of peoples and
individuals at both the national and international levels, to enhance their policies and measures to
reduce income and wealth inequalities and to take appropriate steps, individually and through
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international cooperation, to promote and protect economic, social and cultural rights on a
non-discriminatory basis;
208. Urges States and international financial and development institutions to mitigate
any negative effects of globalization by examining, inter alia, how their policies and practices
affect national populations in general and indigenous peoples in particular; by ensuring that their
policies and practices contribute to the eradication of racism through the participation of national
populations and, in particular, indigenous peoples in development projects; by further
democratizing international financial institutions; and by consulting with indigenous peoples on
any matter that may affect their physical, spiritual or cultural integrity;
209. Invites financial and development institutions and the operational programmes
and specialized agencies of the United Nations, in accordance with their regular budgets and the
procedures of their governing bodies:
(a) To assign particular priority to and allocate sufficient funding, within their areas
of competence, to the improvement of the status of indigenous peoples, with special attention to
the needs of these populations in developing countries, including the preparation of specific
programmes with a view to achieving the objectives of the International Decade of the World’s
Indigenous People;
(b) To carry out special projects, through appropriate channels and in collaboration
with indigenous peoples, to support their initiatives at the community level and to facilitate the
exchange of information and technical know-how between indigenous peoples and experts in
these areas;
Civil society
210. Calls upon States to strengthen cooperation, develop partnerships and consult
regularly with non-governmental organizations and all other sectors of the civil society to
harness their experience and expertise, thereby contributing to the development of legislation,
policies and other governmental initiatives, as well as involving them more closely in the
elaboration and implementation of policies and programmes designed to combat racism, racial
discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance;
211. Urges leaders of religious communities to continue to confront racism, racial
discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance through, inter alia, promotion and sponsoring
of dialogue and partnerships to bring about reconciliation, healing and harmony within and
among societies, invites religious communities to participate in promoting economic and social
revitalization and encourages religious leaders to foster greater cooperation and contact between
diverse racial groups;
212. Urges States to establish and strengthen effective partnerships with and provide
support, as appropriate, to all relevant actors of civil society, including non-governmental
organizations working to promote gender equality and the advancement of women, particularly
women subject to multiple discrimination, and to promote an integrated and holistic approach to
the elimination of all forms of discrimination against women and girls;
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Non-governmental organizations
213. Urges States to provide an open and conducive environment to enable
non-governmental organizations to function freely and openly within their societies and thereby
make an effective contribution to the elimination of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia
and related intolerance throughout the world, and to promote a wider role for grass-roots
organizations;
214. Calls upon States to explore means to expand the role of non-governmental
organizations in society through, in particular, deepening the ties of solidarity amongst citizens
and promoting greater trust across racial and social class divides by promoting wider citizen
involvement and more voluntary cooperation;
The private sector
215. Urges States to take measures, including, where appropriate, legislative measures,
to ensure that transnational corporations and other foreign enterprises operating within their
national territories conform to precepts and practices of non-racism and non-discrimination, and
further encourages the business sector, including transnational corporations and foreign
enterprises, to collaborate with trade unions and other relevant sectors of civil society to develop
voluntary codes of conduct for all businesses, designed to prevent, address and eradicate racism,
racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance;
Youth
216. Urges States to encourage the full and active participation of, as well as involve
more closely, youth in the elaboration, planning and implementation of activities to fight racism,
racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance, and calls upon States, in partnership
with non-governmental organizations and other sectors of society, to facilitate both national and
international youth dialogue on racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance,
through the World Youth Forum of the United Nations system and through the use of new
technologies, exchanges and other means;
217. Urges States to encourage and facilitate the establishment and maintenance of
youth mechanisms, set up by youth organizations and young women and men themselves, in the
spirit of combating racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance, through
such activities as: disseminating and exchanging information and building networks to these
ends; organizing awareness-raising campaigns and participating in multicultural education
programmes; developing proposals and solutions, where possible and appropriate; cooperating
and consulting regularly with non-governmental organizations and other actors in civil society in
developing initiatives and programmes that promote intercultural exchange and dialogue;
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218. Urges States, in cooperation with intergovernmental organizations, the
International Olympic Committee and international and regional sports federations, to intensify
the fight against racism in sport by, among other things, educating the youth of the world
through sport practised without discrimination of any kind and in the Olympic spirit, which
requires human understanding, tolerance, fair play and solidarity;
219. Recognizes that the success of this Programme of Action will require political
will and adequate funding at the national, regional and international levels, and international
cooperation.
Notes
1 For the purpose of this Declaration and Programme of Action, it was understood that the term
“gender” refers to the two sexes, male and female, within the context of society. The term
“gender” does not indicate any meaning different from the above.
2 Reference should be made to chapter VII of the report of the Conference, which lists all the
reservations to and statements on the Declaration and the Programme of Action.

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Resolutions adopted by the Conference
Resolution 1
Credentials of representatives to the World Conference against Racism,
Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance*
The World Conference against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related
Intolerance,
Having considered the report of the Credentials Committee and the recommendation
contained therein,
Approves the report of the Credentials Committee.
Resolution 2
Submission of the report of the World Conference against Racism,
Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance**
The World Conference against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related
Intolerance,
Having met in Durban from 31 August to 8 September 2001,
Requests its President to submit the report of the World Conference to the
General Assembly at its fifty-sixth session.
Resolution 3
Expression of thanks to the host country**
We, the representatives of States participating in this World Conference against Racism,
Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance,
Having met in Durban from 31 August to 8 September 2001,
1. Reiterate our tribute to the heroic struggle of the South African people for
freedom, equality and dignity;
* Adopted at the 16th plenary meeting, on 5 September 2001.
** Adopted at the 20th plenary meeting, on 8 September 2001.
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2. Commend the action of the Head of State, the Government and the people of
South Africa, resolutely engaged in the building of a harmonious society, mobilized for the noble
principle of reconciliation, in spite of the injustices of the past;
3. Express our gratitude and our admiration for the masterly control, competence
and devotion shown by Mrs. Zuma, Chairperson of our Conference, which contributed decisively
to the success of our deliberations;
4. Express our gratitude to South Africa for having hosted the World Conference, a
major world meeting point, whose theme embodies the humanist values in their most
accomplished expression, and for having made, within this framework, considerable efforts to
create the conditions conducive to the success of this Conference, thanks to the sense of
responsibility, cooperation, dialogue and perseverance which guided its approach throughout our
deliberations.
Resolution 4
Expression of thanks to Mrs. Mary Robinson*
We, the representatives of States participating in this World Conference against Racism,
Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance,
Having met in Durban from 31 August to 8 September 2001,
1. Express our deep gratitude and all our esteem and consideration to
Mrs. Mary Robinson, United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and
Secretary-General of the World Conference, whose action was constantly guided by the
concern to make the cause of human rights triumph;
2. Support Mrs. Mary Robinson for having impelled, with conviction and
perseverance, the action of the United Nations in the area of human rights, through, particularly,
an approach based on open-mindedness, dialogue and cooperation;
3. Express to Mrs. Mary Robinson, as Secretary-General of the World Conference,
our appreciative thanks for the tireless efforts she made during the preparatory process and
during the Conference for the success of this major rendezvous.
* Adopted at the 20th plenary meeting, on 8 September 2001.
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CHAPTER II. ATTENDANCE AND ORGANIZATION OF WORK
A. Date and place of the Conference
1. The World Conference against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related
Intolerance was held at Durban, South Africa, from 31 August to 8 September 2001, in
conformity with General Assembly resolution 52/111 of 12 December 1997. During that period
the Conference held 20 plenary meetings.
B. Opening of the Conference
2. The Conference was declared opened by the Secretary-General of the United Nations,
Mr. Kofi Annan. The inaugural address of the Secretary-General is contained in annex II to the
present report.
C. Attendance
3. The following States were represented at the Conference:
Afghanistan
Albania
Algeria
Andorra
Angola
Argentina
Armenia
Australia
Austria
Azerbaijan
Bahamas
Bahrain
Bangladesh
Barbados
Belarus
Belgium
Belize
Benin
Bhutan
Bolivia
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Botswana
Brazil
Brunei Darussalam
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Bulgaria
Burkina Faso
Burundi
Cambodia
Cameroon
Canada
Cape Verde
Central African Republic
Chad
Chile
China
Colombia
Comoros
Congo
Costa Rica
Côte d’Ivoire
Croatia
Cuba
Cyprus
Czech Republic
Democratic People’s Republic of Korea
Democratic Republic of the Congo
Denmark
Dominican Republic
Ecuador
Egypt
El Salvador
Equatorial Guinea
Eritrea
Estonia
Ethiopia
Fiji
Finland
France
Gabon
Gambia
Georgia
Germany
Ghana
Greece
Guatemala
Guinea
Guinea-Bissau
Guyana
Haiti
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Holy See
Honduras
Hungary
Iceland
India
Indonesia
Iran (Islamic Republic of)
Iraq
Ireland
Israel
Italy
Jamaica
Japan
Jordan
Kazakhstan
Kenya
Kuwait
Kyrgyzstan
Lao People’s Democratic Republic
Latvia
Lebanon
Lesotho
Liberia
Libyan Arab Jamahiriya
Liechtenstein
Lithuania
Luxembourg
Madagascar
Malawi
Malaysia
Mali
Malta
Mauritania
Mauritius
Mexico
Mongolia
Morocco
Mozambique
Myanmar
Namibia
Nepal
Netherlands
New Zealand
Nicaragua
Niger
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Nigeria
Norway
Oman
Pakistan
Panama
Paraguay
Peru
Philippines
Poland
Portugal
Qatar
Republic of Korea
Republic of Moldova
Romania
Russian Federation
Rwanda
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Saudi Arabia
Senegal
Seychelles
Sierra Leone
Singapore
Slovakia
Slovenia
Solomon Islands
Somalia
South Africa
Spain
Sri Lanka
Sudan
Suriname
Swaziland
Sweden
Switzerland
Syrian Arab Republic
Tajikistan
Thailand
The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia
Togo
Trinidad and Tobago
Tunisia
Turkey
Tuvalu
Uganda
Ukraine
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United Arab Emirates
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
United Republic of Tanzania
United States of America
Uruguay
Venezuela
Viet Nam
Yemen
Yugoslavia
Zambia
Zimbabwe
4. On Monday, 3 September 2001, the delegations of Israel and the United States of
America withdrew from the World Conference against Racism, Racial Discrimination,
Xenophobia and Related Intolerance.
5. The following other entities were represented:
Palestine
6. The following organizations that have received a standing invitation from the
General Assembly to participate as observers in the sessions and work of all international
conferences held under the auspices of the General Assembly were represented at the
Conference:
Andean Community
Asian-African Legal Consultative Organization
Commonwealth Secretariat
Community of Portuguese-Speaking Countries
Council of Europe
European Community
European Bank for Reconstruction and Development
Inter-American Development Bank
International Committee of the Red Cross
International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies
International Organization for Migration
International Organization of la Francophonie
League of Arab States
Organization of African Unity
Organization of American States
Organization of the Islamic Conference
Southern African Development Community
Sovereign Military Order of Malta
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7. The following associate members of regional commissions were represented:
United States Virgin Islands
8. The following specialized agencies were represented:
International Labour Organization
International Monetary Fund
United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization
World Bank
World Health Organization
World Intellectual Property Organization
9. The following intergovernmental organizations and other entities were represented:
The International Olympic Committee
10. The following United Nations organs, bodies, programmes and relevant mechanisms,
including human rights bodies and mechanisms were represented:
(a) United Nations programmes and funds
Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
United Nations Children’s Fund
United Nations Development Programme
United Nations Development Fund for Women
United Nations Environment Programme
United Nations Population Fund
(b) Other United Nations entities
United Nations Centre for Human Settlements (Habitat)
United Nations University
(c) Research and training institutes
United Nations Institute for Training and Research
United Nations Research Institute for Social Development
(d) Regional commissions
Economic Commission for Africa
Economic Commission for Europe
Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean
Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia
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(e) Human rights bodies and mechanisms
Commission on Human Rights
Sub-Commission on the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights
Human Rights Committee
Committee against Torture
Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women
Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination
Committee on the Rights of the Child
Working Group on Indigenous Populations of the Sub-Commission on the
Promotion and Protection of Human Rights
Working Group on Minorities of the Sub-Commission on the Promotion and
Protection of Human Rights
Special Rapporteur of the Commission on Human Rights on contemporary forms
of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance
Special Rapporteur of the Commission on Human Rights on freedom of religion
or belief
Special Rapporteur of the Commission on Human Rights on the human rights
of migrants
Special Rapporteur of the Commission on Human Rights on the promotion and
protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression
Special Rapporteur of the Commission on Human Rights on the situation of
human rights and fundamental freedoms of indigenous people
Special Rapporteur of the Commission on Human Rights on violence against
women, its causes and consequences
Special Rapporteur of the Commission on Human Rights on human rights and
extreme poverty
11. The following national human rights institutions were represented:
Canadian Human Rights Commission
Centre de promotion des droits de la personne humaine et prévention du génocide,
Burundi
Comisionado Nacional de los Derechos Humanos, Honduras
Comité Sénegalais des droits de l’homme
Comité superieur des droits de l’homme et des libertés fondamentales, Tunisia
Commissariat aux droits de l’homme a la lutte contre la pauvrete et l’insertion,
Mauritania
Commission féderale contre le racisme, Switzerland
Commission national des droits de l’homme du Togo
Commission nationale consultative des droits de l’homme, France
Commission nationale des droits de l’homme et des libertés fondamentales, Niger
Commission nationale des droits de l’homme, Chad
Commission nationale des droits de l’homme, Madagascar
Commission nationale des droits de l’homme, Rwanda
Commission nationale pour les droits de l’homme, Greece
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Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice, Ghana
Commission on Human Rights, Philippines
Conseil consultatif des droits de l’homme, Morocco
Danish Center for Human Rights
Defensoría del Pueblo de Colombia
Defensoría del Pueblo, Peru
Defensoría del Pueblo, Venezuela
Defensor de Pueblo de Argentina
Fiji Human Rights Commission
Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission, Australia
Human Rights Commission of Ireland
Human Rights Commission of Malaysia
Human Rights Commission, Mauritius
Human Rights Commission, New Zealand
Human Rights Commission, Sri Lanka
Malawi Human Rights Commission
Mexican National Human Rights Commission
National Commission on Human Rights and Freedoms, Cameroon
National Commission on Human Rights, Indonesia
National Human Rights Commission, India
National Human Rights Commission, Nepal
National Human Rights Commission, Nigeria
National Ombudsman of Ukraine
Office of Public Defender of Georgia
Ombudsman against Ethnic Discrimination, Sweden
Permanent Human Rights Commission, Zambia
Procuraduria de los Derechos Humanos de Guatemala
Republic of Albania People’s Advocate
South African Human Rights Commission
Standing Committee on Human Rights, Kenya
The Danish Board for Ethnic Equality
The National Human Rights Commission of Mongolia
The Palestinian Independent Commission for Citizen’s Rights
Uganda Human Rights Commission
12. A large number of non-governmental organizations attended the Conference. The list of
non-governmental organizations accredited to participate in the Conference is contained in
document A/CONF.189/INF.1. Information on parallel and associated activities, including those
organized by non-governmental organizations, is contained in annex V to the present report.
D. Election of the President of the Conference
13. At the 1st plenary meeting, on 31 August 2001, the Conference elected, by acclamation,
as President of the Conference, Her Excellency Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma (South Africa).
The inaugural address of the President of the Conference is contained in annex II to the present
report.
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E. Opening addresses
14. Opening addresses were made by the President of the Republic of South Africa,
His Excellency Mr. Thabo Mbeki; the President of the General Assembly, Mr. Harri Holkeri;
and the Secretary-General of the World Conference, Mrs. Mary Robinson. Their opening
addresses are contained in annex II to the present report.
F. Messages from heads of State and other personalities
15. The Conference received congratulatory messages from His Excellency
Mr. Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, President of the Republic of Tunisia, and His Excellency
Mr. Nelson Mandela, former President of the Republic of South Africa.
G. Adoption of the rules of procedure
16. At the 1st plenary meeting, on 31 August 2001, the Conference adopted as its
rules of procedure the provisional rules of procedure (A/CONF.189/2), as recommended
by the Preparatory Committee for the Conference at its first session in its decision PC.1/4
of 4 May 2000.
H. Election of officers other than the President
17. At the 1st and 2nd plenary meetings, on 31 August and 1 September 2001, the
Conference, in accordance with rule 17 of its rules of procedure, elected the following other
officers:
21 Vice-Presidents (by regional groups):
African States: Kenya, Nigeria, Senegal, Tunisia
Asian States: China, India, Iraq, Pakistan
Eastern European States: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Croatia, Slovakia
Latin American and Caribbean States: Barbados, Chile, Cuba, Mexico
Western European and other States: Belgium, Canada, Norway, Sweden
Rapporteur-General of the World Conference:
Ms. Edna Maria Santos Roland (Brazil)
Main Committee:
Chairperson: Mr. Claudio Moreno (Italy)
Drafting Committee:
Chairperson: Mr. Ali Khorram (Islamic Republic of Iran)
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I. Adoption of the agenda of the Conference
18. At the 1st plenary meeting, on 31 August 2001, the Conference adopted as its agenda the
provisional agenda (A/CONF.189/1), as recommended by the Preparatory Committee for the
Conference at its third session in its decision PC.3/2 of 10 August 2001, and as revised by the
Conference. The agenda as adopted is as follows:
1. Opening of the Conference.
2. Election of the President.
3. Opening addresses.
4. Adoption of the rules of procedure.
5. Election of the other officers of the Conference.
6. Credentials of representatives to the Conference.
(a) Appointment of the Credentials Committee;
(b) Report of the Credentials Committee.
7. Adoption of the agenda.
8. Organization of work.
9. Conference themes:
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;
* The use of the word “compensatory” is without prejudice to any outcome of this Conference.
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Strategies to achieve full and effective equality, including international
cooperation, and enhancement of United Nations and other international
mechanisms in combating racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related
intolerance, and follow-up.
10. Adoption of the final document and the report of the Conference.
J. Organization of work, including establishment of the Main Committee
and the Drafting Committee of the Conference and its two working
groups (Working Group on the Draft Declaration and Working Group
on the Draft Programme of Action)
19. At the 1st plenary meeting, on 31 August 2001, in conformity with rule 47 of the rules of
procedure of the Conference, the Conference established the Main Committee and the Drafting
Committee, including its two working groups: the Working Group on the Draft Declaration and
the Working Group on the Draft Programme of Action.
K. Appointment of the members of the Credentials Committee
20. At the 1st plenary meeting, on 31 August 2001, in conformity with rule 4 of its rules of
procedure, the Conference established a Credentials Committee composed of the following
States: Bahamas, China, Ecuador, Gabon, Ireland, Mauritius, Russian Federation, Thailand,
United States of America.
L. Other matters
21. The World Conference against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related
Intolerance concluded its work on 8 September 2001. It was initially scheduled to end
on 7 September 2001.
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CHAPTER III. GENERAL DEBATE
1. At its 2nd to 19th meetings, held from 1 to 7 September 2001, the Conference held a
general debate on agenda item 9 relating to the following themes: (i) sources, causes, forms and
contemporary manifestations of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related
intolerance; (ii) victims of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance;
(iii) 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; (iv) provision of effective remedies, recourse, redress, compensatory* and other measures
at the national, regional and international levels; (v) strategies to achieve full and effective
equality, including international cooperation, and enhancement of United Nations and other
international mechanisms in combating racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related
intolerance, and follow-up.
2. Representatives of States and other entities, intergovernmental organizations, regional
commissions and associate members of regional commissions, specialized agencies,
United Nations organs, bodies and programmes and relevant mechanisms, including human
rights bodies and mechanisms, national human rights institutions and non-governmental
organizations addressed the Conference.
3. At the 2nd meeting, on 1 September, the Conference heard statements by the President
of State of the Republic of Latvia, H.E. Ms. Vaira Vike-Freiberga; the President of the
Democratic People’s Republic of Algeria, H.E. Mr. Abdelaziz Bouteflika; the President of the
Federal Republic of Nigeria, H.E. Chief Olusegun Obasanjo; the President of the Republic of
Senegal, H.E. Mr. Abdoulaye Wade; the President of the Republic of Cape Verde,
H.E. Mr. Pedro Pires; the President of the Togolese Republic, H.E. Mr. Gnassingbe Eyadema;
the President of the Republic of Cuba, H.E. Mr. Fidel Castro; the President of the Republic of
the Congo, H.E. Mr. Denis Sassou Nguesso; the President of the Republic of Uganda,
H.E. Mr. Yoweri Kaguta Museveni; the Prime Minister of the Republic of Mozambique,
H.E. Mr. Pascoal Mocumbi; the Vice-President of the Gabonese Republic, H.E. Mr. Didjob
Divungi Di Ndinge; and the President of the Palestinian Authority, H.E. Mr. Yasser Arafat.
4. At the 3rd meeting, on 1 September, the Conference heard statements by the Second
Vice-President of the Republic of Panama, H.E. Mr. Dominador Kaiser Bazan; the Deputy
Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs of Belgium, H.E. Mr. Louis Michel (on behalf
of the European Union; Bulgaria, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia,
Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia and Turkey aligned themselves with
the statement); the Minister of Industry, Employment and Communications of Sweden,
H.E. Ms. Mona Sahlin; the Deputy Prime Minister of Croatia, H.E. Ms. Jeljka Antunovic; the
Deputy Prime Minister of Slovakia, H.E. Mr. Lubomir Fogas; the Minister of Planning and
Cooperation of Chile, H.E. Ms. Alejandra Krauss Valle; the Minister for Foreign Affairs and
Cooperation of Mauritania, H.E. Mr. Dah Ould Abdi; the Minister for Foreign Affairs of the
Federal Republic of Germany, H.E. Mr. Joschka Fischer; the Minister for Foreign Affairs of the
* The use of the word “compensatory” is without prejudice to any outcome of this Conference.
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Principality of Liechtenstein, H.E. Mr. Ernst Walch; the Minister in charge of Treaty of Waitangi
Negotiations; Associate Minister of Justice of New Zealand, H.E. Ms. Margaret Wilson; and the
Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform of Ireland, H.E. Mr. John O’Donoghue.
5. At the same meeting, statements were made by the Chairperson of the
fifty-seventh session of the Commission on Human Rights, Mr. Leandro Despouy; the
Administrator of the United Nations Development Programme, Mr. Mark Malloch Brown; and
the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, Mr. Ruud Lubbers.
6. At the 4th meeting, on 1 September, the Conference heard statements by the Federal
Minister for Foreign Affairs of Yugoslavia, H.E. Mr. Goran Svilanovic; the Minister Delegate
for Cooperation and Francophonie of France, H.E. Mr. Charles Josselin; the Minister of
Labour of Finland, H.E. Ms. Tarja Filatov; the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Slovenia,
H.E. Dr. Dimitrij Rupel; the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Italy, H.E. Mr. Renato Ruggiero;
the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Regional Cooperation of Mauritius, H.E. Mr. Anil
K. Gayan; the Minister of the Interior of Denmark, H.E. Ms. Karen Jespersen; the Minister of
Social Affairs of Iceland, H.E. Mr. Pall Petursson; the Minister of Justice of the United Arab
Emirates, H.E. Mr. Mohammed bin Nukhaira Al Dahri; the Minister for Foreign Affairs of
the Islamic Republic of Iran, H.E. Dr. Kamal Kharrazi; the Minister for Foreign Affairs of
Andorra, H.E. Mr. Juli Minoves-Triquell; the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Haiti,
H.E. Mr. Joseph Philippe Antonio; the Minister for Social Affairs of Nicaragua,
H.E. Ms. Jamileth Bonilla; the Minister for Ethnic Affairs of Estonia, H.E. Ms. Katrin Saks;
the Minister of Justice of Brazil, H.E. Mr. José Gregori; the Alternate Minister for Foreign
Affairs of Greece, H.E. Ms. Elissavet Papazoi; and the Special Envoy of the President of the
Republic of Sri Lanka and Deputy Chairman of the National Planning Commission of
Sri Lanka, H.E. Mr. Lakshman Jayakody.
7. At the same meeting, statements were made by the Executive Director of the
United Nations Children’s Fund, Ms. Carol Bellamy.
8. At the 5th meeting, on 1 September, the Conference heard statements by the Minister
of Labour and Social Affairs of Spain, H.E. Mr. Juan Carlos Aparicio Perez; the Minister for
Foreign Affairs of Pakistan, H.E. Mr. Abdul Sattar; the Minister of Justice of Ethiopia,
H.E. Mr. Worede-Wold Wolde; the Minister of Communication and Spokesman of the
Government of Burundi, H.E. Mr. Luc Rukingama; the Minister of Justice and Human
Rights of Argentina, H.E. Dr. Jorge Enrique de la Rua; the Secretary of State of Canada
(Multiculturalism) (Status of Women), H.E. The Honourable Hedy Fry; the Minister Delegate
to the Prime Minister in charge of Human Rights, Communications and Relations with the
Chamber of Deputies of Tunisia, H.E. Mr. Slaheddine Maaoui; the State Secretary in the
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Romania, H.E. Mr. Mihnea Motoc; the Vice-Minister for
Foreign Affairs of Austria, H.E. Mr. Albert Rohan; the Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs of
Poland, H.E. Ms. Grazyna Bernatowicz; the Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs of Lithuania,
H.E. Dr. Oskaras Jusys; the Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Lao People’s Democratic
Republic, H.E. Mr. Phongsavath Boupha; the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for
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Immigration and Multicultural Affairs of Australia, H.E. The Honourable Senator Kay Paterson;
the Under-Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Oman, H.E. Mr. Sayyid Badr Hamad
al Bu Saidi; the Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Foreign Affairs of Singapore,
H.E. Mr. Zainul Abidin Mohamed Rasheed; and the Permanent Representative of Jordan to
the United Nations Office at Geneva, H.E. Mr. Shihan Madi.
9. At the same meeting, statements in exercise of the right of reply were made by the
representatives of Greece and Turkey.
10. At the 6th meeting, on 2 September, the Conference heard statements by the Chair of the
Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina, H.E. Mr. Jozo Krizanovic; the Deputy President of the
Republic of South Africa, H.E. Mr. Jacob Zuma; the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for
Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic, H.E. Mr. Jan Kavan; the Minister for Foreign Affairs and
Cooperation of Morocco, H.E. Mr. Mohamed Benaissa; the representative of the Ministry of
Foreign Affairs of Armenia, H.E. Mr. Vahram Kazhoyan, on behalf of the Minister for Foreign
Affairs of Armenia, H.E. Mr. Vartan Oskanian; the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Egypt,
H.E. Mr. Ahmed Maher El Sayed; the Minister of Justice and Human Rights of Indonesia,
H.E. Mr. Yusril Ihza Mahendra; the Minister for Home Affairs of Bhutan, H.E. Mr. Lyonpo
Thinley Gyamtsho; the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs of Kuwait, H.E. Sheikh
Dr. Mohammed Sabah Al-Salem Al-Sabah; and the Minister for Foreign Affairs and African
Integration of Benin, H.E. Mr. Kolawolé A. Idji.
11. At the same meeting, statements were made by the Secretary-General of the League of
Arab States, H.E. Mr. Amre Moussa; and the Deputy Secretary-General of the Organization of
African Unity, H.E. Mr. Said Djinnit.
12. Also at the 6th meeting, statements were made by the President of the Economic and
Social Council, Mr. Martin Belinga-Eboutou; and the Vice-President of the World Bank for
United Nations External Affairs, Mr. Mats Karlsson.
13. At the 7th meeting, on 2 September, the Conference heard statements by the
Vice-President of the Republic of Zambia, H.E. The Honourable Enoch P. Kavindele; the
Deputy Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Swaziland, H.E. The Honourable Arthur R.V. Khoza;
the Vice-Prime Minister, Minister for Foreign Affairs and External Trade of Luxembourg,
H.E. Ms. Lydie Polfer; the Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of the
United Republic of Tanzania, H.E. The Honourable Jakaya M. Kikwete; the Minister for Foreign
Affairs and International Cooperation of Kenya, H.E. The Honourable Christopher M. Obure;
the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Lesotho, H.E. The Honourable Motsoahae Thomas Thabane;
the Minister of State for External Affairs of India, H.E. Mr. Omar Abdullah; the Minister of
Gender Equality of the Republic of Korea, H.E. Ms. Han Myeong-Sook; the Minister of Justice
and Public Order of Cyprus, H.E. Mr. Nicos Koshis; the Minister of Justice of the Sudan,
H.E. Mr. Ali Mohamed Osman Yasin; the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Venezuela,
H.E. Mr. Luis Alfonso Dávila García; the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Malawi,
H.E. The Honourable Lilian E. Patel; and the Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Syrian Arab
Republic, H.E. Mr. Farouk Al-Shara.
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14. At the same meeting, a statement was made by the Director-General of the International
Labour Organization, Mr. Juan Somavia.
15. Also at the 7th meeting, statements in exercise of the right of reply were made by the
representatives of Armenia, Azerbaijan and Turkey.
16. At the 8th meeting, on 2 September, the Conference heard statements by the Deputy
Minister for Foreign Affairs of Angola, H.E. Mr. Georges Chikoti; the Permanent Secretary,
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Jamaica, H.E. Mr. Stafford Neil; the President of the Citizen
Studies Commission against Discrimination of Mexico, H.E. Mr. Gilberto Rincón Gallardo; the
Minister for Africa of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Baroness
Amos of Brondesbury; the Minister for Urban Policy and Integration of Ethnic Minorities of the
Netherlands, H.E. Mr. Roger van Boxtel; the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Eritrea,
H.E. Mr. Ali Said Abdella; the Minister of Justice of Namibia, H.E. The Honourable
Dr. Ernst N. Tjiriange; the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Afghanistan, H.E. Dr. A. Abdullah;
the Minister of Justice and Public Liberty of Côte d’Ivoire, H.E. Mr. Oulaï Siene; the Minister
for Human Rights of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, H.E. Mr. Ntumba Luaba Lumu;
the Secretary of State for the Promotion of Human Rights of Burkina Faso, H.E. Ms. Monique
Ilboudo; the Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China, H.E. Mr.
Wang Guangya; the Parliamentary Secretary for Foreign Affairs of Japan, H.E. Ms. Kaori
Maruya; the State Secretary for Foreign Affairs of Hungary, H.E. Mr. Iván Bába; the
Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs of Saudi Arabia, His Highness Prince Torki bin
Mohammed Al-Kaber; the Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation,
H.E. Mr. Serguei Ordzhonikidze.
17. At the same meeting, a statement was made by the Director-General of the European
Commission, Ms. Odile Quintin (on behalf of the European Community).
18. At the 9th meeting, on 3 September, the Conference heard statements by the Minister of
International Development of Norway, H.E. Ms. Anne Kristin Sydnes; the High Commissioner
of Belize to the United Kingdom, H.E. Mr. Assad Shoman; the Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs
of Costa Rica, H.E. Ms. Elayne Whyte Gómez; the State Secretary, Ministry for Foreign Affairs
of the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, H.E. Mr. Viktor Gaber; the Deputy Minister for
Foreign Affairs of Ghana, H.E. Mr. Alhaji Mustapha Idris; the Secretary-General of the Ministry
of Foreign Affairs of Lebanon, H.E. Mr. Zouheir Hamdan; the Permanent Representative of the
Philippines to the United Nations Office at Geneva, H.E. Mr. Samuel T. Ramel; the Ambassador
Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Ukraine to South Africa, H.E. Mr. Igor Turyansky; the
Deputy Director of the Treaty-Legal Department, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan,
H.E. Mr. Tofig Musayev; the Permanent Representative of Bangladesh to the United Nations
Office at Geneva, H.E. Mr. Toufiq Ali; the Pro-Vice Chancellor of the University of the
West Indies of Barbados, H.E. Mr. Hilary Beckles; the High Commissioner of Guyana to the
United Kingdom, H.E. Mr. L.K.N. Singh; and the Deputy Director-General, Ministry of Foreign
Affairs of Israel, H.E. Mr. Mordechai Yedid.
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19. At the same meeting, statements were made by the Secretary-General of the Council of
Europe, H.E. Mr. Walter Schwimmer, and the Secretary-General of the Organization of the
Islamic Conference, H.E. Mr. Abdelouahed Belkeziz.
20. At the 10th meeting, on 3 September, the Conference heard statements by the Director of
the Presidential Office, Deputy Head of the Supreme National Committee for Human Rights of
Yemen, H.E. Mr. Ali Mohammed Al-Anisi; the Secretary-General of the Ministry for Foreign
Affairs of Albania, H.E. Mr. Eduard Sulo; the Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs of Bulgaria,
H.E. Mr. Petko Draganov; the Minister of Justice of Zimbabwe, H.E. The Honourable
P.A. Chinamasa; the Secretary of the General People’s Committee of African Unity of the
Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, H.E. Mr. Ali Abdussalam Treiki; the Minister of Labour and Social
Security of Kazakhstan, H.E. Mr. Alikhan Baymenov; the Assistant Minister for Foreign Affairs
of Viet Nam, H.E. Mr. Nguyen Phu Binh; the Advisor and Special Envoy of the Minister for
Foreign Affairs of Thailand, H.E. Mr. Pracha Guna-Kasem; and the Under-Secretary, Ministry
for Foreign Affairs of the State of Qatar, H.E. Mr. Abdul Rahman H. Al-Attiyah.
21. At the same meeting, statements were made by the Assistant Director-General for Social
and Human Sciences of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization,
Mr. Pierre Sané; the Vice-President of the International Federation of Red Cross and
Red Crescent Societies, Mr. Ali Bandiare; the Secretary-General of the Asian-African Legal
Consultative Organization, Mr. Wafik Kamil; the Permanent Observer of the International
Organization of Francophonie to the United Nations Office at Geneva, Mr. Xavier Michel; the
Chief of the Division of International Organizations of the International Committee of the
Red Cross, Mr. Francis Amar; the Director of the Legal Affairs and Executive Office of the
International Organization for Migration, Mr. Richard C. Perruchoud; and the Chairperson of the
Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination and Chairperson of the thirteenth
meeting of the Chairpersons of the human rights treaty bodies, Mr. Michael E. Sherifis.
22. Also at the 10th meeting, statements in exercise of the right of reply were made by the
representatives of Cyprus, Iraq, Kuwait and Turkey. At the same meeting, a statement in exercise
of the right of reply was made by the observer for Palestine.
23. At the 11th meeting, on 3 September, the Conference heard statements by the High
Commissioner for Immigration and Ethnic Minorities of Portugal, H.E. Mr. José Leitão;
the Permanent Representative of Iraq to the United Nations Office at Geneva,
H.E. Mr. Samir Al-Nima; the Ambassador on Special Mission of the Dominican Republic,
H.E. Mr. Rubén Silié; the head of delegation of the State of Bahrain, H.E. Mr. Ibrahim
Ali Al-Majed; the Director for Human Rights, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Paraguay,
H.E. Ms. Soledad Villara; the Permanent Representative of Turkey to the United Nations Office
at Geneva, H.E. Mr. Murat Sungar; the Permanent Representative of Nepal to the United Nations
Office at Geneva, H.E. Mr. Ram Simkhada; the Permanent Observer of the Holy See to the
United Nations Office at Geneva, H.E. Archbishop Diarmuid Martin; the head of delegation
of Ecuador, H.E. Mr. Francisco Proano Arandi; the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Cooperation
of the Comoros, H.E. Mr. Souef Mohamed El-Amine; the Minister for Home Affairs of Malta,
H.E. The Honourable Tonio Borg; and the Minister, Director of the National Agrarian Institute
of Honduras, H.E. Mr. Anibal Delgado Fiallos.
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24. At the same meeting, a statement was made by the head of the delegation of the
Sovereign Military Order of Malta, H.E. Mr. Mark J. Wolff.
25. Also at the 11th meeting, a statement was made by the Deputy Executive Director
(Management) of the United Nations Population Fund, Ms. Imelda Henkin.
26. At the 12th meeting, on 4 September, statements were made by the President of the
Conference, H.E. Ms. Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, and the Secretary-General of the Conference
and United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Mrs. Mary Robinson.
27. Also at the 12th meeting, the Conference heard statements by the Attorney-General and
Secretary of State for Justice of the Gambia, H.E. The Honourable Joseph Henry Joof; the
Minister of Justice and Institutional Relations of Rwanda, H.E. Mr. Jean de Dieu Mucyo; the
head of delegation of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, H.E. Mr. Ri Yong Ho; the
Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs of Belarus, H.E. Mr. Alyaksandr Sychov; the Deputy
Minister for Justice and Home Affairs of Mongolia, H.E. Mr. Munkh-Orgil Tsend; the Minister
of Information of Malaysia, H.E. The Honourable Mohd Khalil Yaakob; the Ambassador to
Ethiopia and Permanent Representative of Sierra Leone to the Organization of African Unity and
the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa, H.E. Mr. Alhaj Fode M. Dabor; the head
of the delegation of Colombia, H.E. Mr. Jaime Giron Duarte; the representative of the Royal
Government of Cambodia, H.E. Mr. Hor Lat; and the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for
Fijian Affairs of Fiji, H.E. Mr. Ratu Epeli Nailatikau.
28. At the same meeting, statements were made by the Speaker of the National Assembly
of South Africa, Ms. Frene Ginwala (on behalf of the Inter-Parliamentary Union); the
Deputy Executive Director of the Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia,
Ms. Mariam Al-Awadhi; the representative of the Economic Commission for Latin America
and the Caribbean, Mr. Martin Hopenhayn; the Deputy Executive Secretary of the Economic
Commission for Africa, Ms. Leila Ben Barka; and the representative of the United Nations
Centre for Human Settlements (Habitat), Mr. Joseph Igbinedion.
29. Also at the 12th meeting, a statement in exercise of the right of reply was made by the
representative of Armenia.
30. At the 13th meeting, on 4 September, the Conference heard statements by the High
Commissioner of Trinidad and Tobago to Nigeria, H.E. The Honourable Patrick Edwards; the
Minister of Presidential Affairs and Public Administration of Botswana, H.E. The Honourable
Thebe D. Mogami; the head of delegation of Tuvalu, H.E. Mr. Iftikahar Ahmad Ayaz; the
Permanent Representative of Madagascar to the United Nations Office at Geneva,
H.E. Mr. Maxime Zafera.
31. At the same meeting, statements were made by the Minister of State for External Affairs
of the United States Virgin Islands, H.E. Mr. Carlyle G. Corbin; the Executive Secretary of the
Community of the Portuguese-Speaking Countries, Ms. Dulce Maria Pereira; the Vice-President
of the Inter-American Development Bank, Ms. K. Burke Dillon; the Vice-President of the
African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights, Mr. M. Kamel Rezag-Bara; the Executive
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Director of the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS, Mr. Peter Piot; the Director,
HIV/AIDS-Strategy, Advocacy and Partnerships, of the World Health Organization,
Ms. Winnie Mpanju-Shumbusho; and the Human Rights Advisor for Women of the
United Nations Development Fund for Women, Ms. Roxana Carrillo.
32. Also at the 13th meeting, statements were made by the Chairperson of the Working
Group on Indigenous Populations of the Sub-Commission on the Promotion and Protection of
Human Rights, Ms. Erica-Irene Daes; the Vice-Chairperson of the Human Rights Committee,
Mr. Hipolito Solari Yrigoyen; the Chairperson of the Working Group on Minorities of the
Sub-Commission on the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights, Mr. Asbjørn Eide; and the
Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of racism, racial discrimination and xenophobia of
the Commission on Human Rights, Mr. Glèlè Ahanhanzo.
33. At the 13th meeting, Ms. Rigoberta Menchú Tum, Nobel Peace Prize laureate, made a
statement.
34. Also at the 13th meeting, statements in exercise of the right of reply were made by the
representatives of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda.
35. At the 14th meeting, on 4 September, statements were made by the Special Rapporteur
on freedom of religion or belief of the Commission on Human Rights, Mr. Abdelfattah Amor;
the Special Rapporteur on the human rights of migrants of the Commission on Human Rights,
Ms. Gabriela Rodríguez Pizarro; and the Special Rapporteur on violence against women, its
causes and consequences of the Commission on Human Rights, Ms. Radhika Coomaraswamy.
36. Also at the 14th meeting, a statement was made by the Director of the International
Cooperation Department of the International Olympic Committee, Mr. Fékrou Kidané.
37. At the same meeting, the Conference heard statements by the designated spokesperson
for national institutions, Mr. Barney Pityana; the Chairperson of the Malawi Human Rights
Commission, Mr. Alfred Nsope; the Chief Commissioner of the Canadian Human Rights
Commission, Ms. Michelle Falardeau-Ramsay; the representative of the Director of the Danish
Centre for Human Rights, Mr. George Ulrich; the President of the Consultative Council for
Human Rights of Morocco, Mr. Driss Dahak; the President of the National Human Rights
Commission of Togo, Mr. Komi Gnondoli; the Chairperson of the National Human Rights
Commission of Rwanda, Mr. Gasana Ndoba; the President of the National Human Rights
Commission of Madagascar, Mr. Justin Rakotonidina; the Chairperson of the Philippine
Human Rights Commission, Ms. Aurora P. Navarrete-Recina; the Ombudsman of Colombia,
Mr. Eduardo Cifuentes; the Chairperson of the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka,
Mr. Faiuz Mustapha; the Chairperson of the National Human Rights Commission of Nigeria,
Mr. Justice Uche Omo; the Chairperson of the National Commission on Human Rights and
Freedoms of Cameroon, Mr. Solomon Nfor Gwei; the Race Relations Conciliator of
New Zealand, Mr. Gregory Fortuin; the Acting Race Discrimination Commissioner, Aboriginal
and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commission, Human Rights and Equal Opportunity
Commission of Australia, Mr. William Jonas; and the Vice-President of the National
Consultative Commission for Human Rights of France, Ms. Martine Valdes-Boulouque.
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38. Also at the 14th meeting, a statement in exercise of the right of reply was made by the
representative of the Sudan.
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39. At the 15th meeting, on 5 September, the Conference heard statements by the Minister
of Cooperation of Guinea, H.E. Mr. Mory Kaba; the Deputy Secretary of the Presidency for
Women’s Affairs of Guatemala, H.E. Ms. Gloria Dominga Tecun Canil; the Secretary of State of
Switzerland, H.E. Ms. Claudia Kaufmann; the Deputy Minister of Justice and Worship of
Equatorial Guinea, Ms. Evangelina Filomena Oyo Ebule; the Under-Secretary of Multilateral
and Special Affairs of Peru, H.E. Mr. Hernan Couturier; the Special Adviser to the President of
Suriname, H.E. Mr. Willem Udenhout; and Senator Francis Garlawolu of Liberia.
40. At the same meeting, a statement was made by Mr. Mario Yutzis, member of the
Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination.
41. Also at the 15th meeting, the Conference heard statements by the Vice-President of the
Swiss Federal Commission against Racism, Ms. Cecile Buhlmann; the Deputy Chairperson of
the South African Human Rights Commission, Ms. Shirley Mabusela; the Vice-President of the
Niger Human Rights and Fundamental Freedom National Commission, Ms. Mariama Cisse; the
Fourth Commissioner of the National Human Rights Commission of Mexico, Mr. Rodolfo Lara
Ponte; the Deputy Ombudsman against Ethnic Discrimination of Sweden, Ms. Katri Linna; the
representative of the National Human Rights Commission of India, Mr. Justice K. Ramaswamy;
the Commissioner of the Uganda Human Rights Commission, Mr. Joel Aliro-Omara; the
Vice-President of the National Human Rights Commission of Greece, Mr. L.A. Sicilianos; the
Commissioner of the Permanent Human Rights Commission of Zambia, Mr. Lewis Changufu;
and Mr. Michael Farrell, member of the Irish Human Rights Commission.
42. At the 16th meeting, on 5 September, the Conference heard statements by the Director of
the Fiji Human Rights Commission, Ms. Shaista Shameem; the Permanent Secretary of the
Senegal Human Rights Committee, Mr. Alioune Ndiaye; the Director-General of the Office of
the Public Defender of Venezuela, Mr. German Saltron Negretti; and the Director of the
Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice of Ghana, Mr. Kenneth Attafuah.
43. At the same meeting, the Conference heard statements by representatives of the following
non-governmental organizations: International Steering Committee; International Youth
Committee; Women’s Caucus; Sexual Orientation Caucus; Linkage Caucus; Religious and
Spiritual Caucus; Education Caucus; International and Oecumenical Caucus; Disability Caucus;
African and African Descendants Caucus; Indigenous People’s Caucus; Tibetan Centre for
Human Rights and Democracy (also on behalf of International Campaign for Tibet, International
Fellowship of Reconciliation and Worldview International Foundation); Organization for
Defending Victims of Violence; Centro de Culturas Indias y del Taller Permanente de Mujeres
Indígenas y Amazónicas del Perú; Mehr White Home; Suara Rakyat Malaysia; Centre for
Development Alternatives.
44. Also at the 16th meeting, statements in exercise of the right of reply were made by the
representatives of Australia, China, Mauritania, Mexico and Senegal.
45. At the 17th meeting, on 6 September, the Conference heard statements by the Minister of
Education and Culture of Uruguay, H.E. Mr. Antonio Mercader; and the Head of delegation of
Mali, H.E. Mr.Louis Marie Bastide.
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46. At the same meeting, statements were made by representatives of the following
non-governmental organizations: Islamic Women’s Institute of Iran; Asia Pacific Forum on
Women, Law and Development (Thailand); All for Reparations and Emancipation
(AFRE-CURE); Al-Khoei Foundation; Fraternity Notre-Dame; Canadian Hispanic Congress
(Canada); Union des ecrivains et artistes de Cuba; European Roma Rights Centre (Hungary);
Organization for the Solidarity of the Peoples of Asia, Africa and Latin America; International
Institute for Peace; Institute on Race, Health Care and the Law - University of Dayton
(United States); International Save the Children Alliance; Human Rights Watch; World Alliance
of Reformed Churches; Amnesty International; Grand Council of the Crees; Rights of Children
(Guyana); Guyana Human Rights Association; Te Kawa Maro-Maori Organization; International
Catholic Migration Commission; Human Rights Association of Turkey; Indian Movement
“Tupaj Amaru”; Susila Dharma International Association; Asociación Proyecto Caribe
(Costa Rica); Mujeres Peruanas Unidas en Argentina; Espacio Afro-Americano; World
Organization against Torture; Metis National Council.
47. Also at the 17th meeting, statements in exercise of the right of reply were made by the
representatives of Iraq and Malaysia.
48. At the 18th meeting, on 6 September, statements were made by representatives of the
following non-governmental organizations: Fundación Ideas (Chile); International
Confederation of Free Trade Unions; Fundación Ecuatoriana de Acción y Educación para la
Promoción de la Salud (Ecuador); World Evangelical Fellowship; Samiraddi; International
Centre for Human Rights and Democratic Development; Professional Institute for Advanced
Wound Recovery (United States); International Federation of Social Workers; Minority Rights
Group; European Network against Racism (Belgium); Sikh Human Rights Group
(United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland); Conference of Non-Governmental
Organizations (CONGO); Asian Descendant Caucus; Caribbean Caucus; International Criminal
Justice Caucus; Race, Poverty and Globalization Caucus; Dalit Caucus; Palestinian Caucus;
Eastern and Central Europe Caucus; Girl Child Caucus; Labour Caucus; Cultural Diversity
Caucus; Asia Pacific Caucus; International Indian Treaty Council; Franciscans International
(also on behalf of several other non-governmental organizations); Interfaith International (also
on behalf of Forum against Islamophobia and Racism (United Kingdom of Great Britain and
Northern Ireland); Sovereign Union of Aboriginal Peoples of Australia (Australia); Congrès
mondial Amazigh (France); CISM-Veneto; Inclusion International (International League of
Societies for Persons with Mental Handicap); Academia Mexicana de los Derechos Humanos;
World Sindhi Institute (United States of America).
49. At the 19th meeting, on 7 September, statements were made by the following
non-governmental organizations: World Confederation of Labour; African and African
Descendant Women’s Caucus; Service Peace and Justice in Latin America; Women’s National
Commission (United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland); The 1990 Trust
(United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland); American Psychological Association;
Brahma Kumaris World Spiritual University; Africville Genealogy Society (Canada); Physicians
for Human Rights; Marangopoulos Foundation for Human Rights; Association of Islamic
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Women Researchers; Al-Haq, Law in the Service of Man; Committee on Women, Population
and the Environment (United States of America); World Federation of Democratic Youth;
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Roma Centre for Public Policies “Aven amentza” (Romania); Women’s Association Follower of
Ahlul Bait; Pax Romana; African Canadian Coalition Against Racism (Canada); Women’s
Health in Women’s Hands; Nucleo de Estudos Negros (Brazil); The Chinese People’s
Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (also on behalf of the All China Women’s
Federation); China Society for Promotion of the Guangcai Programme (also on behalf of the
United Nations Association of China); Christian International Possibilities Unlimited
(United States of America); Centro de Estudos e Defensa do Negro do Para (Brazil); Union of
Arab Community Based Associations - ITTIJAH (also on behalf of ADALAH - The Legal
Centre for Arab Minority Rights in Israel (Israel)); Universal Day of Hope Trust; União de
Negros pela Igualdade (Brazil); Pan-Africa Movement (Barbados NGO Committee for World
Conference); Youth against Racism.
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CHAPTER IV. REPORT OF THE MAIN COMMITTEE
1. At the 1st plenary meeting, on 31 August 2001, the Conference approved the
organization of its work, as set out in document A/CONF.189/3, including the establishment of
the Main Committee.
2. At the 2nd plenary meeting, on 1 September 2001, the Conference approved the
nomination of Mr. Claudio Moreno (Italy) as Chairperson of the Main Committee.
3. The Main Committee held three meetings, on 2, 7 and 8 September 2001.
4. The Main Committee had before it the following documents:
(a) Note by the Secretariat transmitting the provisional rules of procedure of the
World Conference (A/CONF.189/2) adopted by the Conference at its 1st plenary meeting on
31 August 2001;
(b) Note by the Secretary-General transmitting the draft provisional programme of
work of the World Conference (A/CONF.189/3) adopted by the Conference at its 1st plenary
meeting on 31 August 2001;
(c) Note by the Secretary-General transmitting the draft declaration of the World
Conference (A/CONF.189/4);
(d) Note by the Secretary-General transmitting the draft programme of action of the
World Conference (A/CONF.189/5).
5. The Main Committee, at its 1st meeting, on 2 September 2001, elected the following
officers by acclamation:
Vice-Chairpersons: Mr. Alexander Slabi (Czech Republic)
Mr. Hernan Couturier (Peru)
Mr. Prasad Kariyawasam (Sri Lanka)
6. At the same meeting, on the proposal of the Chairperson, the Main Committee elected
Ms. Najat Al-Hajjaji (Libyan Arab Jamahiriya) as its Rapporteur by acclamation.
7. At the same meeting, the Main Committee took note of the decision of the Drafting
Committee that the draft declaration and the draft programme of action would be considered by
two working groups of the Drafting Committee.
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Consideration of the draft declaration and the draft programme of action
8. At the 2nd meeting, on 7 September, the Chairperson of the Main Committee announced
that the Drafting Committee would continue, through its working groups, to consider paragraphs
of the draft declaration and the draft programme of action that had not yet been adopted.
9. At the 3rd meeting, on 8 September, the Main Committee considered the draft declaration
and the draft programme of action agreed upon in the two working groups and in the Drafting
Committee, submitted by the Chairperson of the Drafting Committee. The Main Committee
had before it the paragraphs adopted by the Working Group on the Draft Declaration,
contained in documents A/CONF.189/L.2, and L.2/Add.1 and a document without a symbol,
and the paragraphs adopted by the Working Group on the Draft Declaration, contained in
documents A/CONF.189/L.3 and L.3/Add.1 to 3 and a document without a symbol.
10. At the same meeting, the Main Committee considered and approved the following new
paragraphs introduced by the President of the Conference as a result of consultations. These
paragraphs were subsequently incorporated in the draft declaration and draft programme of
action:
Paragraphs on issues of the past
“DECLARATION AND PROGRAMME OF ACTION
“Sources, causes, forms and contemporary manifestations of racism,
racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance
“(Replaces paragraphs 10-18)
“Para. 10: We acknowledge that slavery and the slave trade, including the transatlantic
slave trade, were appalling tragedies in the history of humanity not only because of their
abhorrent barbarism but also in terms of their magnitude, organized nature and especially
their negation of the essence of the victims and further acknowledge that slavery and the
slave trade are a crime against humanity and should always have been so, especially the
transatlantic slave trade and are among the major sources and manifestations of racism,
racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance, and that Africans and people of
African descent, Asians and people of Asian descent and indigenous people were victims
of these acts and continue to be victims of their consequences.
“Para. 11: The World Conference recognizes that colonialism has led to racism, racial
discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance, and that Africans and people of
African descent, and people of Asian descent and indigenous peoples were victims of
colonialism and continue to be victims of its consequences. We acknowledge the
suffering caused by colonialism and affirm that, wherever and whenever it occurred, it
must be condemned at its recurrence prevented. We further regret that the effects and
persistence of these structures and practices have been among the factors contributing to
lasting social and economic inequalities in many parts of the world today.
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“Para. 12: The World Conference recognizes that apartheid and genocide in terms of
international law constitute crimes against humanity and are major sources and
manifestations of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance and
acknowledge the untold evil and suffering caused by these acts and affirms that wherever
and whenever they occurred, they must be condemned and their recurrence prevented.
“Provision of effective remedies, recourse, redress, compensatory and
other measures at the national, regional and international levels
“Para. 116: The World Conference acknowledges and profoundly regrets the massive
human sufferings and the tragic plight of millions of men, women and children caused by
slavery, slave trade, transatlantic slave trade, apartheid, colonialism and genocide and
calls upon States concerned to honour the memory of the victims of past tragedies and
affirms that wherever and whenever these occurred they must be condemned and their
reoccurrence prevented. The World Conference regrets that these practices and
structures, political, socio-economic and cultural, have led to racism, racial
discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance.
“Para. 117: The World Conference acknowledges and profoundly regrets the untold
suffering and evils inflicted on millions of men, women and children as a result of
slavery, slave trade, transatlantic slave trade, apartheid, genocide and past tragedies. The
World Conference further notes that some States have taken the initiative to apologize
and have paid reparation where appropriate, for grave and massive violations committed.
“Para. 118: With a view to closing those dark chapters in History and as a means of
reconciliation and healing, we invite the international community and its members to
honour the memory of the victims of these tragedies. The World Conference further
notes that some have taken the initiative of regretting or expressing remorse or presenting
apologies, and calls on all those who have not yet contributed to restoring the dignity of
the victims to find appropriate ways to do so and, to this end, we appreciate those
countries that have done so.
“Para. 119: The World Conference aware of the moral obligation on the part of all
concerned States, calls on these States to take appropriate and effective measures to halt
and reverse the lasting consequences of those practices.
“Para. 121: The World Conference recognizes the consequences of past and
contemporary forms of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance
as serious challenges to global peace and security, human dignity and the realization of
human rights and fundamental freedoms of many people in the world, in particular to
Africans, people of African descent, people of Asian descent and indigenous peoples.
“Para. 122: Guided by the principles set out in the Millennium Declaration and the
recognition that we have a collective responsibility to uphold the principles of human
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dignity, equality and equity and to ensure that globalization becomes a positive force for
all the world’s people, the International Community commits itself to working for the
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beneficial integration of the developing countries into the global economy, resisting their
marginalization, determined to achieve accelerated economic growth and sustainable
development and to eradicate poverty, inequality and deprivation.
“Para. 123: The World Conference emphasizes that remembering the crimes or wrongs
of the past, wherever and whenever they occurred, unequivocally condemning its racist
tragedies and telling the truth about history are essential elements for international
reconciliation and the creation of societies based on justice, equality and solidarity.
“Para. 124: The World Conference recognizes the efforts of developing countries, in
particular the commitment and the determination of the African leaders to seriously
address the challenges of poverty, underdevelopment, marginalization, social exclusion,
economic disparities, instability and insecurity, through initiative such as the New
African Initiative and other innovative mechanisms such as the World Solidarity Fund for
the Eradication of Poverty, and calls upon developed countries, the United Nations and
its specialized agencies as well as international financial institutions to provide, through
their operational programmes, new and additional financial resources as appropriate to
support these initiatives.
“Para. 125: The World Conference recognizes that these historical injustices have
undeniably contributed to poverty, underdevelopment, marginalization, social exclusion,
economic disparities, instability and insecurity that affect many people in different parts
of the world, in particular in developing countries. The World Conference recognizes the
need to develop programmes for the social and economic development of these societies
and the Diaspora within the framework of a new partnership based on the spirit of
solidarity and mutual respect in the following areas:
− Debt relief
− Poverty eradication
− Building or strengthening democratic institutions
− Promotion of foreign direct investment
− Market access
− Intensifying efforts to meet the internationally agreed targets for Official
Development Assistance (ODA) transfers to developing countries
− New Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) bridging the digital
divide
− Agriculture and food security
− Transfer of technology
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− Transparent and accountable governance
− Investment in health infrastructure in tackling HIV/AIDS, TB and malaria,
including among others through the Global AIDS and Health Fund
− Infrastructure development
− Human resource development including capacity building
− Education, training and cultural development
− Mutual legal assistance in the repatriation of illegally obtained and illegally
transferred (stashed) funds in accordance with national and international
instruments
− Illicit traffic in small arms and light weapons
− Restitution of art objects, historical artefacts and documents to their countries of
origin in accordance with bilateral agreements or international instruments
− Trafficking in persons, particularly women and children
− Facilitation of welcomed return and resettlement of the descendants of enslaved
Africans.
“Para. 126: The World Conference urges international financial and development
institutions and the operational programmes and specialized agencies of the
United Nations to give greater priority to, and allocate appropriate funding for
programmes addressing the development challenges of the affected States and societies,
in particular those on the African Continent and in the Diaspora.
“Para. 127: The World Conference salutes the efforts of the United Nations Educational,
Scientific and Cultural Organization made within the framework of the Slave Route
Project, and requests that the outcome be made available for the international community
as soon as possible.
Paragraphs on the Middle-East and related issues
“DRAFT DECLARATION
“1. We are conscious of the fact that the history of humanity is replete with major
atrocities as a result of the gross violation of human rights and believe that lessons can be
learned through remembering history to avert future tragedies.
“2. We recall that the Holocaust must never be forgotten.
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“3. We recognize with deep concern religious intolerance against certain religious
communities, as well as the emergence of hostile acts and violence against such
communities because of their religious beliefs and their racial or ethnic origin in various
parts of the world which in particular limit their right to freely practise their belief.
“4. We also recognize with deep concern the increase in anti-Semitism and
Islamophobia in various parts of the world, as well as the emergence of racial and violent
movements based on racism and discriminatory ideas against Jewish, Muslim and Arab
communities.
“5. We are conscious that humanity’s history is replete with terrible wrongs inflicted
through lack of respect for the equality of human beings and note with alarm the increase
of such practices in various parts of the world, and we urge people, particularly in
conflict situations, to desist from racist incitement, derogatory language and negative
stereotyping.
“6. We are concerned about the plight of the Palestinian people under foreign
occupation. We recognize the inalienable right of the Palestinian people to
self-determination and to the establishment of an independent State and we recognize the
right to security for all States in the region, including Israel, and call upon all States to
support the peace process and bring it to an early conclusion.
“7. We call for a just, comprehensive and lasting peace in the region in which all
peoples shall co-exist and enjoy equality, justice and internationally recognized human
rights, and security.
“8. We recognize the right of refugees to return voluntarily to their homes and
properties in dignity and safety, and urge all States to facilitate such return.
“DRAFT PROGRAMME OF ACTION
“1. We believe that all conflicts and disputes should be resolved through peaceful
means and political dialogue. We call on all parties involved in such conflicts to exercise
restraint and to respect human rights and international humanitarian law.
“2. We call upon States, in opposing all forms of racism, to recognize the need to
counter anti-Semitism, anti-Arabism and Islamophobia worldwide and urge all States to
take effective measures to prevent the emergence of movements based on racism and
discriminatory ideas concerning these communities.
“3. As for the situation in the Middle-East, we call for the end of violence and the
swift resumption of negotiations, respect for international human rights and humanitarian
law, respect for the principle of self-determination and the end of all suffering, thus
allowing Israel and the Palestinians to resume the peace process, and to develop and
prosper in security and freedom.”
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11. At the same meeting, the Main Committee also considered and approved a new
paragraph introduced by the chair of the Main Committee as a result of consultations. This
paragraph was subsequently incorporated in the draft declaration:
“We recognize that racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related
intolerance occur on the grounds of race, colour, descent or national or ethnic origin and
victims can suffer multiple or aggravated forms of discrimination based on other related
grounds such as sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, social origin, property,
birth or other status;”
12. At the same meeting, the Main Committee held a procedural discussion with regard to the
paragraphs on which consensus had not been reached in the Drafting Committee. Statements
were made by representatives of Armenia, Belgium (on behalf of the European Union), Bosnia
and Herzegovina, Canada, Egypt, India, Iran (Islamic Republic of), Kenya, Lebanon, Mexico,
Pakistan, the Philippines, the Russian Federation, Singapore, Spain, the Syrian Arab Republic,
Turkey and the United Arab Emirates.
13. The representative of the Syrian Arab Republic proposed that the Main Committee
consider preambular paragraph 30 and operative paragraph 33 of the draft declaration and
operative paragraph 179 of the draft programme of action, as contained in documents
A/CONF.189/4 and A/CONF.189/5.
14. The representative of the Legal Counsel made an explanatory statement with regard to
procedure concerning paragraphs of the draft declaration and the draft programme of action that
were still pending adoption.
15. Mr. Slabi, Vice-President took the chair. The Chairperson proposed that paragraphs or
parts of paragraphs that had been adopted by the two working groups and the Drafting
Committee should be adopted by the Main Committee and forwarded to the plenary of the
Conference for its consideration and adoption, and that paragraphs or parts of paragraphs that
had not been adopted would be deleted from the documents of the two working groups and the
Drafting Committee.
16. At the same meeting, the representative of the Legal Counsel of the United Nations made
an explanatory statement on rules 26, 34 and 44 of the rules of procedure of the Conference.
17. At the same meeting, under the pertinent rule of the rules of procedure of the Conference,
the representative of Brazil moved that the Conference should take no action on the remaining
paragraphs that had not been considered or had not been adopted by the working groups. The
representatives of Algeria and the Syrian Arab Republic spoke against the motion and the
representative of New Zealand spoke in support of it. The representative of Brazil withdrew the
motion.
18. At the same meeting, the representative of Belgium (on behalf of the European Union)
reintroduced the motion. Statements in support of the motion were made by the representatives
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of Argentina and the Russian Federation. Statements against the motion were made by the
representatives of the Republic of South Africa and the Syrian Arab Republic.
19. At the request of the representative of Australia, a roll-call vote was taken on the motion,
which was adopted by 51 votes to 37, with 11 abstentions. The voting was as follows:
In favour: Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile,
Colombia, Costa Rica, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Democratic Republic of
the Congo, Denmark, El Salvador, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, Germany,
Ghana, Guatemala, Holy See, Honduras, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Japan,
Latvia, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand,
Norway, Peru, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russian Federation, Slovakia,
Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, The former Yugoslav Republic
of Macedonia, Turkey, United Kingdom of Great Britain and
Northern Ireland, Uruguay, Venezuela, Yugoslavia.
Against: Afghanistan, Algeria, Bahrain, Barbados, Burkina Faso, China, Cuba,
Egypt, Indonesia, Iran (Islamic Republic of), Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait,
Lebanon, Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, Malaysia, Mauritania, Mauritius,
Namibia, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Qatar, Saint Vincent and the
Grenadines, Saudi Arabia, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Sudan,
Syrian Arab Republic, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Tuvalu, Uganda,
United Arab Emirates, United Republic of Tanzania, Viet Nam, Zambia.
Abstaining: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Ecuador, India, Kenya,
Philippines, Senegal, Seychelles, Singapore, Togo.
20. At the same meeting, the representatives of the Holy See, Algeria, Belgium (on behalf of
the European Union), the Syrian Arab Republic and the Libyan Arab Jamahiriya made
statements in explanation of vote after the vote.
21. At the same meeting, the Main Committee decided to adopt the paragraphs or parts of
paragraphs that had been adopted by the two working groups and the Drafting Committee, to
delete those paragraphs or parts of paragraphs that had not been adopted by the two working
groups and the Drafting Committee and to transmit the amended texts of the draft declaration
and the draft programme of action to the plenary of the Conference for its consideration.
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CHAPTER V. REPORT OF THE DRAFTING COMMITTEE
1. At the 1st plenary meeting, on 31 August 2001, the Conference approved the
organization of its work, as set out in document A/CONF.189/3, including the establishment of
the Drafting Committee.
2. Also at the 1st plenary meeting, the Conference approved the nomination of
Mr. Ali Khorran (Islamic Republic of Iran) as the Chairperson of the Drafting Committee.
3. The Drafting Committee held six meetings, from 31 August to 7 September 2001.
4. The Drafting Committee had before it the following documents:
(a) Note by the secretariat transmitting the provisional rules of procedures of the
World Conference (A/CONF.189/2), adopted by the Conference at the 1st plenary meeting
on 31 August 2001;
(b) Note by the Secretary-General transmitting the draft provisional programme of
work of the Conference (A/CONF.189/3), adopted by the Conference at the 1st plenary meeting
on 31 August 2001;
(c) Note by the Secretary-General transmitting the draft declaration of the World
Conference (A/CONF.189/4);
(d) Note by the Secretary-General transmitting the draft programme of action of the
World Conference (A/CONF.189/5).
5. The Drafting Committee, at its 1st meeting, on 31 August 2001, approved the nomination
of Mr. John Dauth (Australia) as Vice-Chairperson/Rapporteur.
6. At the same meeting, the Drafting Committee constituted two working groups to
consider the draft declaration and the draft programme of action. The Working Group on
the Draft Programme of Action elected Mr. Bonaventure M. Bowa (Zambia) as its
Chairperson/Rapporteur on 31 August. The Working Group on the Draft Declaration elected
Mr. Marc Bossuyt (Belgium) as its Chairperson/Rapporteur on 1 September.
7. At its 2nd meeting, on 2 September, the Drafting Committee was briefed on the outcome
of the meeting of the General Committee held earlier the same day, including the appointment of
facilitators on three difficult issues, those relating to victims, the past and the Middle East. The
working methods of the working groups were also discussed.
8. At its 3rd meeting, on 6 September, the Drafting Committee evaluated the progress of the
two working groups. It was decided that the two working groups would continue to meet in
order to finish their work.
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9. At its 4th meeting, on 7 September, the Drafting Committee evaluated the progress of the
two working groups. Mr. Marc Bossuyt, Chairperson/Rapporteur of the Working Group on the
Draft Declaration, and Mr. Bonaventure M. Bowa, Chairperson/Rapporteur of the Working
Group on the Draft Programme of Action, reported on the situation of their respective working
groups. The Chairperson of the Drafting Committee, Mr. Ali Khorram, also made a statement.
10. At its 5th and 6th meetings, on 7 September, the Drafting Committee considered a
number of paragraphs of the draft programme of action, pending notification of the scheduling of
meetings of the Main Committee and the Plenary originally planned for the afternoon and
evening of 7 September. It was decided that the Working Group on the Draft Programme of
Action would continue its work at a night meeting on 7 September. It was also decided that the
Working Group on the Draft Declaration and the Working Group on the Draft Programme of
Action would meet separately the next morning, 8 September, in order to finish their work. It
was further decided that, after the two working groups had completed their work, the draft
declaration and draft programme of action, as amended, would be forwarded to the Main
Committee for further consideration.
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CHAPTER VI. REPORT OF THE CREDENTIALS COMMITTEE
1. At its 1st plenary meeting, on 31 August 2001, in accordance with rule 4 of its rules of
procedure, the Conference appointed a Credentials Committee having a composition based
on that of the Credentials Committee of the General Assembly of the United Nations at
its fifty-fifth session, namely: Bahamas, China, Ecuador, Gabon, Ireland, Mauritius,
Russian Federation, Thailand and the United States of America.
2. The Credentials Committee met on 4 September 2001.
3. Mrs. Yolande Bike (Gabon) was unanimously elected Chairperson.
4. The Committee had before it a memorandum by the secretariat of the Conference,
dated 3 September 2001, concerning the credentials of representatives of States at the
Conference. The representative of the Legal Counsel of the United Nations made a statement
relating to the memorandum in which she, inter alia, informed the Committee of credentials and
communications received subsequent to the preparation of the memorandum.
5. As noted in paragraph 1 of the memorandum and the statement relating thereto, formal
credentials of representatives to the Conference, in the form required by rule 3 of its rules of
procedure, had been received as of the time of the meeting of the Credentials Committee from
the following 92 States: Albania, Algeria, Andorra, Angola, Armenia, Austria, Bahrain,
Barbados, Bhutan, Botswana, Brunei Darussalam, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cape Verde,
Central African Republic, Chad, China, Costa Rica, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic,
Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Denmark, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia,
Fiji, France, Gabon, Germany, Guatemala, Guinea, Haiti, Holy See, Honduras, Hungary,
Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iraq, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kenya, Kuwait, Lao People’s Democratic
Republic, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Mauritania,
Mauritius, Mexico, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Myanmar, Namibia, Netherlands, Niger,
Norway, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Republic of Korea, Republic of Moldova, Romania,
Russian Federation, Senegal, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sudan,
Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Syrian Arab Republic, Thailand, The former
Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, United Arab Emirates,
United Republic of Tanzania, Uruguay, Viet Nam, Zimbabwe.
6. As noted in paragraph 2 of the memorandum and the statement relating thereto,
information concerning the appointment of representatives of States to the Conference had been
communicated to the secretariat of the Conference, as of the time of the meeting of the
Credentials Committee, by means of a cable or a telefax from the Head of State or Government
or the Minister for Foreign Affairs, or by means of a letter or note verbale from the ministries,
embassies or permanent missions concerned, by the following 78 States: Afghanistan,
Argentina, Australia, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Bangladesh, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin,
Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Bulgaria, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Chile,
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Colombia, Comoros, Congo, Côte d’Ivoire, Croatia, Democratic Republic of the Congo,
Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, Eritrea, Estonia, Finland, Gambia, Georgia, Ghana,
Greece, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Iran (Islamic Republic of), Ireland, Israel, Italy, Kazakhstan,
Kyrgyzstan, Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Mali, Malta, Nepal,
New Zealand, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Qatar, Rwanda,
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Saudi Arabia, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Solomon Islands,
Somalia, Sri Lanka, Tajikistan, Tunisia, Turkey, Tuvalu, Uganda, Ukraine, United Kingdom of
Great Britain and Northern Ireland, United States of America, Venezuela, Yemen, Yugoslavia,
Zambia.
7. Having considered the question of the credentials of Afghanistan, the Committee decided
to take the position taken by the Credentials Committee of the General Assembly at the
fifty-fifth session of the Assembly.
8. The Chairperson recommended that the Committee accept the credentials of the
representatives of all States mentioned in the memorandum of the secretariat of the Conference,
on the understanding that the formal credentials of representatives of the States referred to in
paragraph 6 of the present report would be communicated to the secretariat of the Conference as
soon as possible.
9. On the proposal of the Chairperson, the Committee adopted the following draft
resolution:
“The Credentials Committee,
“Having examined the credentials of the representatives to the World Conference
against Racism of the States referred to in the memorandum of the secretariat of the
Conference dated 3 September 2001,
“Accepts, subject to the decision contained in paragraph 7 of the report of the
Credentials Committee, the credentials of the representatives of the States concerned.”
10. The draft resolution proposed by the Chairperson was adopted without a vote.
11. The Chairperson then proposed that the Committee should recommend to the plenary of
the Conference the adoption of a draft resolution (see para. 12). The proposal was adopted
without a vote.
12. In the light of the foregoing, the present report is submitted to the World Conference
against Racism.
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Recommendation of the Credentials Committee
13. The Credentials Committee recommends to the plenary of the World Conference against
Racism the adoption of the following draft resolution:
“Credentials of representatives to the World Conference Against Racism
“The World Conference against Racism,
“Having considered the report of the Credentials Committee and the
recommendation contained therein,
“Approves the report of the Credentials Committee.”
Action taken by the Conference
14. At the 16th plenary meeting, on 5 September 2001, the Conference considered the report
of the Credentials Committee (A/CONF.189/11).
15. At the same meeting, a statement in connection with the report of the Credentials
Committee was made by the representative of Turkey.
16. The Conference adopted the draft resolution recommended by the Committee in its
report. For the text, see chapter I, section C, resolution 1.
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CHAPTER VII. ADOPTION OF THE FINAL DOCUMENT AND
THE REPORT OF THE CONFERENCE
1. At the 20th plenary meeting, on 8 September 2001, the Conference considered item 10 of
its agenda, entitled “Adoption of the final document and the report of the Conference”. The
Conference had before it the following documents that had been adopted by the Main Committee
and forwarded to the plenary for further consideration: the draft declaration (A/CONF.189/L.2
and Add.1 and a document without a symbol containing adopted paragraphs) and the draft
programme of action (A/CONF.189/L.3 and Add.1-3 and a document without a symbol), as well
as two documents without a symbol that had been presented by the President of the Conference
to the Main Committee.
2. Before the adoption of the draft declaration and the draft programme of action,
statements and reservations were made by the representatives of Australia, Belgium (on behalf of
the European Union), Canada, Chile, Ecuador (also on behalf of Brazil, Canada, Chile and
Guatemala), the Islamic Republic of Iran, the Syrian Arab Republic and Switzerland. At the
request of the participants, the statements and reservations are reproduced below, in their
entirety.
3. The representative of Australia made the following statement:
“Australia is unequivocal in its opposition to racism in all its forms and is
committed to strong action at all levels to combat it, both domestically and
internationally, and this was reflected in the approach we took to this World Conference.
“We regret that far too much of our time has been consumed by bitter, divisive
exchanges on issues which have done nothing to advance the cause of combating racism.
This has been particularly evident in respect of the debate about the Middle East. Despite
the great efforts of many delegations, including that of Australia, to achieve a balanced
text, the references to the Middle East contain language which will do nothing to achieve
greater peace in that troubled region and nothing to advance the objectives of this
Conference.
“The debate on many other issues also has been polarized and recriminatory.
These exchanges were the very antithesis of the objectives of the Conference and deeply
disappointed many government and non-government participants who had had such high
hopes for the Conference.
“Australia wishes to acknowledge the strong efforts of you, Madam Chair, to
produce positive outcomes. Despite the Chair’s tireless work, others were more
interested in pursuing narrow interests at the cost of good overall outcomes.
“We have some specific reservations on the text we are about to adopt which we
would like to be included in the record of the meeting in the same manner as that
requested by the Canadian delegation. In relation to the second paragraph 5 of your text
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on the Middle East, my delegation believes that this paragraph deals with a political
situation, and has no place in the outcomes of the World Conference, which is on racism,
racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance.
“On paragraph 7 of the text on the Middle East, my delegation believes that this
language undermines the agreements reached between Israel and the Palestine Liberation
Organization, as the representative of the Palestinian people, which aim to achieve a just
settlement of the refugee problem, in accordance with the relevant United Nations
resolutions, through direct negotiations to resolve all outstanding final status issues.
“Australia is a country whose good governance and strong democratic traditions
and institutions derive directly from its colonial history. In relation to the text on the
past, we therefore express serious concerns at the use of the same language in
paragraphs 11 and 116 to condemn colonialism as is used in paragraph 12 to condemn
apartheid and genocide.”
4. The representative of Belgium (on behalf of the European Union) made the following
statement:
“In 1978 the General Conference of UNESCO unanimously proclaimed that ‘All
human beings belong to a single species’. This is fundamental. Doctrines that asserted
the contrary were used to justify some of the most appalling and disgraceful tragedies in
human history, including the Holocaust and also apartheid. Numerous United Nations
consensus documents have affirmed the fundamental unity of the human race.
“Article 1 of the International Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of
Racial Discrimination states that racial discrimination is ‘any distinction, exclusion,
restriction or preference based on race, colour, descent, or national or ethnic origin’. Our
work here is to further the elimination of racial discrimination. The concept of race may,
for the purpose of applying the Convention, be helpful in identifying the basis for such
discrimination.
“The Member States of the European Union consider that the acceptance of any
formulation implying the existence of separate human ‘races’ could be interpreted as a
retrograde step as it risks denying the unity of humanity. Nor is acceptance of such a
formulation necessary in order to identify or combat racial discrimination.
“Clearly the human race is diverse. The Member States of the European Union
value diversity. Within our States it is a source of social cohesion and cultural
enrichment. We unequivocally condemn racial discrimination and doctrines of racial
superiority.
“The Member States of the European Union are of the opinion that existing
terminology covers largely all the differences/diversity between people.
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“The Member States of the European Union strongly reject any doctrine of racial
superiority along with theories or doctrines which attempt to determine the existence of
separate human races, as well as any implicit acceptance of such theories or doctrines
which could emerge from the use of the terms ‘race’ or ‘racial’ in the Declaration and
Programme of Action of the World Conference against Racism, Racial Discrimination,
Xenophobia and Related Intolerance.
“This does not imply the denial of race as an ground for discrimination and the
denial of manifestations of racism and racial discrimination, as defined in article 1 of the
Convention, which still exist all over the world.”
5. The representative of Canada made the following statement:
“Given its struggle against apartheid, South Africa was a logical place to host the
Conference. The world continues to draw strength from the courage and determination
of its people to reconcile their differences and build a more inclusive society. We thank
the Government of South Africa for its leadership and hospitality, and we pledge to keep
working with it to promote and protect all human rights and freedoms. As well, we will
continue to look to the United Nations as the primary venue for discussion and action on
these important issues.
“A World Conference against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and
Related Intolerance is not just another act in the ongoing itinerant, multilateral,
diplomatic theatre. It is much more than that. Or should be.
“That is why Canada persevered here and remained at the table. We faced the
challenges of contention and divisiveness because of our strong sense of duty to the
United Nations, the world community, Canadians who depended on us to give them voice
here and the millions of people around the globe who live in poverty and hopelessness
because of racism.
“We are not satisfied with this Conference. Not enough time has been dedicated
to advancing its objectives, that is, developing forward-looking, action-oriented strategies
to eradicate the many forms of discrimination that exist today. Instead, too much time
has been spent on an issue that does not belong here.
“Canada is still here today only because we wanted to have our voice decry the
attempts at this Conference to de-legitimize the State of Israel and to dishonour the
history and suffering of the Jewish people. We believe, and we have said in the clearest
possible terms, that it was inappropriate - wrong - to address the Palestinian-Israel
conflict in this forum. We have said, and will continue to say, that anything - any
process, any declaration, any language - presented in any forum that does not serve to
advance a negotiated peace that will bring security, dignity and respect to the people of
the region is - and will be - unacceptable to Canada.
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“That is why the Canadian delegation registers its strongest objections and
disassociates itself integrally from all text in this document directly or indirectly relating
to the situation in the Middle East. We state emphatically that this text is ultra vires; it is
outside the jurisdiction and mandate of this Conference.
“For example, paragraph 7 goes to the heart of the legitimacy of the State of
Israel. When read in the context of the Middle East, which we believe to be the intent,
the word ‘Israel’ is implicit. Therefore, the formulation with respect to the right of return
of refugees is not consistent with United Nations General Assembly resolution 194.
“This paragraph is tantamount to a call for a unilateral violation of the agreed
peace accords. Its implementation would be inconsistent with the agreement between the
parties that the return of refugees would be pursuant to a negotiated final settlement.
“As such, it is an unhelpful and irresponsible intrusion by this Conference into
one of the world’s most dangerous conflicts. Further, as was proposed in the draft
document, Canada believed, and continues to believe, that it is entirely appropriate that
the Declaration contain an independent and unlinked reference to the need for all of us to
counter anti-Semitism. Canada came to this Conference with very clear positions on
what is important to us. We will not sacrifice our principles or distort our long-standing,
fair-minded policy with regard to the Middle East conflict.
“Canada regrets that the World Conference has not been able to acknowledge that
there is a close, sometimes inseparable relationship between discrimination based on
religion and language and that which is based on racism and xenophobia.
“This is particularly regrettable given that in 1994 the United Nations
General Assembly, in its resolution establishing the Third Decade to Combat Racism and
Racial Discrimination, expressed deep concern about the evolution of racism into
discriminatory practices based on religion, language, nationality or culture. In this regard
we consider the World Conference has taken a significant step backwards. At this point,
we would like to underline that, for Canada, multiple discrimination on the basis of ‘other
grounds’ includes sexual orientation, disability and barriers based on culture.
“On the issue of past injustices, let there be no doubt - Canada believes that the
transatlantic slave trade was morally repugnant and is a stain on the fabric of history.
“With regard to the text related to this issue, Canada would like to register clearly
its understanding that paragraph 10 of the Declaration means that widespread and
systematic enslavement directed against a civilian population today constitutes a crime
against humanity, and if the transatlantic slave trade occurred today it would constitute a
crime against humanity.
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“Furthermore, it is Canada’s understanding with regard to paragraphs 117, 118
and 119 of the Declaration, that under international law there is no right to a remedy for
historical acts that were not illegal at the time at which they occurred.
“It is for these reasons, that Canada requests that this statement be entered into the
Conference records, and that our reservations be explicitly reflected in the final report of
the Conference.”
6. The representative of Chile made the following statement:
“The Durban Conference has, to the end, been marked by difficulties and tensions
that are characteristic of the problems we have tackled. Here the core of our concern has
been human diversity, its wealth and its conflicts. However, we cannot fail to regret the
polarization around some items that has prevented us from looking at the overall goals
defined by the General Assembly when it convened the Conference. We believe that,
despite the drama and the tragedies involved in some of them, we stood in need of greater
freedom to discuss all the problems that challenge us, particularly in taking on the new
risks and threats and, at the same time, modernizing the tools to cope with them. We are
aware that it would have been impossible to take on the problems that have concerned us
without facing up to the complexity of the history of mankind in terms both of its own
interpretation of the repeated suffering of millions of beings and of the constantly
renewed hopes of the prospect of equality and justice and of the ongoing attempt by
women and men to build a better material and spiritual life.
“Chile’s commitment to the process that led to Durban was strongly evidenced in
the Regional Conference in Santiago. At that Conference, the Americas scrutinized their
societies from a historical standpoint, with a critical view and with political will. Hence
the effort to include the specificity of the Americas, with its difficulties and hopes, in the
overall document.
“For the Chilean delegation, it was a priority to incorporate in the final documents
the full rights of the indigenous peoples. Accordingly, our country has backed the efforts
of democratic Governments since 1990. The emphasis of the Government of
President Ricardo Lagos has been to secure greater recognition of the rights of our
original peoples, to establish the historical truth about their contribution to national
development and to overcome the unjust treatment that they received for centuries,
fostering their dignity, identity and genuine development in diversity.
“At this Conference, the victims formed the core theme of our task. It could not
have been otherwise. A humanist ideal is behind the integrating and egalitarian drive to
cope with racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance. We
acknowledge the advances we have made here in protecting the human rights of the
victims. We must, at any event, regret that it has not been possible to reach an agreement
to identify the factors in aggravated or multiple discrimination, for the purpose of
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promoting action to respond to contemporary manifestations of racism. We are
concerned that poverty and incapacity could not be properly singled out in this context.
We realize the difficulties that some delegations experience in enumerating factors, but
our responsibility is to find solutions to the problems of the present.
“The Declaration and the Programme of Action we have adopted today are a
significant step in mankind’s struggle against racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia
and related intolerance. It is an enormous victory that reinforces the universality of
human rights and national and collective responsibilities in providing a suitable follow-up
to the Durban agreements.
“The Government of Chile thanks the Government and the people of South Africa
for their notable efforts and contribution in organizing and hosting this Conference. The
South Africans will remain a symbol of the struggle for equality and identity.
“Our thanks go to Mrs. Zuma for her efforts, her intelligence, her will and her
courage. Much of our success we owe to her.
“Lastly, we express our gratitude to the High Commissioner for Human Rights,
Mrs. Mary Robinson. Her road to Durban has not been an easy one. It has been strewn
with fears and phantoms that have paralysed us so many times. With her will and
dedication, at this Conference we have tried to exorcise them.
“I should not like to conclude without acknowledging the contribution that the
non-governmental world has made to this process. Its conscience and its voice will
always act as testimony for those who actively or passively suffer the most varied
manifestations of discrimination and intolerance.
“I would like this statement to be included in the final records of the
World Conference.”
7. The representative of Ecuador made the following statement:
“Our delegation, which is composed of representatives of the Government and
civil society (non-governmental organizations, indigenous peoples and persons of
African descent), regrets that, despite the intensive efforts made jointly by various
countries in the region, it has still not been possible during the negotiations at the World
Conference against Racism to decide on the legal and political content of paragraphs 26,
27 and 51 of the draft declaration, which refer to the recognition of indigenous peoples
and their rights.
“Our delegation wishes to reaffirm its commitment to the indigenous peoples’
aspiration that their rights should be recognized by States. Like the sectors which suffer
from exclusion and racism, our aspiration is that this World Conference should clearly
define racism and its consequences and assume responsibility for its effects, on the basis
of a programme of action to deal with its legacy.
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“In its Constitution, the Republic of Ecuador is defined as a multicultural, multiethnic
and multilingual State; it therefore recognizes the diversity of its population and
the collective rights of indigenous peoples. In accordance with this new legal approach,
which is based on a new social covenant, we intend to eliminate the racism and forms of
exclusion which have been imposed since colonial times.
“We are therefore in favour of the conclusion and adoption of the Declaration on
the Rights of Indigenous Peoples on the basis of the text adopted by the Sub-Commission
on the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights in its resolution 1994/45, which
definitively recognizes the category of indigenous peoples.
“Lastly, we urge that the deadlock should be broken; otherwise, we will be
lending support to the continuation of discrimination against indigenous peoples.”
8. The representative of Ecuador also made the following statement on behalf of Brazil,
Chile, Canada, Guatemala and Ecuador:
“Many precedents within the United Nations system establish that
sexual orientation is a human rights issue. These precedents are founded on the
Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948), which proclaims that all persons
are born free and equal in dignity and rights (art. 1), and are sustained by the
Universal Declaration of Human Rights principle that human rights are indivisible. They
are also grounded in the Santiago Declaration of the Regional Preparatory Conference for
the Americas. The universality of human rights is fulfilled by addressing abuses and by
protecting the victims of discrimination. These precedents demonstrate that the
United Nations already recognizes that sexual orientation is a human rights issue.1 In this
context we stress the human rights advances at the international level, which establish the
principles of non-discrimination and equality without distinction of any kind.
“In this Conference one delegation, supported by several delegations, expressed
in clear terms that sexual orientation is an aspect of human reality which can no longer be
ignored and requires more in-depth analysis, discussion and debate to contribute to the
development of worldwide consensus on this matter.
“Therefore, the delegations of Ecuador, Brazil, Chile, Canada and Guatemala
reaffirm the importance for the strengthening and advancement of human rights and the
combat of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance, of
developing, implementing and improving specific policies and programmes to address
effectively a serious form of multiple discrimination, which occurs when racism, racial
discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance intersect with discrimination based on
sexual orientation.”
“1 The United Nations Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights has held,
through its General Comment 14 (2000) on the right to the highest attainable standard of
mental and physical health in the International Covenant on Economic, Social and
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Cultural Rights, that sexual orientation is a prohibited basis of discrimination and has an
impact on health status.”
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9. The representative of the Islamic Republic of Iran made the following statement:
“In the name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful,
“To begin with, I should like to express my profound appreciation and thanks to
the Government and people of South Africa for the warm hospitality extended to our
delegation during this important conference.
“As a delegation which has attached great importance and accorded the highest
priority to the World Conference against Racism and its successful conclusion, the
Islamic Republic of Iran, in the course of the past two years, has done its utmost to
contribute to the full realization of the noble objectives of this landmark event. We
actively participated in the preparatory process and spared no effort to contribute to the
deliberation in a spirit of cooperation and good faith. We accordingly hosted the Asian
regional conference in Tehran, with the hope that this World Conference would be
crowned with unity and success.
“However, at this very final stage and as the plenary is about to adopt the
outcome of the time-consuming, highly sensitive and complex discussions and
negotiations, we cannot conceal our dismay and dissatisfaction over the unexpected turn
of events in the past few days which has inadvertently led to the imposition of the
viewpoints of certain countries on the others. As a result of the creation of such an
unhealthy atmosphere, the question of Palestine and the Middle East, which has taken a
high place on the agenda of the international community, has been greatly undermined in
this World Conference that is believed to have the responsibility to address the injustices
of racism and racial discrimination.
“All efforts made by the members of the Organization of the Islamic Conference
to justly address the causes of the oppressed Palestinian people were rendered futile in
the atmosphere of intimidation, threat and ultimatum. Consequently, all the paragraphs
on the Middle East and Palestinian issue were deleted and were subsequently replaced by
new paragraphs in the final documents, despite the opposition of the respective parties
concerned. Lack of transparency and the use of undemocratic methods to induce
sovereign States to accept certain language and ideas on this issue are indeed
unprecedented in the history of international gatherings and conferences.
“The Islamic Republic of Iran is therefore bound to express its dismay at this
irrational and unhealthy practice, and strongly believes that such an unfortunate trend
should not constitute a precedence for future world conferences.
“Moreover, while subscribing to all the other parts of the final documents of this
World Conference, the Islamic Republic of Iran would like to disassociate itself from all
paragraphs pertaining to the Palestinian and Middle East issue as appear in the final
documents of this Conference. Iran believes that this part of the Durban Declaration and
Programme of Action falls well short of addressing the fundamental issues of the current
situation of the Middle East, particularly in the occupied Palestinian territories, and thus
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lacks fairness, balance and credibility. In fact, the essence and the magnitude of the
tragedy and the suffering of the Palestinian people have been deliberately omitted in the
same part of the said documents.
“Obviously, the efforts of the Islamic Republic of Iran, as in the past, continue to
be directed towards the full realization of all legitimate rights of the Palestinian people, in
particular the right to self-determination and the establishment of an independent State,
with Jerusalem as its capital, and the right to regain all occupied territories, as well as the
right of all refugees to return to their homeland.
“As regards the terms holocaust and anti-Semitism in the Declaration and
Programme of Action, we interpret holocaust as referring to the Jewish holocaust in
Europe and anti-Semitism as referring to both Arabs and Jews.
“Our message to the Palestinian people is clear and simple. We will never
compromise their legitimate rights. We deeply and wholeheartedly sympathize with their
cause and suffering. The peoples of the world will not condone the inhumane Israeli
policies and practices, which are clear manifestations of racism and discrimination.
The pertinent parts of the final document of the NGO Forum submitted to this World
Conference testify to this assertion. We believe that the suffering of the Palestinian
people and their legitimate rights, which have been vastly and grossly violated by the
occupying racist power in the course of the past 50 years, have not been given proper and
due consideration in this Conference. Consequently, the outcome of the Conference in
this respect cannot be interpreted as a successful achievement.
“In conclusion, I hereby request the secretariat to reflect fully the content of this
statement in the final report of this World Conference as the position of the Government
of the Islamic Republic of Iran on the Declaration and Programme of Action of this
World Conference.”
10. The representative of the Syrian Arab Republic made the following statement:
“Allow me at the outset to thank the President, Government and people of
South Africa for hosting this very important Conference. I think the holding of this
Conference has been one of the achievements of South Africa.
“I wished, and so many of my colleagues wished, that this Conference had been
able to create a much better atmosphere than it has, especially in the sense of
reconciliation and bringing people closer together in condemning racism and racial
discrimination in all its forms. We hope that, at any event like this that may take place in
the future, there will be an improvement in the atmosphere, in the language and in the
sincerity of the delegations.
“I say this because we felt that certain interventions by certain delegates fuelled
racial feelings rather than reconciliation. Our hopes and expectations are still great, and
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we believe that this Conference has made great progress in the fight against racism and
racial discrimination.
“Although Syria wished for clearer wording, especially on the Middle East - and I
am speaking here about practices, not a political solution for the Middle East and Israel,
because from the beginning I agreed with those colleagues who said that we were not
here to find a solution - and although the Conference is not part of a peace process for the
Arab-Israeli conflict, we should not forget that racist practices are being carried out in the
occupied Palestinian and Arab territories. It goes without saying that we have
documented evidence of the demolition of houses, the use of F-16s, the uprooting of
people and trees, especially olive trees, the transfer of people, the besieging of people, of
making people starve, and of the killing of children: all these are racist practices and it is
obvious that Israel is carrying them out. Of course, I know that some of our friends and
colleagues in the western hemisphere do not like such language, but if they do not like it,
why do they attend such a Conference in the first place? However, my country, my
delegation, has cooperated and it did all that it could to make this Conference a success;
we made every effort to find the right wording to which everyone could subscribe, rather
than what would satisfy us.
“I should like to note that we did not hesitate to join the draft declaration that you
offered to us instead of the Islamic paper, or non-paper, because we wanted South Africa
to be in a strong position as the host of this meeting and to convince others that everyone
at this Conference was cooperating to make it a success. Those who withdrew from the
Conference spoiled, or tried to spoil the Conference, no matter what explanations or
pretext they used, and no one should have done anything to spoil the Conference. On
the contrary, we did all that we could to make it a success, because it took place in
South Africa.
“I have only one observation on this paper which you have presented. That
observation addresses the understanding and the substance of the meaning of the
Holocaust. Of course, I would like to say from the beginning that the Holocaust was a
horrible thing, regardless of where it happened. But we must remind our European
friends who are very sensitive about the Holocaust that the Holocaust happened in
Europe, and was committed mostly by Europeans. To generalize it, as though the
Europeans want to distribute their sense of guilt throughout the whole world, is a
mistake.
“Let us be morally courageous enough to tell the truth: what do they mean by,
‘We recall that the Holocaust must never be forgotten’? It should not be forgotten by the
people who made it, who created it, who did it. We were not party to it, we have never
been a party to it and we will never be a party to it, and that is why we do not accept this
general term here. We would like it to be very concise and very specific and not to be
applied to every nation on earth.
“This is all I wanted to say, and I would like to thank you very much again and
the great people of South Africa.”
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11. The representative of Switzerland made the following statement:
“The World Conference has been a valuable learning experience and we wish to
thank the host country, South Africa, for its enormous dedication. We have thus come to
realize how important it is for many countries to retain the word and the idea of race.
“This can be explained by their history, which is unique and therefore different
from our painful experience in Europe. The exclusively negative connotation of the word
‘race’ is connected with the racist and biological concepts of the last few centuries,
particularly those of the Nazi period. Hence, in this context, we should emphasize that
we see race as a social construct.
“In any event, race must never be used as a justification for discriminatory
practices or to advocate ideologies of racial superiority. Switzerland therefore associates
itself with the statement made in the Main Committee by the representative of Belgium
on behalf of the European Union concerning the words ‘race’ and ‘racial’.”
12. The representatives of Barbados (also on behalf of Belize, Cuba, Guyana, Haiti,
Honduras, Jamaica, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and Trinidad and Tobago), Guatemala,
Japan, Latvia, New Zealand, Trinidad and Tobago and Turkey indicated their intent to make
statements before the adoption of the draft declaration and programme of action. Since this was
not possible owing to time constraints, the President of the Conference suggested that these
statements should be handed to the secretariat in written form and that they would be reflected in
full in the report of the Conference.
13. The statement of the representative of Barbados (also on behalf of Belize, Cuba, Guyana,
Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and Trinidad and Tobago) reads as
follows:
“Reservation to paragraph 10 of the Declaration:
“We declare that the transatlantic slave trade and the related system of racialized
chattel slavery of Africans and people of African descent constitute crimes against
humanity.”
14. The statement of the representative of Guatemala reads as follows:
“The delegation of Guatemala fully and unrestrictedly recognizes the identity of
indigenous peoples and their individual and collective rights, including their right to
self-determination, and has done so at the national level in the Agreement on the Identity
and Rights of the Maya, Xinca and Garífuna Peoples in the context of the Peace
Agreements.
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“In our view, the rights of indigenous peoples should also be fully recognized at
the international level, as we have maintained, without restriction or condition of any
kind, in the negotiations on the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. We
would therefore like the record to show that we have reservations about some of the
provisions of paragraphs 26, 27 and 51 of the Durban Declaration.
“The delegation of Guatemala also has reservations about, and disassociates itself
from, paragraphs 6 and 8 of the paper by the President of the Conference on the
Middle East, because they contain political elements which should be decided in the
political negotiations between the State of Israel and the Palestinian Authority and which
do not correspond to the theme of the Conference or are not applicable to the situation in
question, such as that of refugees.
“We also regret that anti-Semitism and the Holocaust, the most serious crime ever
committed in all of mankind’s history as a result of racist feelings, have not been
properly dealt with. Minimizing them or trying to exclude them from this Conference
shows that there are still serious manifestations of anti-Semitism in the world to which
we should turn our attention.
“We would like our reservations to be reflected in full in the final report of the
Conference.”
15. The statement of the representative of Japan reads as follows:
“The delegation of Japan has maintained that the outcome documents should be
adopted by consensus of all countries, as was stressed by our representative in her
statement. Therefore, we highly appreciate the laborious work of the facilitators and
negotiators with a view to finding common ground and making this Conference a
success. Based on this recognition, our delegation joined the consensus in adopting the
paragraphs related to the Middle East and those related to the issues of the past.
“Regarding the Declaration and Programme of Action, the delegation of Japan
has joined the consensus, but due to the unusual time constraint, the final version of these
documents was not available to us at the time of their adoption. Therefore, we would like
to reserve the right to make further comments regarding these two documents.”
16. The statement of the representative of Latvia reads as follows:
“The delegation of Latvia would like to express the appreciation of the leadership
of Madam President at this Conference. It was an exhaustive, but otherwise fruitful,
discussion which we had during the past nine days. We are of this view, notwithstanding
the fact that there have been major difficulties in the attempts to reach a common
understanding what this Conference is about and whether some of the paragraphs which
have been offered to us should be included in the text of the documents which are
before us.
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“We find it extremely difficult to agree with explicit singling out and mentioning
of one particular region and one particular State, Israel, in the final documents, which in
our view is not consistent with the global character of this Conference. Latvia
consistently expressed its opinion on this subject during the preparatory process for the
Conference and wishes to restate it clearly now.”
17. The statement of the representative of New Zealand reads as follows:
“New Zealand is very pleased to join other delegations in thanking South Africa
for the tremendous efforts made to bring our work to a successful conclusion, despite the
challenges presented by the agenda for this World Conference.
“I must, however, place on record the concern of the New Zealand delegation at
the unqualified references, at some points in the texts to colonialism, placing it on a par
with scourges such as slavery, apartheid and genocide. Paragraph 116 of the Declaration
is a particular concern. New Zealand recognizes that injustices occurred under
colonialism in many countries that would be abhorrent by today’s standards. Where
those injustices were founded on racist attitudes and practices, colonialism can be viewed
as having been a source of racism.”
18. The statement of the representative of Trinidad and Tobago reads as follows:
“The World Conference should acknowledge that differences in ethnic identities
have long manifested themselves in diverse ways, but should recognize that the racism of
the colonial era constituted an unprecedented system of thought and action that has a
specific historical origin in the transatlantic slave trade and the consequent development
of the global racial chattel enslavement of Africans. As a consequence, doctrines of
racial hierarchy were developed that facilitated the commercial and social exploitation of
enslaved persons.
“These false and immoral ideas were globalized over time and have shaped the
ethnic relations of societies everywhere. As a result of this history, the superficial
differences between ethnic and racial identities have led to deep-seated conflict, lasting
distrust and hatred, guilt and shame.
“1. Crimes against humanity
“(a) Slavery
“The World Conference should recognize that slavery, the transatlantic slave
trade, indenture ship and other forms of servitude constitute crimes against humanity, are
historical sources and manifestations of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and
related intolerance, and that Africans and people of African descent and people of Asia
and Asian descent and indigenous peoples have been and continue to be victims of these
acts and of their consequences.
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“(b) Apartheid and genocide
“The World Conference should recognize that apartheid and genocide constitute
crimes against humanity and are sources and manifestations of racism, racial
discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance, should acknowledge the untold evils
and suffering caused by these acts, and should affirm that, whenever and wherever they
occurred, they must be condemned and their recurrence prevented.
“2. Colonialism
“The World Conference should recognize that colonialism was among the sources
and manifestations of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance,
and that Africans and people of African descent and people of Asia and Asian descent
and indigenous peoples were victims of colonialism and continue to be victims of its
consequences. We acknowledge the untold evils and suffering caused by colonialism and
affirm that, wherever and whenever it occurred, it must be condemned and its recurrence
prevented.
“3. Truth and reconciliation
“(a) Apology
“The World Conference should acknowledge the untold suffering of millions of
men, women and children as a result of slavery, the transatlantic slave trade, indenture
ship and other forms of servitude, and call upon States that practised, benefited or
enriched themselves from these activities to express their apology explicitly to the
victims of these acts and their consequences.
“(b) Remembering
“The World Conference should emphasize that remembering the crimes and
wrongs of the past, whenever and wherever they occurred, unequivocally condemning its
tragedies and telling the truth about history, are essential elements for the achievement of
international reconciliation.
“(c) Reparations
“The World Conference should recognize that these crimes and injustices have
undeniably contributed to poverty, underdevelopment, marginalization, social exclusion,
economic disparities, instability and insecurity, which affect many people in different
parts of the world, in particular in developing countries. It should therefore call upon
those States that practised, benefited or enriched themselves from slavery, the
transatlantic slave trade and indenture ship to provide reparations to countries and
peoples affected, and to adopt appropriate remedial and other measures in order to repair
these consequences.
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“We support the President in her efforts to ensure the deepening of dialogue in
order to meet the objectives of the Conference, and will continue to encourage the search
for consensus.
19. The statement of the representative of Turkey reads as follows:
“It is the view of the delegation of Turkey that in paragraph 50 bis of the draft
declaration, the phrase ‘racial groups in a numerically based minority situation within a
State’ should not be interpreted as implicitly recognizing the existence of ‘racial
minorities’.
“I request that this statement be reflected verbatim in the report of the
Conference.”
20. The Conference then adopted, by consensus, the draft declaration and programme of
action submitted by the Main Committee, as the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action.
21. The representatives of Brazil, China, Iraq, Mexico (also on behalf of the Group of
Latin American and Caribbean States), Qatar (on behalf of the Organization of the Islamic
Conference), the United Arab Emirates (also on behalf of Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar and
Saudi Arabia) and Venezuela indicated their intention of making statements after the adoption of
the Declaration and Programme of Action. Since this was not possible owing to time constraints,
the President of the Conference suggested that these statements should be handed to the
secretariat in written form and that they would be reflected in full in the report of the
Conference.
22. The statement of the representative of Brazil reads as follows:
“On behalf of the Brazilian delegation, I should like to thank you,
Madam President, and the people of South Africa for the warm reception and hospitality
extended to us during these last days in Durban.
“We are proud of the documents we have been able to adopt. My delegation
believes that the Durban Declaration and Plan of Action represent a significant step in the
fight against racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance.
“The size and diversity of the Brazilian delegation translate the importance
my country attaches to our deliberations. The consensus achieved by us here allows,
inter alia, for the recognition of people of African descent and of indigenous peoples as
victims of discrimination and historical misdeeds, and Brazil considers that the outcome
of our negotiations regarding the issues of the past provides us with a framework for the
acknowledgement of the wrongs and the expression of adequate forms of remorse that
call for national affirmative and positive policies of implementation, as well as for the
enhancement of international cooperation in the field. We also believe that the fight
against racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance is the crux of
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our discussions here. In this vein, political questions and undertones should by no means
tarnish our achievements in Durban.
“We confer the utmost importance upon the protection of the human rights of
victims of aggravated and multiple forms of intolerance. We regret that many of these
multiple grounds of discrimination, such as gender and disability, among others, have not
been explicitly included in the final list of grounds. We deem that a clear reference to
these issues in the paragraphs of the Declaration and the Programme of Action would be
understood as a recognition of their relevance. Our views on sexual orientation are
well-known and are reflected on the statement put forward by Ecuador and other
countries.
“Last but not least, my delegation would like to express its gratitude for all
the efforts deployed by Mrs. Mary Robinson and the staff of the Office of the
High Commissioner for Human Rights, which were instrumental for the convening and
success of this Conference. My delegation considers that our Declaration and
Programme of Action constitute an enormous victory and reinforce the universality of
human rights, and that they reflect clearly, accurately and undeniably our collective
responsibility in the protection and promotion of human rights worldwide.”
23. The statement of the representative of China reads as follows:
“The Chinese delegation would like to state the following position on the issue of
history teaching in the Declaration and Programme of Action which was adopted by the
World Conference against Racism.
“We hold that all States should, following the requirement of the final document
of the World Conference, take concrete measures so as to ensure that their textbooks will
faithfully, objectively and accurately reflect history, including that of wars of invasion
which took place in Asia and other regions in the last century.”
24. The statement of the representative of Iraq reads as follows:
“My country’s delegation wishes to express its appreciation for the endeavours
made by the participants in this Conference, and particularly those made by the host
State, South Africa, to ensure the formulation of a declaration and programme of action
that would serve as a guideline for mankind in its efforts to combat racism, racial
discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance. Unfortunately, however, it is
noteworthy that many of the important issues concerning foreign occupation and
settlement were not discussed, even though they formed an essential and intrinsic part of
the agenda of this Conference. Moreover, during the Conference, a certain group
adopted practices and methods designed to steer the Conference in a manner consistent
with its own wishes and conducive to its own ends.
“My delegation notes, with regret, that the paragraphs of the Declaration and
Programme of Action concerning the Middle East do not reflect the actual situation in the
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occupied Arab territories, the racist practices to which the Palestinian people are being
subjected and the repression and racial discrimination from which they are suffering.
Accordingly, my country’s delegation declares that it is neither a party to, nor bound by,
the consensus concerning the paragraphs relating to the Middle East. I request that this
be recorded in the Conference documents.
“We wish this statement to be properly reflected in the records of this
Conference.”
25. The representative of Mexico submitted two statements on behalf of the Group of
Latin American and Caribbean States, which read as follows:
Statement on indigenous peoples
“The delegations of the countries in the Latin American and the Caribbean Group,
being aware how important it is for indigenous peoples that their rights should be
internationally recognized, undertake and urge all States to:
(i) Progress steadily in the application of and follow-up to the mandates and
recommendations contained in the Durban Declaration and Programme of
Action adopted at the close of the World Conference against Racism,
Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance;
(ii) Reaffirm the supreme importance for multi-ethnic, multicultural and
multilingual societies of acknowledging the rights and full participation
of indigenous peoples in States’ economic, social and cultural
development and in the design and execution of strategies to overcome
poverty;
(iii) Make all necessary efforts to bring the negotiations on the draft
United Nations declaration on the rights of indigenous peoples to a
conclusion in the context of the International Decade of the World’s
Indigenous People.
Statement on the issue of victims
“The Group of Latin American and Caribbean States’ first concern throughout the
preparations, both regional and global, was recognition for the victims. In a regional
setting, identifying the victims did not encounter the difficulties that have cropped up at
Durban.
“As we see it, the sources of and reasons for racism, like the identification of the
victims, have emerged from an objective, transparent analysis by the countries of
America in Santiago of the way things are.
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“Victims are not a philosophical category. They are communities, peoples,
groups and individuals - of African descent, indigenous or migrants - who have suffered
in the past and continue to so do under the pernicious influence of these phenomena.
“As the Group of Latin American and Caribbean States sees it, these people’s
situation may be aggravated by considerations of sex, age, disability, genetics, language,
religion, economic status or social origin.
“Many delegations in the Group also consider that sexual orientation ought to be
listed as a cause of aggravated or multiple discrimination.
“The Group would have liked to go further and press for the acceptance of all
groups susceptible to racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance.
For the sake of consensus we have made a huge effort to go along with the other regional
groups.
“We are not completely happy with the final document but look on it as the
starting point for a process that must necessarily be followed up through the main bodies
in the worldwide system for the promotion and protection of human rights.
“We give notice that the results we have achieved are inadequate, and as a region
we are prepared to go on working constructively and tolerantly with other regions of the
world to eradicate racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance.
“We shall also make good on the commitments we made at the regional
conference in Santiago.”
26. The representative of Mexico also submitted a statement on behalf of Mexico, which
reads as follows:
“We thank all the delegations that agreed it was necessary to clarify paragraph 27
of the draft declaration, a paragraph so sensitive for the group of Latin American and
Caribbean States, for other regions and, in particular, for the representatives of
indigenous groups attending this Conference. Nonetheless, Mexico repeats that, in its
view, the paragraph was not necessary.
“In any event, the discussion that has taken place confirms how urgent it is to
speed up work on the declaration on the rights of indigenous peoples that is currently
under discussion in the Commission on Human Rights.
“President Fox’s Government, endorsing the demands of Mexico’s indigenous
peoples, has defined a new national and international strategy towards those peoples.
Last August, Mexico adopted a constitutional reform that, although insufficient, marks a
significant advance towards recognition of the self-determination and autonomy of the
indigenous peoples.
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“Mexico, together with the group of Latin American and Caribbean States,
pressed for an extensive agenda at this World Conference, as reflected in the Declaration
and Programme of Action, which make a central point of recognizing indigenous peoples
as such.
“We also tried to secure for indigenous peoples extensive access to the resources
they need for development within a sustainable framework, and unrestricted involvement
in all areas of society and at all levels of decision-making on a non-discriminatory basis.
“Mexico repeats its firm belief in respecting and recognizing all the rights of
indigenous peoples in the national setting, and its Government’s commitment to work
with the indigenous peoples on finding solutions to the urgent problems they face.
“The foregoing is a pressing historical debt. We realize that the consolidation of a
democratic State will largely depend on whether the indigenous peoples’ collective
project is indeed incorporated in the nation’s priorities.
“Lastly, my Government wishes to state that recognizing indigenous peoples as
subjects of law is an inescapable remedial step if we are to lay the foundations for the
future.”
27. The statement of the representative of Qatar (on behalf of the Organization of the Islamic
Conference) reads as follows:
“I appeal to the Conference to consider this statement on behalf of the
Organization of the Islamic Conference before the adoption of the Conference’s final
documents.
“The following is the legal explanation of the position taken by the members of
the Organization of the Islamic Conference on some of the major themes of the
Conference.
“First, with regard to paragraph 2 and paragraph 4 of the President’s text, the
Organization of the Islamic Conference would like to state the following:
“(i) Concerning the reference to the Holocaust in paragraph 2 of the
President’s text on the Middle East, the Member States of the
Organization of the Islamic Conference stress the fact that the Holocaust
took place in Europe and that the people and countries outside Europe do
not bear any responsibility.
“(ii) As far as the reference to anti-Semitism in the President’s text on the
Middle East is concerned, the Member States of the Organization of the
Islamic Conference stress the fact that the overwhelming majority of the
Semites are Arabs.
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“Therefore, I request that this statement be fully reproduced in the official records
of this Conference.
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“Secondly, I also request the President to state precisely to the Conference the
specific placement of each paragraph of the President’s text in both the final Declaration
and the Programme of Action. Our understanding is that the President’s text will replace
all paragraphs relating to the Middle East, the Holocaust and anti-Semitism in the
original text of the Declaration and Programme of Action.
“Thirdly, I also request that the statement made today by the State of Qatar on
behalf of the Organization of the Islamic Conference be fully reproduced in the official
records of this plenary meeting and accordingly in the report of the Conference.”
28. The statement of the representative of the United Arab Emirates (also on behalf of
Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar and Saudi Arabia) reads as follows:
“In the Name of God, the Merciful, the Compassionate,
“On behalf of the delegation of the United Arab Emirates and the delegations of
the State of Bahrain, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the Sultanate of Oman, the State of
Qatar and the State of Kuwait, we wish to thank not only the friendly Government of
South Africa for hosting this Conference but also you personally for the diligent
endeavours that you have made to ensure the success of its work.
“The delegations of our States have participated effectively, in collaboration with
the delegations of the members of the Organization of the Islamic Conference, in the
work of the Conference and its subcommittees with a view to reaching a consensus of
opinion.
“In spite of the difficulties which the Conference faced in regard to many of the
issues before it, our delegations continued to work, in the most diligent and sincere
manner, until the last moment with a view to reaching a consensus on the text of a final
document that would reflect the concerns and preoccupations of all the regional groups.
“However, notwithstanding those endeavours, the manner in which some
delegations persisted in maintaining their inflexible positions and preconceptions
prevented agreement from being reached on the proposals and views that had been put
forward during the work of the Conference.
“While emphasizing the content of the statement made by the Organization of the
Islamic Conference in the Main Committee, we also wish to point out that we cannot
accept some of the concepts included in the final document and, consequently, the
delegations of our States wish to make it clearly understood that:
(i) The concept of the Holocaust reflects historical events that took place in
Europe. However, this does not mean that similar events have not
occurred in other parts of the world. Moreover, this concept is not
restricted exclusively to a particular people or group, as is clearly
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demonstrated by the daily racist practices that are being witnessed in the
occupied Arab territories.
(ii) With regard to the concept of Semitism, it should be clearly understood
that, in actual fact, the Arabs are also Semites and, therefore, no group has
the exclusive right to monopolize this concept.
(iii) The final document contains wording and concepts that conflict with the
provisions of the Islamic Shari’a. For this reason, we are not bound by
such wording and concepts contained in that document which, therefore,
shall not entail any political or legal consequences and do not oblige us to
take any preventive, legislative, judicial, administrative, regulatory or
other measures at the national level.
(iv) On behalf of the delegations of our States, I also request you, Madam
President, to have this statement recorded and included in the official
working documents of this Conference.”
29. The statement of the representative of Venezuela reads as follows:
“The delegation of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela wishes to make the
following statement, with the request that it should be included in the report of this
meeting.
“Venezuela has come to this meeting with the firm belief that the international
community needs a consensual final document. We therefore actively support the way in
which the work of this Conference has been conducted and, in particular, Mrs. Zuma’s
efforts, which have been decisive for the success achieved.
“It is, however, a matter of regret that the wording of some texts and agreements
reached at the Regional Conference of the Americas, held in Santiago, Chile, has not
been included either in the Declaration or in the Plan of Action of this World Conference.
Neither have other general paragraphs linked to difficult issues which could not form part
of the texts we are now adopting. In this connection, we wish to point out that we voted
in favour of not continuing the discussion of the paragraphs on which there was no
consensus in order to promote the adoption of the document, since we consider that, if the
discussion had continued, that would not have been possible. However, we wish to state
for the record that such a vote does not prejudge our position of support for the substance
of the matters referred to in those paragraphs.
“With regard to the part relating to victims, we deplore the fact that, in some
cases, treatment has not been equitable for all, especially indigenous peoples. The texts
do not clearly contain an apology, but we accept them on the understanding that the
victims’ suffering and the corresponding compensation will be covered by the reference
to colonialism. If necessary, we will make additional comments when the full texts are
available in Spanish.
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“My delegation has joined in the consensus which has emerged at this
Conference. Please accept our congratulations for the excellent work that has been done.
We also express our gratitude for the hospitality that has been extended to us by the
people and Government of South Africa.”
30. Also at the 20th plenary meeting, the Rapporteur-General introduced the report of the
Conference (A/CONF.189/L.1 and Add. 1-3). The Conference adopted the draft report and
authorized the Rapporteur-General to complete the report, in conformity with the practice of the
United Nations, with a view to its submission to the General Assembly at its fifty-sixth session.
31. At the same meeting, a draft resolution, submitted by the President, forwarding the
report of the Conference, including the Declaration and the Programme of Action, to the
General Assembly at its fifty-sixth session was adopted, without a vote, by the Conference.
For the text, see chapter I, section C, resolution 2.
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CHAPTER VIII. CLOSURE OF THE CONFERENCE
1. At the 20th plenary meeting, on 8 September 2001, the representative of Kenya, on
behalf of the States participating in the World Conference against Racism, Racial
Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance, introduced draft resolutions expressing
their gratitude to the host country and to the United Nations High Commissioner for Human
Rights. The Conference adopted the draft resolutions without a vote (for the texts, see chap. I,
resolutions 3 and 4).
2. The representative of Kenya made the following statement on behalf of the Group of
African States:
“Africa had a rendezvous with history and I dare say that rendezvous was
productive, constructive and unforgettable. We believe we made history in Durban and
rightfully so. After all, this great nation of South Africa reflects in the most incredible
manner the evils of racism and the wealth of diversity.
“It is therefore fitting that it was in South Africa that the international community
declared and recognized slavery and the slave trade, especially the transatlantic slave
trade, to be a crime against humanity; not today, not tomorrow, but always and for all
time.
“Nürnberg made it clear that crimes against humanity are not time bound. It is
also significant that now an apology and appropriate remedial, as per paragraph 119, are
expected and in order.
“Today we honour the memory of those who were subjected to the most
horrendous and inhuman treatment ever.”
3. The representative of India made the following statement on behalf of the Group of Asian
States:
“I take the floor on behalf of the Asian Group. We came to this picturesque city
of Durban assured in our belief that there could be no better guarantee of the success of
this World Conference against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related
Intolerance than the friendly land of South Africa whose people waged a victorious
struggle against the most abhorrent manifestation of racism - apartheid. We will take
leave of the hospitable people of Durban with our faith vindicated.
“We were inspired by the vision outlined by President Mbeki in his inaugural
address. And you, Madam President, have in an exemplary way, lead us in our
endeavour to translate that vision into statements of principles and measures for
converting the noble ideas that constitute the mandate of this Conference into action.
You have been tireless in your efforts to bring differing viewpoints together and evolve a
consensus. You have been patient and tolerant. You have been accessible and available.
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“On behalf of the Asian Group and on behalf of my delegation, I wish to thank
you and the Government and people of South Africa for the enormous effort that has
been put into ensuring the success of this World Conference. We would also like to
thank Mrs. Mary Robinson, Secretary-General of the Conference, for her untiring
efforts. We shall work together with your country and others in continuing in our united
and global resolve to combat racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related
intolerance.”
4. The statement of the representative of Slovakia (on behalf of the Group of Eastern
European States) reads as follows:
“On behalf of the Eastern European Group, I would like to join my colleagues in
expressing our gratitude and appreciation to you, Madam Minister, for your efforts to
bring the Conference to a successful outcome and for the leadership that you have shown,
especially in the crucial moments of the Conference.
“I would like to thank the President and the Government of the Republic of
South Africa for their initiative in hosting the Conference against Racism, Racial
Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance, and for the excellent organization
and the cooperation of all the South African people. Our special thanks go to the
High Commissioner, Mrs. Robinson, who acted as the Secretary-General of the
Conference, for her personal input to the whole process; to the Executive Coordinator,
Mr. Singh, and to the whole staff.
“We appreciate the cooperation with the regional coordinators and with all the
delegations and express our satisfaction that the spirit of compromise has prevailed until
the end.
“Last, but not least, I would like to thank both the conference services and
interpreters for their endurance and hard work.”
5. The representative of Mexico made the following statement on behalf of the Group of
Latin American and Caribbean States (GRULAC):
“It is an honour for me to speak on behalf of the delegations of the countries of
Latin America and the Caribbean. For the countries in my region, the Durban
Conference is without any doubt a watershed in mankind’s struggle for equality.
“We have adopted unprecedented documents. We have made a critical evaluation
of the past. We have learned lessons from it. We have recognized - and recognize
ourselves in - the shortcomings and problems we are still facing today. We have
succeeded in identifying the components of a sound process of reconciliation and adopted
measures to promote and establish a new culture for the elimination of racism, racial
discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance.
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“Please allow me once again to express the deep appreciation of the Group of
Latin American and Caribbean States (GRULAC) for the hospitality of the Government
of South Africa and for the warmth with which we have been received and cared for in
Durban.
“I wish to place on record our sincere and deep appreciation of your leadership.
Your talent and political and diplomatic skills were key factors in arriving at the results
we have achieved.
“I also wish to thank the High Commissioner for Human Rights for her untiring
efforts to increase worldwide awareness of the Conference and for her abiding optimism.
“On behalf of GRULAC, I would like to express appreciation for the work carried
out by those in charge of the working groups, the Drafting Committee and the Main
Committee, as well as by the facilitators. We thank all of them for their perseverance and
patience.
“GRULAC also thanks the staff of the secretariat and Conference Services for the
support they have provided for delegations during the discussions at this Conference.
“All our hard work has paid off. The members of GRULAC are convinced that
the Durban agreements will enable us to promote and bring about major changes -
changes in laws, policies and how priorities are set, but, above all, changes in the
attitudes and mentalities of countries, societies and individuals.”
6. The representative of Belgium made the following statement on behalf of the
European Union:
“I have the honour to speak on behalf of the European Union. The Central and
Eastern European countries associated with the European Union - Bulgaria, Estonia,
Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Czech Republic, Romania, Slovakia and Slovenia
and the associated countries - Cyprus, Malta and Turkey, align themselves with this
declaration.
“The European Union welcomes the adoption by consensus of the final
documents of this Durban Conference.
“We commend you, Madam President and Madam the Secretary-General of the
Conference, for the giant effort you have made in securing general agreement on this
Durban Declaration and Programme of Action.
“I would like first to add the following precisions:
‘The Declaration and the Programme of Action are political, not legal documents.
These documents cannot impose obligations, or liability, or a right to
compensation, on anyone.
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‘Nor are they intended to do so. In particular, nothing in the Declaration or the
Programme of Action can affect the general legal principle which precludes the
retrospective application of international law in matters of State responsibility.
‘Furthermore, the European Union has joined consensus in a reference to
measures to halt and reverse the lasting consequences of certain practices of the
past. This should not be understood as the acceptance of any liability for these
practices, nor does it imply a change in the principles of international
development cooperation, partnership and solidarity. It will not change the nature
of current national and international development cooperation criteria.’
“I request that this statement be reflected verbatim in the report of the
Conference.
“The Durban Conference has been a unique opportunity for Europe to make its
voice heard on a topic of the utmost importance. We all know that racism and
intolerance are daily realities throughout the world. Combating the scourge of racism
and xenophobia is thus a vital task for every one of us.
“That is why the European Union was resolved from the outset to spare no effort
to help make Durban a success.
“There have already been a number of achievements as a result of the holding of
the Conference. Thanks to this event, thousands of voices, the voices of men, women
and children, have been able to make themselves heard, strengthening our determination
to fight this evil.
“Durban has also moved forward thinking about the causes and origins of racism.
We have, inter alia, dealt at length here with the injustices of the past. And rightly so.
The European Union acknowledges and deplores the immense suffering caused by past
and contemporary forms of slavery and the slave trade wherever they have occurred and
the most reprehensible aspects of colonialism.
“Durban has thus been an opportunity to look our common past in the face. Some
are calling that an expression of regret, others an expression of remorse and still others an
expression of apologies. The most important thing of all is a willingness to close the
darkest chapters of our history in order to be able to build a new relationship based on
mutual respect, solidarity and partnership.”
7. At the same meeting, a written statement by H.E. Mr. Thabo Mbeki, President
of South Africa, was presented to the Conference. After concluding statements by
H.E. Mrs. Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, Minister for Foreign Affairs of South Africa and President
of the Conference, and by Mrs. Mary Robinson, United Nations High Commissioner for Human
Rights and Secretary-General of the Conference, the President of the Conference declared the
Conference closed. For the texts of the concluding statements, see annex IV.
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ANNEXES
ANNEX I
LIST OF DOCUMENTS ISSUED FOR THE WORLD CONFERENCE
AGAINST RACISM, RACIAL DISCRIMINATION, XENOPHOBIA
AND RELATED INTOLERANCE
Symbol Agenda
item
Title
A/CONF.189/1 7 Provisional agenda
A/CONF.189/1/Rev.1 7 Agenda of the World Conference
A/CONF.189/1/Add.1 7 Annotations to the provisional agenda
A/CONF.189/2 8 Provisional rules of procedure
A/CONF.189/3 8 Draft provisional programme of work
A/CONF.189/4 9 Draft declaration
A/CONF.189/5 and Corr.1 9 Draft programme of action
A/CONF.189/6 8 Proposed organization of the list of speakers
for the general debate in the plenary of the
World Conference against Racism, Racial
Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related
Intolerance
A/CONF.189/8 8 List of non-governmental organizations
accredited during the preparatory process of
the World Conference against Racism, Racial
Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related
Intolerance
A/CONF.189/9 9 Contribution by Mr. Miloon Kothari, Special
Rapporteur on adequate housing as a
component of an adequate standard of living
A/CONF.189/10 9 Note by the secretariat on contributions by
non-governmental organizations
A/CONF.189/10/Add.1 9 Contribution submitted by Fraternité
Notre Dame
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Symbol Agenda
item
Title
A/CONF.189/10/Add.2 9 Contribution submitted by Bahai International
Community
A/CONF.189/10/Add.3 9 Contribution submitted by the Indian
Movement “Tupaj Amaru”
A/CONF.189/10/Add.4 9 Contribution submitted by Human Rights
Watch
A/CONF.189/10/Add.5 9 Contribution submitted by Brahma Kumaris,
World Spiritual University
A/CONF.189/10/Add.6 9 Contribution submitted by European Women’s
Lobby
A/CONF.189/10/Add.7 9 Contribution submitted by Oromia Support
Group
A/CONF.189/10/Add.8 9 Contribution submitted by the Netherlands
Centre for Indigenous Peoples
A/CONF.189/10/Add.9 9 Contribution submitted by Zentrum fur
Turkeistudien (Turkiye Arastirmalar Merkezi)
A/CONF.189/11 Report of the Credentials Committee
A/CONF.189/L.1 and Add.1-3 Draft report of the World Conference
A/CONF.189/L.2 and Add.1 10 Report of the Main Committee on the draft
declaration
A/CONF.189/L.3 and Add.1-3 10 Report of the Main Committee on the draft
programme of action
A/CONF.189/INF.1 List of participants
A/CONF.189/ Misc.1 Contribution by national institutions
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ANNEX II
OPENING STATEMENTS
Statement by Mr. Kofi Annan, Secretary-General of the United Nations
Yesterday South Africa lost a leader and our brother Thabo a father. May I ask you now
to stand and observe a moment of silence.
Every one of us must feel the symbolism of this moment - the conjunction of theme, of
time and of place.
For decades the name of this country was synonymous with racism in its vilest form. But
today, Mr. President, you and your fellow citizens have transformed its meaning - from a
by-word for injustice and oppression, into a beacon of enlightenment and hope, not only
for a troubled continent, but for the entire world.
Where else, my friends, could we hold this Conference? Who could teach us how to
overcome racism, discrimination and intolerance, if not the people of this country? We salute
you. We salute your leadership, Mr. President. We salute the heroic movement that you
represent.
We salute Madiba, whose absence today we all regret, but whose presence, in a more
profound sense, we all feel.
We salute the memory of all who struggled for justice and freedom in this country - from
Mohandas Gandhi to Oliver Tambo; from Steve Biko to Ruth First - and, of course,
Govan Mbeke, for whom we are all in mourning today.
And we also recognize the courage of F.W. de Klerk, who faced up to the inevitable and
persuaded his own people to accept it.
But indeed, my friends, we are here to learn, not to celebrate. We are here to share
experiences, perspectives and assessments - of how far we have come, and how much further we
must go, if racism is to be defeated.
One thing we can celebrate is the fact that racism is now universally condemned. Few
people in the world today openly deny that human beings are born with equal rights.
But far too many people are still victimized because they belong to a particular group -
whether national, ethnic, religious, defined by gender or by descent.
Often this discrimination veils itself behind spurious pretexts. People are denied jobs
ostensibly because they lack educational qualifications; or they are refused housing because
there is a high crime rate in their community.
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Yet these very facts, even when true, are often the result of discrimination. Injustice
traps people in poverty, poverty becomes the pretext for injustice - and so new wrongs are piled
on the old.
In many places people are maltreated and denied protection on the grounds that they are
not citizens but unwanted immigrants. Yet often they have come to a new country to do work
that is badly needed, or are present not by choice but as refugees from persecution in their own
country. Such people have a special need for protection and are entitled to it.
In other cases indigenous peoples and national minorities are oppressed because their
culture and self-expression are seen as threats to national unity - and when they protest, this is
taken as proof of their guilt.
In extreme cases - which alas are all too common - people belonging to such groups are
forced from their homes, or even massacred, because it is claimed that their very presence
threatens another people’s security.
Sometimes these problems are in part the legacy of terrible wrongs in the past - such as
the exploitation and extermination of indigenous peoples by colonial Powers, or the treatment of
millions of human beings as mere merchandise, to be transported and disposed of by other
human beings for commercial gain.
The further those events recede into the past, the harder it becomes to trace lines of
accountability. Yet the effects remain. The pain and anger are still felt. The dead, through their
descendants, cry out for justice.
Tracing a connection with past crimes may not always be the most constructive way to
redress present inequalities, in material terms. But man does not live by bread alone. The sense
of continuity with the past is an integral part of each man’s or each woman’s identity.
Some historical wrongs are traceable to individuals who are still alive, or corporations
that are still in business. They must expect to be held to account. The society they have
wronged may forgive them, as part of the process of reconciliation, but they cannot demand
forgiveness, as of right.
Far more difficult are the cases where individual profit and loss have been obscured by a
myriad of other, more recent transactions - yet there is still continuity between the societies and
States of today and those that committed the original crimes.
Each of us has an obligation to consider where he or she belongs in this complex
historical chain. It is always easier to think of the wrongs one’s own society has suffered. It is
less comfortable to think in what ways our own good fortune might relate to the sufferings of
others, in the past or present. But if we are sincere in our desire to overcome the conflicts of the
past, all of us should make that mental effort.
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A special responsibility falls on political leaders, who have accepted the task of
representing a whole society. They are accountable to their fellow citizens, but also - in a sense -
accountable for them, and for the actions of their predecessors. We have seen, in recent decades,
some striking examples of national leaders assuming this responsibility, acknowledging past
wrongs and asking pardon from - or offering an apology to - the victims and their heirs.
Such gestures cannot right the wrongs of the past. They can sometimes help to free the
present - and the future - from the shackles of the past.
But in any case, Mr. President, past wrongs must not distract us from present evils. Our
aim must be to banish from this new century the hatred and prejudice that have disfigured
previous centuries.
The struggle to do that is at the very heart of our work at the United Nations. This year
especially, at such events as the Conference on the Least Developed Countries, the special
session on HIV/AIDS, or next month’s special session on Children, we have often found racism
and discrimination among the biggest obstacles to overcome.
And in our peacekeeping and peace-building work, we often find ourselves wrestling -
again and again - with the effects of xenophobia and intolerance.
Only if we tackle these evils at source can we hope to prevent conflicts before they break
out. And that means taking firm action to root them out in every society - for, alas, no society is
immune.
Last year, the leaders of our Member States resolved, in their Millennium Declaration,
“to take measures to ensure respect for and protection of the human rights of migrants, migrant
workers and their families, to eliminate the increasing acts of racism and xenophobia in many
societies, and to promote greater harmony and tolerance in all societies”.
With those words, Mr. President, they gave this Conference its true agenda. We must not
leave this city without agreeing on practical measures which all States should take to fulfil that
pledge. It must be reflected in our budgets and development plans, in our laws and institutions -
and, above all, in our school curricula.
Let us remember that no one is born a racist. Children learn racism as they grow up,
from the society around them - and too often the stereotypes are reinforced, deliberately or
inadvertently, by the mass media. We must not sacrifice freedom of the press, but we must
actively refute pseudo-scientific arguments and oppose negative images with positive ones -
teaching our children and our fellow citizens not to fear diversity, but to cherish it.
This Conference has been exceptionally difficult to prepare, because the issues are not
ones where consensus is easily found.
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Yes, we can all agree to condemn racism. But that very fact makes the accusation of
racism, against any particular individual or group, particularly hurtful. It is hurtful to one’s
pride, because few of us see ourselves as racists. And it arouses fear, because once a group is
accused of racism it becomes a potential target for retaliation, perhaps for persecution in its turn.
Nowhere is that truer today than in the Middle East. The Jewish people have been
victims of anti-Semitism in many parts of the world and in Europe they were the target of the
Holocaust - the ultimate abomination. This fact must never be forgotten or diminished. It is
understandable, therefore, that many Jews deeply resent any accusation of racism directed
against the State of Israel - and all the more so when it coincides with indiscriminate and totally
unacceptable attacks on innocent civilians.
Yet we cannot expect Palestinians to accept this as a reason why the wrongs done to
them - displacement, occupation, blockade and now extrajudicial killings - should be ignored,
whatever label one uses to describe them.
But, my friends, mutual accusations are not the purpose of this Conference. Our main
objective must be to improve the lot of the victims.
Let us admit that all countries have issues of racism and discrimination to address.
Rather than pick on any one country or region, let us aim to leave here with a commitment from
every country to draw up and implement its own national plan to combat racism, in accordance
with general principles that we will have agreed.
For weeks and months our representatives have laboured to reach agreement on those
principles. And they have made great progress. Large parts of the Declaration and Programme
of Action have been agreed, including texts on such difficult issues as indigenous peoples,
migrants, refugees and “people of African descent”.
Friends, this Conference is a test of our international community - of its will to unite on a
topic of central importance in people’s lives. Let us not fail this test. The build-up to this
Conference has prompted an extraordinary mobilization of civil society in many different
countries. It has raised expectations which we must not disappoint.
If we leave here without agreement we shall give comfort to the worst elements in every
society. But if, after all the difficulties, we can leave with a call to action supported by all, we
shall send a signal of hope to brave people struggling against racism all over the world.
Let us rise above our disagreements. The wrangling has gone on for too long. Let us
echo the slogan that resounded throughout this country during the elections of 1994, at the end of
the long struggle against apartheid: SEKUNJALO. The time has come.
Statement by H.E. Mr. Thabo Mbeki, President of the Republic of South Africa
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On behalf of the people of South Africa and our Government, I am privileged to join in
welcoming you all to South Africa and to this historic World Conference that has the potential
and a responsibility to convey a message of hope to billions of people across the globe.
We have gathered as we have, because we are united in our resolve to ensure that every
human being leads a life of dignity. We meet here because we are determined to ensure that
nobody anywhere should be subjected to the insult and offence of being despised by another or
others because of his or her race, colour, nationality or origin.
Together we are committed to the realization of the objective that every human being
should enjoy human rights as equals with other human beings, with every right and possibility to
determine both their future and the destiny of their countries.
This surely means that nobody should be denied their statehood on any basis whatsoever,
or turned into permanent refugees with neither the right nor the possibility to build a national
home they can truly call home.
I am certain we are determined to speak with one voice to assert that no culture, language
or tradition of any people is inferior, deserving of being despised, mocked and destroyed. By
this means we want to make the point firmly that all peoples and all nations are mutually and
each equally entitled to their identity and their national pride.
We have gathered in Durban because we have understood that poverty is not a natural
human condition. Accordingly, it constitutes a direct attack on the human dignity of all those
condemned to deprivation and are therefore forced to beg, to steal, to prostitute themselves
because they are poor or those who resort to substance abuse to take away the pain of hunger and
despair.
Understanding all this, we are meeting here because we have said to ourselves that, since
poverty is not an act of nature but the product of human society, we must as this human society,
together fight and vanquish poverty and underdevelopment.
We have come together, in what some believe is a new age of reason, because we know
that the knowledge and the means exist in human society today in fact to overcome this poverty
and underdevelopment.
The question that remains to be answered is what is to be done to deploy these powerful
intellectual and material resources so that poverty everywhere becomes a thing of the past.
It became necessary that we convene in Durban because, together, we recognized the fact
that there are many in our common world who suffer indignity and humiliation because they are
not white.
Their cultures and traditions are despised as savage and primitive and their identities
denied. They are not white and are deeply immersed in poverty. Of them it is said that they are
human but black, whereas others are described as human and white.
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To those who have to bear the pain of this real world, it seems the blues singers were
right when they decried the world in which it was said - if you’re white you’re alright; if you’re
brown, stick around; if you’re black, oh brother! get back, get back, get back!
I speak in these terms, which some may think are too harsh and stark, because I come
from a people that have known the bitter experience of slavery, colonialism and racism.
These are a people who know what it means to be the victim of rabid racism and racial
discrimination. Among us are the women who suffered most because they had to carry the
additional burden of gender oppression and discrimination.
Because of that experience, against whose results we continue to struggle to this day, as
we will do for a considerable time to come, we also know what can be achieved when the
peoples of the world unite to say no longer will they allow that another human being will suffer
at the hands of another because of their race, colour, nationality and origin.
In welcoming you to South Africa, we welcome you as fellow combatants who joined us
in struggle to defeat and suppress the apartheid crime against humanity.
Accordingly, I am privileged to have the opportunity as you, who represent the nations of
the world, meet in this country, which not so long ago was the fountainhead of racism, once
more to convey to you the immense gratitude of the millions of our people that you did not stand
aside when that crime against humanity was being committed.
These masses are convinced that when you waged that protracted struggle, you did so
because you were opposed to racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance
everywhere.
They welcomed the fact that you decided to convene this World Conference here in the
belief that you did so because you have confidence that we too remain an active part of the world
movement determined to fight on until racism ceases to define anybody’s place in society and
the world.
They were happy that you would come, because this would give us an opportunity to
reaffirm in front of you all that to us slavery, colonialism and racism are fundamentally
repugnant.
It would give us the possibility to pledge to the peoples of the world that we will not
betray the friendship and solidarity which drove you to act against apartheid and will therefore
join with you in the difficult struggle to eradicate the legacy of slavery, colonialism and racism.
Those in our common universe who are defined by the blues singers as brown and black
expect much of this important World Conference. They believe that something will come out of
here that will signify a united and sustained global drive within their countries and throughout
the world to help rid them of the suffering they bear because they are brown and black.
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They entertain this hope because their suffering is real and immense. And yet they can
also see that there are others who are as human as they, who lead decent lives and are certain of
even better lives in future, whatever other problems they experience.
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Gripped by poverty, fearful of the future because they know that tomorrow will be worse
than today, forced to behave towards others as though some are inferior and others superior,
simply to get something to eat, many take to their feet to flee from their lands of despair, at all
costs trying to reach other countries they believe have the possibility to introduce them to a life
of hope.
Our common humanity dictates that as we rose against apartheid racism, so must we
combine to defeat the consequences of slavery, colonialism and racism which, to this day,
continue to define the lives of billions of people who are brown and black as lives of
hopelessness.
Nobody ever chose to be a slave, to be colonized, to be racially oppressed. The impulses
of the time caused these crimes to be committed by human beings against others.
Surely, the impulse of our own time says to all of us that we must do everything we can
to free those who to this day suffer from racism, xenophobia and related intolerance because
their forebears were enslaved, colonized and racially oppressed.
It surely must be that this World Conference will say that, in all countries, both of the
North and the South, the brown and black ghettos of poverty, despair and human degradation
must no longer exist.
This World Conference will have to indicate what is to be done practically so that this
call results in a changed and changing world in which all human beings actually enjoy the
inalienable right to human dignity.
An important part of our legitimacy as Governments derives from our commitment to
serve the people. Our own experience tells us that these people whom we serve always feel pain
when another, who might be a citizen of other lands, feels pain.
To these masses, human solidarity is not a foreign concept. To them, this World
Conference must convey the message that the peoples of the world are inspired by a new
internationalism that says that we are determined to unite in action to repair the gross human
damage that was caused in the past.
It must inspire them with the knowledge that as Governments, as non-governmental
organizations, as countries and as peoples, we are ready now to dedicate our minds, our skills
and our resources to the creation of a new world free of racism, racial discrimination,
xenophobia and related intolerance.
It must convey a message of hope to the peoples of the world that, together, we are
resolved to work hard for peace everywhere in our universe, so that the doors open everywhere
for the fullest and all-round development of all human beings in conditions of freedom, safety
and security.
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The Middle East cries out for a just, stable and permanent peace that is long overdue.
The people of Palestine, like those of Israel and everywhere else in the world, are also entitled to
pursue their fullest and all-round development in conditions of freedom, safety and security.
Our own continent of Africa also deserves peace like any other, to rescue the peoples
from death and destruction and to open the doors for us, too, to develop in conditions of
freedom, safety and security.
Thus will the conditions be created for us as Africans to take to the long road towards the
eradication of the legacy, which is our daily companion, of slavery, colonialism and racism.
Only recently we bade farewell to a century that has visited terrible suffering on millions
of people. It inflicted a terrible Holocaust on the Jewish people. It imposed a frightful genocide
on the people of Rwanda. It produced criminal regimes of people demented by adherence to
anti-human ideologies of racial superiority.
And yet this same century gave us a global compact in the form of the Universal
Declaration of Human Rights. It gave humanity as a whole the possibility to accumulate the
knowledge and the means to realize the noble vision contained in that document.
We have gathered in Durban to make the commitment that this we will do and, together,
to decide what steps we will take to ensure what has to be done is done.
Once more, I welcome you to this country which you helped to liberate from apartheid
racism and hope that the celebration of that victory will give this World Conference the
inspiration to produce the results that will define the twenty-first century as the century that
restored to all their human dignity.
Statement by H. E. Ms. Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, Minister for Foreign Affairs
of the Republic of South Africa and President of the World Conference against
Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance
In accepting the Presidency of this Conference, it is appropriate to pay a special tribute to
the gallant fighter against racism and son of Africa, Govan Mbeki, who sadly passed away on the
eve of this Conference.
Inspired by the collective efforts of humanity, slavery, the slave trade, colonialism and
apartheid have all ceased to be. They have all been defeated, because humanity could not
countenance oppression of one by another, because humanity has dared to affirm an injunction
that we are all born equal with inherent rights and dignity. These noble words are enshrined in
the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and serve as a guiding light and offer hope for all
humanity.
Representing African women, I know the pain of slavery, and colonialism, whose legacy
is staring me in the face every day. My continent bears the scars of conflicts, abject poverty,
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racism, marginalization, social exclusion, underdevelopment, economic disparities, humiliation
and indignity; all have their roots in the practices of these abominable systems.
We can take pride in the role of this region in the long struggle against racism. It was in
this province that Mahatma Ghandi launched his non-violent resistance struggle and later
inspired the freedom struggle in India and worldwide. South Africa has a long history of
resistance, symbolized by the award of the Nobel Peace Prize to Chief Albert Lutuli, who was
the first African leader to receive it and came from this region. Despite the triumph against
racism, all countries of the world continue to battle against the contemporary forms of racism. It
is my hope that at the end of this Conference, we will learn from and share with the international
community on the ways and means of dealing with racism.
Our Conference must issue a clarion call to the rest of the world to end the unspeakable
evils of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance. Concomitantly with
this call, we must launch a sustained programme of action capable of being implemented by
every country at every level.
In recognizing the work that has been produced thus far, I wish to thank all Member
States for their contributions in their respective regions. This was followed by intensive
preparatory meetings held in Geneva. Indeed, at times it seemed gloomy and hopeless, but we
persevered and recorded substantial progress. We must build on that, aware of the sensitivity
and pain involved in confronting these issues. It is my hope that we shall together respond to
this challenge before us. We must succeed, we cannot afford anything less than success. At the
end of this century we must look back at this Conference as the beginning of an offensive against
racism.
The Youth Summit and the Non-Governmental Organization Forum have also discussed
these issues and challenged the Conference to bequeath them a non-racial, non-sexist, tolerant
and peaceful world. We dare not fail them. This will be a fitting tribute to all those who over
generations have sacrificed their lives in the battle against racism.
It will be remiss of me to conclude without acknowledging the dexterous work of the
High Commissioner for Human Rights and her secretariat. She and her team have performed
brilliantly under trying conditions.
I, therefore, accept with humility, the task assigned to me as President of this Conference
by this distinguished assembly. My success is dependent on the cooperation of all of you. I
know, without doubt, that all of you will contribute in any way you can to make this Conference
a success. It will be through our perseverance and cooperation in the spirit of brotherhood and
sisterhood that we will all succeed.
In his book, Long Walk to Freedom, the icon of our struggle, Nelson Mandela, made this
seminal comment: “I have taken a moment here to rest, to steal a view of the glorious vistas that
surround me, to look back on the distance I have come. But I can rest only for a moment, for
with freedom comes responsibilities and I dare not linger for my long walk is not yet ended.”
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It is my fervent hope that at the end of this Conference we will look back proudly at the
road traversed thus far and go on to give concrete expression to the Programme of Action and the
Declaration that we would adopt with consensus.
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Statement by Mr. Harri Holkeri, President of the United Nations General Assembly
I should like to congratulate you on your election as the President of the Conference. I
am confident that with your experience and wisdom, you will be able to guide this important
Conference to a successful outcome.
I am honoured to address the opening meeting of the World Conference against Racism,
Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance in my capacity as President of the
General Assembly. This Conference is one of the five United Nations conferences and special
sessions convened since last September’s Millennium Summit. As President, I have been
mandated to follow up the implementation of the Millennium Declaration adopted by the heads
of State and Government. This Conference should rise to the challenge and prove that Member
States are truly committed to the implementation of the Declaration.
The Millennium Declaration brought together the global development agendas of the
1990s, but it also reflected a unique consensus on the values and principles of the international
community. Many of the goals and principles of the Declaration are closely linked to the
outcome of this Conference.
In the Millennium Declaration, Governments committed themselves not only to respect
human rights in general but explicitly to respect equal rights, without distinction. The
Declaration reaffirmed respect for each other in all our diversity and our determination to
eliminate acts of racism and xenophobia. It also obliged us to protect those who can find
themselves in situations of vulnerability.
Racism and racial discrimination are among the most powerful assaults on human dignity
and freedom. No society can tolerate racism without undermining peace and justice. The fight
against racism and racial discrimination has been at the forefront of the United Nations since its
creation. The inclusion in the Charter of the United Nations of the promotion and protection of
human rights for all, without distinction as to race, sex, language or religion, was based largely
on the world’s experiences before and during the Second World War.
The General Assembly has throughout the years played a significant role in addressing
racism and racial discrimination, not only as a political forum for debate but also as a
policy-making instrument for the creation of programmes to tackle these evils.
The three Decades to Combat Racism and Racial Discrimination, the two previous world
conferences against racism and racial discrimination, and the current Year of Mobilization
against Racism and Racial Discrimination have all served as tools to achieve results in the fight
against racism.
The United Nations played a key role in ending apartheid. It was a major achievement of
the international community as a whole and marked the extinction of institutionalized forms of
racial discrimination. And yet, while the mass media, international travel and technological
progress bring people closer and closer, we are witnessing a resurgence of intolerance,
manifestations of xenophobia, racism, racial discrimination and ethnic conflicts across the world.
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The fundamental rights of migrants, refugees, ethnic, national and religious minorities and
indigenous peoples are being denied. The resurgence of ethnic conflict in many parts of the
world is a source of concern. New theories of racial and ethnic purification have emerged.
Inequality has become the pressing challenge of our time.
It was against this background that, in December 1997, the General Assembly decided
that it was time for the international community to confront the rising tide of racism and racial
discrimination. It decided to convene this World Conference to formulate concrete
recommendations to further action-oriented national, regional and international measures to
combat all forms of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance.
We have gathered here to take a big step forward in the fight against racism, racial
discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance. I have followed the preparatory process of
this Conference with great interest. Substantial progress has been made in shaping the final
document. Now, I encourage you all to work hard to make the outcome a landmark for further
action by Member States and the United Nations. A great deal of political will and leadership is
still required to reach an agreement on the remaining outstanding issues.
Durban - a truly symbolic forum for this Conference, and a reminder for us all that when
there is political will and determination, changes can be made - offers a unique opportunity to
make our century a century of understanding among people, a century of acceptance of diversity
and a century of respect for differences. We have reached a critical moment where each
individual should be an equal member of the human family.
We have a great responsibility and I remain confident that we have the potential to shape
attitudes and resolve the basic question of human relationships - how people should relate to
each other - with respect and tolerance.
Statement by Mrs. Mary Robinson, United Nations High Commissioner for
Human Rights and Secretary-General of the World Conference against
Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance
Today marks the start of an event which many people have worked long and hard for
over many months. To all who contributed and especially to the people of Durban and
South Africa I say a warm “thank you”.
We have come a long way to Durban. Indeed, it has been a bumpy road. I recall the first
formal event of the Conference 18 months ago - an expert seminar in Geneva on “remedies
available to the victims of acts of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related
intolerance and good national practices in the field”. We have come a long way since then in
building up our understanding of racism in the modern world. There have been four regional
conferences, five expert seminars and three sessions of the Preparatory Committee. There have
been lengthy drafting sessions, and events of every description have taken place in every part of
the world with the focus on the themes of Durban.
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We have come a long way psychologically and substantively too. Our journey to Durban
has helped to shape thinking about who the victims of racism and discrimination are, what sort of
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remedies can be made available and the best kinds of preventive measures. When the balance
sheet is drawn up for the Conference, the greater understanding which has been achieved of the
sources, causes of and remedies for racism must weigh heavily in its favour.
At the same time, this was never going to be an easy Conference. Asking people to face
up to the problems of racism in their midst is not always welcome. There is a tendency to say
“We don’t have those problems in our country”. It is always easier to point the finger of blame
than to look hard at our own prejudices and biases.
And we should not be surprised that the negotiations have been difficult. The issues we
are addressing here confront us at so many levels, nationally, regionally, locally. They are
among the most sensitive the United Nations and the international community have to deal with.
It is worth remembering this over the coming week.
We should remember, too, that we cannot solve all of the world’s problems at Durban.
A theme I have been stressing is that we all belong to one human family. Families don’t
agree on everything. But they agree on certain fundamentals, and that is what makes families
strong. What I am asking all of you is that we agree on the fundamental aims of this Conference,
not that we try to sort out all the problems on the international agenda.
One thing that is clearer to me after the preparations of the past 18 months is how badly
we need new strategies to fight racism and intolerance in the modern world. To those who say
we do not need a world conference on this subject I say “Look around you”. How much misery,
inequality, conflict is caused by racism and discrimination? From a human rights point of view,
this Conference is crucially important. Equality and non-discrimination are central to the pursuit
of human rights.
Success at Durban should be measured by whether or not the outcome brings effective
remedies and relief to the victims of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related
intolerance.
I have also learned how closely contemporary forms of racism are bound up with the
past. I believe this Conference could mark a historic breakthrough in the struggle against racism
if agreement could be reached on language that recognizes historic injustices and expresses deep
remorse for the crimes of the past. If we can do that, it will connect with millions of people
worldwide and affirm their human dignity. It will connect in the way that poetry connects and
will be heard by that inner ear.
We must focus attention on outcomes and forward strategies. In some respects the
journey proper will only begin after we leave Durban. That is when the real test will come of
what we have achieved over these months of preparation and at the Conference itself.
Durban will only be a landmark if there is substantial text adopted here and meaningful
follow-up. The task which we must achieve before we leave is to have a clear understanding
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about the follow-up which must be accomplished, about who is responsible for the necessary
actions and how we can measure progress.
I call on every government representative to ensure that the responsibilities of States in
the fight against racism and discrimination are fully understood and acted on as the
Secretary-General has urged, through national programmes or plans of action.
I call on intergovernmental organizations to play their part to ensure that the aims of this
Conference are reflected in their own activities and that they vigorously monitor the
commitments that will be made here.
As far as the United Nations role is concerned, the participatory process has made it clear
that the United Nations must not only continue its historic fight against discrimination, but must
intensify that struggle. We have heard at length from those who are hurting, from those who are
the victims of injustice and from those in quest of dignity and equality. I have already drawn
firm conclusions from this and I shall establish an anti-discrimination unit reporting directly to
me to take follow-up action on the insights we have already gained, on the implementation of
your recommendations and to maintain common cause and mobilization with civil society. I
shall be consulting with Member States at the forthcoming General Assembly on how we can
take forward processes to follow up on the practical proposals that have come out of the various
regional conferences and expert meetings.
I cannot overstate the role of civil society in the follow-up process. I look particularly to
non-governmental organizations, the international youth forum formed here in Durban and civil
society generally to take up the challenge of Durban and form a global alliance with
Governments to carry the struggle forward. The impression I have is that non-governmental
organizations are, indeed, rising to the challenge and are aware of how vital is the fight against
racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance.
Three things I would ask for in the week ahead from all parties and especially from
delegates. The first is generosity of spirit. It is no small issue we are dealing with in Durban; it
is no time to be small-minded. Secondly, I call for flexibility and a willingness to meet the
views of others. Progress can only be made on that basis and the urgency of devising new
strategies to combat racism and discrimination requires it. Finally, I would appeal for a sense of
vision. I remain convinced that this can be a defining moment for the international community,
that we have the capacity at the start of this century to work for a better and fairer world.
We can draw inspiration from the African concept of Ubuntu, that ancient term which
embraces humaneness, caring, sharing and being in harmony with all of the world. When he
came to Geneva last April, Archbishop Desmond Tutu explained how the concept represents the
opposite of being selfish and self-centred. Ubuntu empowers everyone to be valued, to reach
their full potential while remaining in accord with everything and everyone around them.
This spirit is reflected in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights when it speaks of
“the inherent dignity and the equal and inalienable rights of all members of the human family”.
The Universal Declaration proclaims that “All human beings are born free and equal in dignity
and rights… and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood”. Some of you, like
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me, would rather call it a spirit of sisterhood. But whether brotherhood or sisterhood, let that
spirit inform our discussions over the coming week as we strive for a world where the principles
of equality and non-discrimination are honoured, not merely in words, but in fact.
ANNEX III
ROUND TABLE OF HEADS OF STATE AND HEADS OF GOVERNMENT
1. On 31 August 2001, at 3 p.m., the World Conference against Racism, Racial
Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance held a round table of heads of State and
heads of Government, under the chairmanship of H.E. Mr. Thabo Mbeki, President of the
Republic of South Africa. A statement was made by President Mbeki.
2. The round table was opened by the United Nations Secretary-General, Mr. Kofi Annan,
who made a statement.
3. The following heads of State and heads of Government participated in the round table:
H.E. Ms. Vaira Vike-Freiberga, President of State of the Republic of Latvia;
H.E. Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria;
H.E. Mr. Abdoulaye Wade, President of the Republic of Senegal;
H.E. Mr. Pedro Verona Rodrigues Pires, President of the Republic of Cape Verde;
H.E. Mr. Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, President of the Republic of Uganda;
H.E. Mr. Yasser Arafat, President of the Palestinian Authority;
H.E. Mr. Paul Kagame, President of the Rwandese Republic;
H.E. Mr. Fidel Castro, President of the Councils of State and Ministers of Cuba;
H.E. Mr. Didjob Divungui Di-Ndinge, Vice-President of the Gabonese Republic;
H.E. Mr. Abdelaziz Bouteflika, President of the Democratic People’s Republic of
Algeria;
H.E. Mr. Jozo Krizanovic, Chair of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina;
H.E. Mr. Pascoal Manuel Mocumbi, Prime Minister of the Republic of Mozambique;
H.E. Mr. Denis Sassou Nguesso, President of the Republic of the Congo.
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5. Questions were put or comments made to the participants in the round table by the
representatives of Canada, Comoros, Cuba, Jamaica, Latvia, the Libyan Arab Jamahiriya,
Mexico, Nepal, the Philippines and Spain.
6. Questions were put or comments made to the participants by representatives of the
following non-governmental organizations: Law Society, National Campaign on Dalit Human
Rights and Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom.
7. In an interactive dialogue, participants responded to the questions and comments.
8. Concluding remarks were made by President Mbeki and Mrs. Mary Robinson,
United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights.
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ANNEX IV
CLOSING STATEMENTS
Written statement by H.E. Mr. Thabo Mbeki,
President of the Republic of South Africa
We are at the end of an historic World Conference against Racism, Racial
Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance.
As we prepare to return to our respective homes, I would like to thank you most sincerely
for coming to Durban to participate in the important work that has been done at the
governmental and non-governmental meetings that have taken place over the last fortnight.
I would also like to apologize for any inconvenience suffered by any of the delegates, as
a result of any failings on our part as South Africans.
As we prepare to return to our respective homes, naturally, we must ask ourselves the
question - did we achieve what we came to Durban to achieve?
Long before we concluded our work, the sceptics said the Conference had failed. Some
of those who did not come stayed away because they do not care about the pain caused to very
many by the social evils we have been discussing.
Clearly, others behaved as they did because they thought there were other matters more
important than the effort to unite the peoples of the world to wage a determined struggle against
racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance.
Those of us who care deeply about these critically important matters of human rights for
all, and human dignity for all, came, stayed and grappled with these issues with the great
seriousness they demand.
This we did in the same way that we stayed the whole course of the struggle to defeat the
apartheid crime against humanity.
We arrived at the positions we have taken without equivocation. At the same time, we
refused to make the statement that is difficult to understand that the human rights of some are
superior to the human rights of others.
We resisted the pressure to subscribe to the inhuman proposition that human dignity can
be apportioned around the globe in disproportionate shares.
At the end of our stay in Durban, we can say very firmly that what we sought to achieve,
we have achieved.
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We met here not merely as Governments but as the peoples of the world. As these
peoples, we have made a clarion call that has been heard in all corners of the globe.
The call we have made from this World Conference to the peoples of the world is that
because racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance continue to blight
human society, they must be fought with the greatest determination and perseverance.
Few in the world can say that they have not heard us. Few in our common universe can
now say they did not act, simply because they did not know.
Because of the courage that all of us have demonstrated to confront the scourge of
racism, it should no longer be that this issue, like the similarly important challenge of sexism, is
relegated to the margins of social and public policy.
The clear message from the World Conference against Racism is that the struggle against
racism is a struggle for human rights, dignity and the eradication of poverty.
What the global community will also have heard coming out of Durban is that the
peoples of the world are indeed united in their resolve to act together against racism, racial
discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance and not merely to condemn these evils.
From today, they will see that united resolve expressed in the Declaration and the
Programme of Action that we have adopted and which we all committed to implement.
The fact that we have adopted a Declaration and a Programme of Action underscores the
truth that if we have the political will to succeed, we can find consensus on all issues. It also
underlines the fact that international conferences are not platforms dogmatically to impose one’s
own positions.
They enable us to have frank and open discussions in order to arrive at agreed solutions.
We can be proud that we all worked honestly to arrive at a consensus. None of us achieved
everything we wanted, but we have started an historical process, which provides us with a solid
foundation to continue the struggle to build a better world for all.
We trust that those who walked out prematurely will accept the Programme of Action
and join the international crusade against racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related
intolerance.
We can say without hesitation that yet another achievement of the World Conference is
that it has answered that question for all of us about what we should do to combat racism and to
move forward towards its eradication everywhere in the world.
Few in our common universe, now and in future, can say they did not act, merely because
they did not know what to do.
Since racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance constitute a
global challenge to the effort to construct a human world, they demand that those of us who are
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committed to confront this challenge should combine into a formidable united movement for the
dignity of all human beings everywhere.
The holding of the World Conference has given us the possibility to reinforce the process
towards the building of this global anti-racist movement by enabling us to sit together to seek a
common understanding of the challenge we face and to make a commitment to one another that
we will act together.
We must also salute the Secretary-General of the Conference for the important initiative
the United Nations took to ensure that Governments, non-governmental organizations and the
youth all focus on the struggle against racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related
intolerance.
As Governments we may disagree with some of the conclusions arrived at by the
non-governmental organizations. However, this should not detract from the important reality
that these organizations constitute an important component part of the global anti-racist
movement of which we have spoken.
It should also not weaken our resolve as Governments to work together with the youth
and the non-governmental sector to mount a united and sustained offensive to push back the
frontiers of racism.
This must also mean that as Governments we have to hold ourselves accountable to the
peoples of the world by ensuring that we report regularly on what we are doing to implement the
Programme of Action we have adopted, and by responding to legitimate public criticism if we
fail to act.
I trust that all of us will also agree that the commitment we have made to act is also an
undertaking that we will act in solidarity with one another across the globe.
We must recall and draw inspiration from the powerful international movement we built
together, so that we could act in unity against apartheid racism in South Africa.
Together we must make the statement in action that we represent a new internationalism
based on the recognition that an injury to one is an injury to all.
Thus will we give strength and hope to victims of racism, racial discrimination,
xenophobia and related intolerance who might be too weak if they act on their own, but strong if
we all respond to the purpose of this World Conference of uniting the peoples of the world
against racism.
We ourselves who have been privileged to be present at this Conference as delegates
cannot say we did not hear the voices of those whose voices are never heard, because they are
the forgotten, the marginalized and the despised.
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None of us will leave Durban without having learnt something new. None of us can
truthfully say that we depart from this city without having been exposed to the suffering of
communities to whose plight we had not been sensitized before.
Even if we had achieved nothing else, we would have achieved much simply by enabling
those who have never had the possibility to break the barriers of silence in the past, to tell the
world their moving stories of oppression and exploitation at the hands of other human beings
who do to others what they would not allow to be done to themselves.
It must surely be one of the responsibilities of the United Nations and all of us to ensure
that the billions who did not hear the testimonies we heard are given the possibility to acquaint
themselves with the gross injustices that still constitute an inherent part of a human society that
prides itself on its achievements with regard to such centrally important issues as democracy,
human rights and the rule of law.
Madam President,
Distinguished delegates.
Our contemporary world is characterized by at least four distinguishing features.
One of these is the end of the cold war and therefore the assumption by some of a
position of exclusive dominance in the global exercise of power.
The second, arising from the first, is the reality of a global political and economic agenda
set by this collective dominant power, resulting in the implementation of measures determined
by this power as representing the essence of what is good.
The third of these features is the process of globalization, which both informs and is
informed by this global agenda, thus giving the agenda the character of a natural process against
which there can be no alternative.
The fourth feature of our time that we would like to mention is the further
disempowerment of those who are already disempowered, which subjects them to imperatives
they cannot influence and over which they have no control.
We met in Durban to discuss what we can do collectively to change the life conditions of
those who are affected by racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance.
Put in other words, we met in Durban to agree, to the extent that we could, about what we
should do to change the life conditions of those who are, today, the most disempowered and the
worst victims of the process of further disempowerment.
More than anybody else, these masses cry out for democracy and therefore for their voice
to be heard, listened to seriously and responded to.
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They are unwavering militants of the struggle for human rights and the rule of law and
therefore the right to lead humane lives, as equals with other human beings.
They entertain great hopes about the future because they have taken at their word those
who foretell that the process of globalization will bring prosperity for all.
They are pleased that they have the possibility to be treated as human beings and not
mere changeable and disposable ciphers in a gigantic ideological game played by those who
exercise power so that they can hold on to power and maintain a particular balance of power.
But they also know from their daily experience that the future they have been promised
has yet to be. They know that they remain, still, unequal to others.
The lives they lead and their alienation from institutions of power compel some to doubt
the efficacy of democratic means to improve their lives.
They are aware that they have no access to the world to which they are told they should
belong as their human right.
They know that as much as hunger and misery was their lot yesterday and today, so will
they be their bedfellows tomorrow.
Because they know all these things, these masses sent their representatives to Durban so
that their concerns and their aspirations should become part of the global agenda that will
determine what our common world will look like in the twenty-first century.
The decisions we have taken constitute what should be on that agenda. Their importance
dictates that we take seriously the task of translating them into reality.
It demands that we overcome the opposition of those who benefit from the silence and
invisibility of those who suffer from racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related
intolerance.
These will continue to argue that those who suffer from racism, racial discrimination,
xenophobia and related intolerance are wrong to represent their cause, that they are mistaken to
broadcast the pain they feel.
As they attempted to do here in Durban, they will ask us to talk about things other than
what we want to talk about. Because they see us as the denizens of the periphery of human
society, they will work to decide for us what our agenda should be.
In Durban, we said no to all that.
As we did what we had to do at the World Conference against Racism, Racial
Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance we chose to listen to the voice of the
outstanding Chilean poet, Pablo Neruda, when he said:
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“You are going to ask: and where are the lilacs?
And the poppy-petalled metaphysics?
And the rain repeatedly spattering in words and drilling them full
of apertures and birds? …
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“And you will ask: why doesn’t his poetry
speak of dreams and leaves
and the great volcanoes of his native land?
“Come and see the blood in the streets.
Come and see
the blood in the streets.
Come and see the blood
In the streets!”
It should not be that those who heard a message of hope emanate from Durban should,
one day, have occasion to repeat after Pablo Neruda:
“and from every dead child a rifle with eyes,
and from every crime bullets are born
which will one day find
the bull’s eyes of your hearts.”
I wish you each a safe journey home and success in the common struggle to rid the world
of the demon of racism.
Statement by H.E. Ms. Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, Minister for Foreign Affairs
of the Republic of South Africa and President of the World Conference against
Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance
At the end of this landmark and historic Conference, I think we will all agree that it was
right that this Conference was held and consensus reached on practical steps to be taken to push
back the frontiers of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance which are
frighteningly on the rise in many parts of the world. I would imagine that we would also agree
that it was proper that this Conference should be held in South Africa, a country that has
witnessed the most egregious form of institutionalized racism, yet rose to become a living
testimony that racism can be defeated with the collective efforts of the international community.
Gathered at this Conference, as Member States, we have at some time or another stood at
the precipice. At each moment we stepped back and courageously dug deep into our strength
and made a supreme effort to make the Conference the success, that really it is. It was the daring
act of faith that sustained us through to the finish, because we must have said to ourselves that
for the sake of posterity we must lay a firm foundation for the future of tolerance and
harmonious coexistence that will be free from the cancer of racism.
Indeed, we have found our way through the turbulent sea of events. At each point along
the way, we had to respond creatively to both anticipated and unanticipated events. Like the
blooming and blossoming flower in the spring, we have agreed on a fresh start and a new road
map. We have agreed that the depredation of the systems of slavery and colonialism had a
degrading and debilitating impact on those who are black, broadly defined.
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We also agreed that slavery is a crime against humanity and that an apology is necessary,
not for monetary gain, but to restore the dignity and humanity of those who suffered. We also
looked at the Middle East. I think everybody in this Conference could not help but be moved by
the suffering they saw every day on their television screens. It was those images of suffering
Palestinian men, women and children that made us here feel that this matter needed to be
discussed.
Consequently, we agreed that a clear and unequivocal apology constitutes a starting point
in a long and arduous journey of finding one another. An apology restores the dignity,
self-worth and humanity of the black body, broadly defined. We also agreed that other remedial
actions would have to be adopted to correct the legacy of slavery and colonialism and all other
forms of racism. We agreed to work consciously to uplift women who have been victims of
these ills because of their race and gender.
We agreed that the discrimination against and the lack of opportunities for minorities and
indigenous people everywhere as a result of their origin, culture, tradition, language, standing in
society and their refugee status could only be ignored to our perpetual peril. Accordingly, we
have reached consensus that access to education and changing curricula to reflect the interests of
every group in every society must be encouraged. We requested the media and other forms of
communication medium to help promote positive values of tolerance, understanding,
ubuntu-humaness and the richness of our world diversity.
We have agreed at the Conference, that the notion and the process of globalization are
entering our jargon and global discourse. We have equally agreed that globalization has
impacted on countries differently. It has rendered precarious the economies of countries with the
terrible legacy of slavery and colonialism, while benefiting mostly the developed countries.
Wherever it went, especially in the developing South, it has left in its wake dehumanizing
absolute poverty, economic marginalization, social exclusion and underdevelopment.
Globalization has created the economic refugees who have taken to fleeing the misery of poverty
in their countries in search of succour and better living conditions in the rich and prosperous
developed countries. Unfortunately, these refugees have been at the receiving end of the worst
form of racism and xenophobia.
The Conference, therefore, agreed that this process should be harnessed and directed at
the most pressing challenge of our time - “poverty eradication”. Globalization has generated
enough wealth and resources to do that. We also agreed to deal with the structural conditions
that sustain the inequality and inequity of the global economy that in turn encourage
underdevelopment and marginalization, which is at the root of racism today.
Through the Programme of Action and the Declaration we unanimously agreed to launch
the Global Army against Racism in all countries to work assiduously to roll back and uproot the
scourge of racism. From the intergovernmental, to non-governmental and civil society, we
agreed in our various forums to work jointly in partnerships to take our work forward. The
political Declaration we have just adopted is indeed action orientated and practical. It is now up
to Governments and civil society to ensure its implementation.
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We have agreed that coming from the centuries that entrenched chauvinism and the
pernicious system of segregation, this current century must at its end serve as a fulcrum against
racism and free us, once and for all, from all those outdated anti-human and anti-social
ideologies whose burden we all carry up to today.
At this juncture, it is in order to express our heartfelt and sincere thanks to the
Secretary-General of the World Conference against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia
and Related Intolerance for the excellent service she and her hard-working team provided
towards the success of the Conference.
We also wish to thank Madame Diallo and the Preparatory Committee for the
groundwork which became the basis of our deliberations. Our gratitude also goes to the
Group of 21, which produced proposals that helped us move forward. It is in order to thank
countries that hosted regional conferences and allowed Member States to formulate their
regional positions that fed into this process, Chile, Iran, France and Senegal.
Ours has been truly an inclusive and broadly consultative process. Our big thank you
also goes to the members of the Bureau whose perseverance has seen us conclude our work. The
interpreters who made our work easy and more manageable deserve the special mention for their
unstinting work. Last but not least, I wish to thank all regional coordinators, especially Brazil,
Kenya and Mexico, who led the parallel processes with utmost distinction. I also extend my
sincere thanks to the United Nations family for working so tirelessly to make ours a truly
successful Conference.
We thank you Member States most dearly for honouring us with your presence in the
country you helped liberate through your unfeigned commitment to liquidate the most stubborn
system of the apartheid crime against humanity. We apologize for any inconvenience
suffered by any delegation during the Conference. I wish to thank also President Mbeki and
Deputy President Zuma, as well as my compatriots for their hard work and support.
Shakespeare’s Tempest eloquently and elegantly reminds us of our beautiful world when
Miranda, the daughter of the deposed Prospero, proclaims at the top of her voice “Oh brave, new
world, to have such people”. Indeed you are the brave and wondrous people, and have so
remarkably risen to the challenge of our time.
In closing, I want to refer to one of our finest poets, Wally Mongale Serote, who had
these beautiful words to say in his work Ofay-Watcher Looks Back:
“I want to look at what happened;
That done,
As silent as the roots of plants pierce the soil
I look at what happened
Whether above the houses there is always either smoke or dust
I want to look at what happened
That done
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As silent plants show the colour; green
I want to look at what happened,
When houses make me ask: do people live there?
As there is something wrong when I ask - is that man alive?
I want to look at what happened,
That done
As silent as the life of a plant that makes you see it as silent as plants bloom and the eyes
tells you: something has happened.”
Something historic has indeed happened here today.
Statement by Mrs. Mary Robinson, United Nations High Commissioner for
Human Rights and Secretary-General of the World Conference against
Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance
It has been an exhausting nine days for all of us, but I believe it has been worth it. We
have come a very long way. Many questioned whether it would be possible to reach consensus,
but we have succeeded and that is no small achievement.
I pay tribute to the delegates who have had to deal with a difficult process but who have
not been deterred from the goal of making a breakthrough in Durban.
I do not claim that this Conference has solved the problems of racism, racial
discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance. The issues have been addressed, not
answered. But we have a framework. We have made a start and that is what counts. The true
measure of our work will be whether it makes a real difference in the lives of the victims of
racism and discrimination.
It is not surprising that the Middle East has played such a prominent part during the
preparations for Durban and in the discussions here. Nobody could be unmoved by the human
tragedy which continues unabated in the region. After my visit there last November I reported
my impression of two peoples who are linked by history and geography, but are currently
separated by a wide and growing gap in their perceptions of each other. The violence has
resulted in a hardening of positions, with little willingness on either side to understand or accept
the narrative of the other. The main conclusion I drew - that the only path to lasting peace and
stability is through peaceful negotiation, which calls for courage and responsibility on the part of
the leadership of both sides - remains valid and is even more urgent today.
The past has been very present in Durban. The text adopted on the past is historic in that
it sets out the issues in plain, unequivocal language for the first time in a document of this kind,
agreed to by the international community.
The language on the past will resonate throughout the world and especially among those
who still bear the scars. That is a major achievement of which all of us should be very proud.
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I welcome the inclusion of language on the international community’s commitment
to integrate developing countries into the global economy and to resist their marginalization.
I welcome, too, the support expressed for the New African Initiative. The New African Initiative
proclaims that African leaders are making a commitment to the African people and the world to
work together in rebuilding the continent.
While the main focus of attention has been the intensive negotiations on text, it is far
from being the whole picture of Durban.
What I have seen this week is a Conference that has taken place at different levels. For
the first time, the world in all its rich variety has gathered to discuss the range of forces that
threaten diversity. Durban has given a voice to the excluded and the marginalized.
We heard the voices of young people: Roma children, young Latin American people of
African descent, young people who have experienced slavery, young indigenous people. They
impressed and touched us with their accounts of what it feels like to be on the receiving end of
racism and discrimination. But they gave us hope, too, in their determination to rise above these
abuses for their own sake and for the sake of the next generations.
Durban has put the gender dimension of racism on the map. The linkages between
gender, racism and poverty were clearly shown and the urgent need to tackle this dimension
emphasized. We learned more about the intersection between health, stigma, racism and
discrimination in the seminar on HIV/AIDS, and about racism and development in the panel
organized by the United Nations Development Programme. Our understanding was deepened by
publications such as UNESCO’s book of articles and standard-setting instruments entitled
United to Combat Racism, the report on International Migration, Racism and Xenophobia jointly
prepared by my Office, the International Organization for Migration and the International Labour
Office and by the gathering of academic experts organized by the United Nations Research
Institute for Social Development on “Racism and public policy”.
At the Voices Forum there was proof of the global nature of racism as we listened to
moving stories of discrimination from every part of the world.
The main message I would like to leave you with is that Durban must be a beginning and
not an end. There must be follow-up. The documents we have agreed here will be meaningless
unless Governments act on them. Civil society must work as allies of Governments in this task
and must ensure that the commitments entered into here are honoured.
I take heart from the new alliances I saw taking shape in Durban: the role that
parliamentarians can play was highlighted by the Inter-Parliamentary Union; the national human
rights commissions sent us a powerful expression of their determination to play their part; the
treaty bodies and the special mechanisms of the Commission on Human Rights played an active
part; the vital role of the media and the private sector in combating racism was emphasized. And
I believe that the non-governmental organizations will go away with a renewed resolve to
integrate the Durban agenda into their activities. I am relying on civil society to take up the
torch from this Conference and carry it forward.
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I welcome the recommendations of this Conference in regard to follow-up by my Office
and me and look forward to the cooperation and support of Governments in implementing this.
We now have a series of concrete recommendations - for national plans and programmes,
for better treatment of victims, for tougher anti-discrimination legislation and administrative
measures, for universal ratification and implementation of the International Convention on the
Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination and other relevant international treaties, for
strengthening education (a most important area), for improving the remedies and recourses
available to victims, and many more. These are where our attention should now be concentrated.
This is the work we have to do.
There are many people who deserve thanks and I would like to mention some of them. I
wish, first of all, to express my appreciation to the Government and the people of South Africa
for the arrangements which were made for us in Durban. The efficiency and good humour of
those we worked with over the past fortnight were such as to make our work much easier and our
stay in Durban memorable.
I thank President Mbeki for his solidarity with us during a very difficult week for him.
Our thoughts are with him today.
I would like to say a special word of thanks to you personally for being such an excellent
chair and to your colleagues who worked so unstintingly.
Among the delegations it would be invidious to single out individuals but I feel that I
must put on record my appreciation to the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Belgium,
Louis Michel, who went that extra mile for the Conference.
Tributes are rightly being paid to the regional coordinators, the chairs of the two working
groups and the facilitators on difficult issues and I am happy to join in those.
Without their tireless contributions, this outcome would not have been possible. I wish to
pay tribute also to the many delegates who took on the task of sorting out individual issues as
they arose. This, too, was vital work. Many delegates made substantive inputs to the debate
which had a less visible, but no less important role in ensuring this successful outcome.
Finally, I pay tribute to all who supported the smooth running of the Conference, the
interpreters, translators, press officers and editors and all the support staff here at the
International Conference Centre.
It has been, as I said, exhausting and I am sure that everyone will benefit from a break.
But not for too long! There is plenty of work ahead of us.
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ANNEX V
PARALLEL AND ASSOCIATED ACTIVITIES
1. A wide variety of parallel and associated activities took place at Durban on the occasion
of the World Conference against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related
Intolerance, in consultation with the Government of South Africa and the Secretary-General of
the Conference.a
2. The NGO Forum was held at the Kingsmead Cricket Stadium from 28 August
to 1 September 2001. The Forum was the conclusion of a process that began at the Strasbourg
preparatory conference in October 2000 and was attended by 8,000 individuals representing
close to 3,000 NGOs from all continents. For five days, NGOs discussed issues of racism, racial
discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance, built networks and alliances and shared their
own experiences. Twenty-five thematic commissions were created and the results of these were
submitted to the Drafting Committee for the NGO Declaration and Plan of Action. Workshops,
exhibitions and plenaries chaired by experts were just some of the parallel activities that took
place. The opening ceremony was attended by the President of South Africa, Mr Thabo Mbeki
and the Secretary-General of the World Conference, Mrs. Mary Robinson. The United Nations
Secretary-General, Mr. Kofi Annan, addressed the Forum on 30 August 2001. The work of the
NGO Forum resulted in the adoption of a Declaration and Plan of Action. Both the Declaration
and Plan of Action were presented at the plenary of the World Conference on 4 September 2001.
3. The International Youth Summit, held in Durban on 26 and 27 August 2001, brought
together more than 700 young people from all regions of the world and from a diversity of
cultural, religious and political backgrounds. They exchanged experiences and opinions on a
wide variety of topics relating to racism, including education, employment, justice, poverty and
the economy including globalization, the media, new information technologies including the
Internet, minority rights, multiple forms of discrimination, human rights and citizenship,
colonialism and foreign occupation, slavery and the slave trade including compensation. This
work continued throughout the NGO Forum and concluded with the adoption of the International
Youth Summit Declaration and Plan of Action. These documents were received by
Mrs. Mary Robinson, High Commissioner for Human Rights, and Mrs. Carol Bellamy,
Executive Director of UNICEF on 2 September 2001. The Youth Summit Declaration and Plan
of Action were submitted to the Plenary on 5 September 2001.
4. During the Conference, 42 separate parallel events took place at the Durban Exhibition
Centre at the Conference site. Twenty-six of those events were either organized or co-organized
by United Nations bodies, agencies and programmes. The Secretary-General of the World
Conference, Mrs. Mary Robinson, participated in almost half of all parallel activities. Almost all
of the events were open to the participation of everyone at the Conference, including delegates,
the media and representatives of NGOs.
5. The following 22 parallel events were organized by United Nations bodies, agencies and
programmes: daily briefing for NGOs (WCAR NGO Liaison Unit); panel, “Double jeopardy:
the impact of racism and armed conflict on children” (Office of the Special Representative of the
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Secretary-General for children and armed conflict); high-level panel, “Discrimination is
everybody’s business” (OHCHR); panel, “The impact of racism, racial discrimination,
xenophobia and related intolerance on sustainable development” (UNDP); round table,
“Indigenous media dialogue” (OHCHR); briefing, “Working with the United Nations”
(Department of Economic and Social Affairs); symposium, “Cooperation for the better
protection of the rights of minorities” (OHCHR); panel, “Addressing racism through peace
education and conflict resolution - lessons from experience” (UNICEF); panel, “The impact of
multiple forms of discrimination on women” (Division for the Advancement of Women);
workshop, “The intersectionality of gender and race discrimination” (OHCHR); conference,
“Racism and public policy” (United Nations Research Institute for Social Development); panel,
“The new aspects of racism in the age of globalization and the gene revolution” (UNESCO);
round table, “Indigenous peoples and crisis: approaches and strategies for building peace”
(UNDP); panel, “Global alliance against racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related
intolerance” (OHCHR); panel, “The child’s right to education” (UNICEF and OHCHR); panel,
“Diversity is everybody’s business - Implementing equality and diversity policies: Private sector
action” (ILO and OHCHR); panel, “The slave route: slavery and racism” (UNESCO); panel,
“Voices of indigenous women” (OHCHR); round table, “Racism and Indigenous Peoples”
(OHCHR); panel, “Exploring the link: HIV/AIDS, stigma, discrimination and racism”
(UNAIDS and OHCHR); panel, “Gender, race and ethnicity: women at the intersection of
peace, justice and human rights” (UNIFEM); and panel, “Race and gender within the context of
CEDAW” (UNIFEM).
6. The following four events were co-organized by the United Nations and other partners:
symposium, “National human rights institutions and conflict prevention” (UNDP and the
South African Human Rights Commission); multi-stakeholder workshop, “Discrimination is
everybody’s business” (Volvo Car Corporation and the United Nations Global Compact office);
round table, “Racism and the impact and role of media” (UNESCO, OHCHR, the International
Council on Human Rights Policy and the International Federation of Journalists); and panel
“Discrimination in reproductive health and reproductive rights” (UNFPA and the Government of
South Africa).
7. The following 16 events were organized by governmental, non-governmental and other
institutions and organizations: panel, “An exploration of the convergences between racism and
religious belief, with particular emphasis on Islamophobia” (Al-Khoei Foundation); forum,
“Voices of victims” (International Human Rights Law Group and the South African Human
Rights Commission); parliamentary meeting, “Action of Parliaments and their members in the
fight against racism, racial discrimination and related intolerance” (Inter-Parliamentary Union
and the South African Parliament); panel, “Denied a future? Right to education of Roma,
Gypsy and Traveller children” (Save the Children Federation); colloquium, “The French law
of 21 May 2001 recognizing slavery and the slave trade as crimes against humanity”
(Government of France); colloquium, “The death penalty and restorative justice: Church
challenges to institutional racism” (World Alliance of Reformed Churches and the Restorative
Justice Center for Capital Cases); colloquium, “New Africa Initiative: an African response to the
legacy of racism” (South African Human Rights Commission); panel, “Racism and the West:
the theory of inferiority” (COBASE); colloquium, “Strategies to combat racism: comparable
case studies” (South African Human Rights Commission); panel, “African women’s voices”
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(African Committee on Peace and Development, the Special Rapporteur on the Rights of
Women in Africa and Femmes Africa Solidarité); strategy session (NGO International Steering
Committee); strategy meeting (The African and African Descendants Caucus); colloquium,
“Racism and the administration of justice” (South African Human Rights Commission); panel,
“Connecting the disconnected - WCAR - the vision forward” (Conference of NGOs); panel,
“Roma education for identity and self-esteem building” (Aven Amentza); meeting, “Healing the
human community: a celebration of hope for WCAR and beyond” (Spiritual and Religious NGO
Caucus).
8. Some of the parallel activities were major meetings that took place over an entire day or
more. The Inter-Parliamentary Union and the South African Parliament organized
on 2 September a parliamentary meeting of hundreds of parliamentarians from around the
world to discuss “Action of Parliaments and their members in the fight against racism, racial
discrimination and related intolerance”. The meeting adopted a declaration which, among other
things, underlined the importance of adhering to and implementing the relevant international
treaties; and recognized the personal responsibility of members of parliament to use their
influence on public opinion to promote the values of diversity and tolerance. Also among the
parallel activities was a three-day conference organized by the United Nations Research Institute
for Social Development (UNRISD), which brought together social scientists, historians and legal
scholars from various regions to present papers and lead discussions on “Racism and public
policy”.
9. A total of 1,100 journalists were accredited and covered the proceedings of the World
Conference. Among them were many journalists invited on a special OHCHR fellowship from
the different regions of the world. Live coverage of the Conference was televised by the
South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC), BBC and CNN. In addition to that coverage,
the Talent Consortium from Johannesburg provided a series of television and radio programmes
related to the World Conference that were broadcast to 13 countries in eastern and
southern Africa before, during and after the World Conference. The Consortium also
produced a 30-minute video that was screened during the Conference.
10. Two independent daily newspapers on the Conference were produced in Durban and
distributed free of charge to all Conference participants. With support from OHCHR, the
Earth Times Foundation published the Conference News Daily with 15,000 copies, and a
Durban daily, the Mercury, carried a special supplement, titled “Human rights features”, which
was published by the Human Rights Documentation Center and the South Asia Human Rights
Documentation Centre. Both of the Conference dailies offered up-to-date reports on activities
in the plenary and Main Committee meetings and the parallel events, as well as analyses of
the issues under negotiation, interviews with participants and background articles on a variety
of topics related to the Conference. During the Conference, the Earth Times Web site
recorded 50,000 persons accessing the Conference News Daily from around the world.
Note
a It should be noted that the Conference, per se, took no formal note of these activities.
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