COMMISSION ON HUMAN RIGHTSWORKING GROUP DEBATES IMPROVING EFFECTIVENESS OF ANTI-RACISM MEASURES

EVENING
HR/CN/99/9
25 March 1999

Gathering Continues to Harvest Ideas for Upcoming World Conference


A sessional Working Group of the Commission on Human Rights carried on this evening with preparations for a World Conference against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance by formulating recommendations on ways of increasing the effectiveness of United Nations programmes to combat racism and xenophobia.

Many representatives took the position initially put forward by the representative of Germany that historical, political, economic, social, cultural and other factors should not be looked at in isolation or as ends in themselves, but should be viewed in relation to all problems put forward and should be "cross-cutting elements" connecting various categories of abuse. The principle of an action-oriented approach must be vigorously followed, these speakers said. The United States representative warned the Working Group against wasting too much time on historical factors and underscored the need to focus more on current factors which could effect existing and future forms of racism and xenophobia.

Others underscored the need to focus on the historical roots of racism and xenophobia, including slavery and colonialism. First stressed by the representative of India, this perspective was supported by a number of country delegates and representatives of NGOs. These groups said that only by studying such roots causes in depth would it be possible to understand the scope of current forms of racism and xenophobia.

A third position was initially articulated by the Holy See representative and was supported by representatives of Egypt and Pakistan, among others. These speakers cited a need to go deeper than historical, cultural, political or social contexts and to identify and understand the spiritual and moral dimensions which underlay the universal human condition and in particular those aspects of it leading to the abuses of racial discrimination.

Toward the end of the meeting the Working Group moved on to discussion of other topics, including "formulation of recommendations for the adoption of additional national, regional and international measures to combat racism and xenophobia".

A representative of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) encouraged the Working Group to look for ways to build bridges between diverse cultural groups. Mr. Maurice Glele-Ahanhanzo, Commission on Human Rights Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of racism, told the meeting not to forget measures to ease discrimination against the Gypsies, or Roma. And several speakers urged a review of "best practices" in the field of anti-discrimination efforts.

Officials of the following countries addressed the meeting: Egypt, India, Germany, the United States of America, Mexico, Austria, Pakistan, France, Bangladesh, China, South Africa, the United Kingdom, Portugal, Zimbabwe, Argentina, El Salvador, Switzerland, Finland, Turkey, Australia, and Canada.

The following non-governmental organisations participated in the debate: Interface International; International Association against Torture; and Minority Rights Group.

Also speaking were representatives of the Holy See, UNESCO, and the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD).

The Working Group will reconvene Friday, 26 March, at 3 p.m. A review of procedural matters related to the upcoming World Conference is anticipated. The Commission on Human Rights will reconvene in plenary at 10 a.m. Friday.