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COMMITTEE ON ELIMINATION OF RACIAL DISCRIMINATION TO MEET IN GENEVA FROM 30 JULY TO 17 AUGUST 2007
26 July 2007
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Committee on the Elimination
of Racial Discrimination
BACKGROUND RELEASE
26 July 2007
Committee to Consider Reports of Costa Rica, New Zealand, Kyrgyzstan, Mozambique, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Indonesia, Republic of Korea and Moldova
The Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination will hold its seventy-first session at Palais Wilson in Geneva from 30 July to 17 August 2007 to review anti-discrimination efforts undertaken by the Governments of Costa Rica, New Zealand, Kyrgyzstan, Mozambique, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Indonesia, the Republic of Korea and Moldova.
These countries are among the 173 States parties to the International Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Racial Discrimination. The 18-member Committee, the first body created by the United Nations to review actions by States to fulfil obligations under a specific human-rights agreement, examines reports submitted periodically by States parties on efforts to comply with the Convention. Government representatives generally present the report, discuss its contents with Committee members, and answer questions.
The Committee took up the sixteenth periodic report of Costa Rica on 15 and 18 March 2002, and its concluding observations on it can be found in document CERD/C/60/CO/3; it considered the combined twelfth, thirteenth and fourteenth periodic reports of New Zealand on 14 and 15 August 2002, and published its conclusions in document A/57/18, paras.412-434; the initial report of Kyrgyzstan was examined on 16 August 1999, and the Committee's concluding observations on it were issued in document CERD/C/304/Add.77; the Committee reviewed the situation with regard to Mozambique's implementation of the Convention on 13 August 1999 in the absence of a report, and conclusions on it can be found in document A/54/18, paras. 436-438; the third to ninth and tenth periodic reports of the Democratic Republic of the Congo were taken up by the Committee on 14 and 15 August 1996, and the final conclusions on it can be found in document CERD/C/304/Add.18; the Committee considered the eleventh and twelfth periodic reports of the Republic of Korea on 8 and 11 August 2003, and published its concluding observations on it in document CERD/C/63/CO/9; and the initial, second, third and fourth periodic reports of the Republic of Moldova were reviewed by the Committee on 11 and 12 March 2002, and final observations on it can be found in document CERD/C/60/CO/9.
During the course of the three-week session, the Committee will also be briefed on follow-up activities to the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action adopted at the World Conference against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance.
In addition, the Committee will study, in closed session, communications from individuals claiming to be victims of racial discrimination. Only complaints against the 51 States parties that have recognized the competence of the Committee under article 14 of the Convention are admissible.
Near the end of its session, on the afternoon of Tuesday, 14 August, the Committee will hold a meeting with States parties on issues of interest to the Committee. Also at this session, it will hold a dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion or Belief. Furthermore, the Committee will continue reviewing the draft revised guidelines for the CERD-specific document already tabled and reviewed by the Committee at its seventieth session. In addition, it will consider follow-up by States parties to its observations and recommendations, and will examine country situations under its early warning and urgent action procedures.
Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination
Adopted in 1965 by the General Assembly, the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination entered into force 4 January 1969. The Convention defines racial discrimination as any distinction, exclusion, restriction or preference based on race, colour, descent, or national or ethnic origin which has the purpose or effect of nullifying or impairing the recognition, enjoyment or exercise, on an equal footing, of human rights and fundamental freedoms in the political, economic, social, cultural or any other field of public life.
Under the Convention, States parties commit themselves to condemn racial discrimination and undertake to pursue by all appropriate means and without delay a policy of eliminating racial discrimination in all its forms and promoting understanding among all races. To that end, each State Party undertakes to engage in no act or practice of racial discrimination against persons, groups of persons or institutions and to en sure that all public authorities and public institutions, national and local, shall act in conformity with this obligation; not to sponsor, defend or support racial discrimination by any persons or organizations; to take effective measures to review governmental, national and local policies, and to amend, rescind or nullify any laws and regulations which have the effect of creating or perpetuating racial discrimination wherever it exists; to prohibit and bring to an end, by all appropriate means, including legislation as required by circumstances, racial discrimination by any persons, group or organization; and to encourage, where appropriate, integrationist multiracial organizations and movements and other means of eliminating barriers between races, and to discourage anything which tends to strengthen racial division.
In accordance with article 4, States parties undertake to condemn all propaganda and all organizations which are based on ideas or theories of superiority of one race or group of persons of one colour or ethnic origin, or which attempt to justify or promote racial hatred and discrimination in any form, and undertake to adopt immediate and positive measures designed to eradicate all incitement to, or acts of, such discrimination.
States parties, by virtue of article 9, undertake to submit a report on the legislative, judicial, administrative or other measures which they have adopted and which give effect to the provisions of this Convention. To ensure the implementation and the respect of their obligations under the Convention by States parties, the Convention establishes the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination to review those reports.
In addition, as provided in article 14, a State Party may at any time declare that it recognizes the competence of the Committee to receive and consider communications from individuals or groups of individuals within its jurisdiction claiming to be victims of a violation by that State Party of any of the rights set forth in this Convention. No communication shall be received by the Committee if it concerns a State Party which has not made such a declaration. To date, 51 States parties have made a declaration under this article.
States Parties to the Convention
At present, the following 173 States are parties to the Convention: Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Andorra, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Bolivia, Benin, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, 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, Czech Republic, Cyprus, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia, Fiji, Equatorial Guinea, Finland, France, Gabon, Gambia, Germany, Georgia, Ghana, Greece, Guatemala, Guinea, Guyana, Haiti, Holy See, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Lao People's Democratic Republic, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Madagascar, Malawi, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Montenegro, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Paraguay, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Republic of Korea, Romania, Russian Federation, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, San Marino, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Tajikistan, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkmenistan, Turkey, Uganda, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United Republic of Tanzania, United States, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Venezuela, Viet Nam, Yemen, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
Communications Under Article 14
Under article 14 of the Convention, the Committee considers communications from individuals or groups of individuals claiming to be victims of a violation by States parties of any of the rights set forth in the Convention, provided the States concerned have recognized the competence of the Committee in this regard. The following 51 States parties have already done so: Algeria, Andorra, Argentina, Austria, Australia, Azerbaijan, Belgium, Bolivia, Brazil, Bulgaria, Chile, Costa Rica, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Ecuador, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malta, Mexico, Monaco, Montenegro, Morocco, Netherlands, Norway, Peru, Poland, Portugal, Republic of Korea, Romania, Russian Federation, Senegal, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Ukraine, Uruguay and Venezuela.
Committee Membership and Officers
The members of the Committee, elected in their individual capacity, are: Mahmoud Aboul-Nasr (Egypt); Nourredine Amir (Algeria); Alexei Avtonomov (Russian Federation); Jose Francisco Cali Tzay (Guatemala); Fatima-Binta Victoire Dah (Vice-Chairperson) (Burkina Faso); Kokou Mawuena Ika Kana (Dieudonne) Ewomsan (Togo); Régis de Gouttes (Chairperson) (France); Patricia Nozipho January-Bardill (South Africa); Anwar Kemal (Pakistan); Morten Kjaerum (Denmark); José Augusto Lindgren Alves (Brazil); Raghavan Vasudevan Pillai (Vice-Chairperson) (India); Pierre-Richard Prosper (United States of America); Linos Alexander Sicilianos (Greece); Tang Chengyuan (China); Patrick Thornberry (Rapporteur) (United Kingdom); Luis Valencia Rodriguez (Ecuador); and Mario Jorge Yutzis (Vice-Chairperson) (Argentina).
Timetable for Consideration of Reports, Comments and Further Information Submitted by States Parties
Monday, 30 July
p.m. Costa Rica: seventeenth and eighteenth periodic reports (CERD/C/CRI/18)
Tuesday, 31 July
a.m. Costa Rica (continued)
p.m. New Zealand: fifteenth to seventeenth periodic reports (CERD/C/NZL/17)
Thursday, 2 August
a.m. New Zealand (continued)
p.m. Kyrgyzstan: second to fourth periodic reports (CERD/C/KGZ/4)
Friday, 3 August
a.m. Kyrgyzstan (continued)
p.m. Mozambique: second to twelfth periodic report (CERD/C/MOZ/12)
Monday, 6 August
a.m. Mozambique (continued)
p.m. Democratic Republic of the Congo: eleventh to fifteenth periodic reports (CERD/C/COD/15)
Tuesday, 7 August
a.m. Democratic Republic of the Congo (continued)
Wednesday, 8 August
p.m. Indonesia: initial to third periodic reports (CERD/C/IDN/3)
Thursday, 9 August
a.m. Indonesia (continued)
p.m. Republic of Korea: thirteenth to fourteenth periodic reports (CERD/C/KOR/14)
Friday, 10 August
a.m. Republic of Korea (continued)
p.m. Republic of Moldova: fifth to seventh periodic reports (CERD/C/MDA/7)
Monday, 13 August
a.m. Republic of Moldova (continued)
Friday, 17 August
a.m. Adoption of concluding observations; public closing
__________
For use of the information media; not an official record
of Racial Discrimination
BACKGROUND RELEASE
26 July 2007
Committee to Consider Reports of Costa Rica, New Zealand, Kyrgyzstan, Mozambique, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Indonesia, Republic of Korea and Moldova
The Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination will hold its seventy-first session at Palais Wilson in Geneva from 30 July to 17 August 2007 to review anti-discrimination efforts undertaken by the Governments of Costa Rica, New Zealand, Kyrgyzstan, Mozambique, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Indonesia, the Republic of Korea and Moldova.
These countries are among the 173 States parties to the International Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Racial Discrimination. The 18-member Committee, the first body created by the United Nations to review actions by States to fulfil obligations under a specific human-rights agreement, examines reports submitted periodically by States parties on efforts to comply with the Convention. Government representatives generally present the report, discuss its contents with Committee members, and answer questions.
The Committee took up the sixteenth periodic report of Costa Rica on 15 and 18 March 2002, and its concluding observations on it can be found in document CERD/C/60/CO/3; it considered the combined twelfth, thirteenth and fourteenth periodic reports of New Zealand on 14 and 15 August 2002, and published its conclusions in document A/57/18, paras.412-434; the initial report of Kyrgyzstan was examined on 16 August 1999, and the Committee's concluding observations on it were issued in document CERD/C/304/Add.77; the Committee reviewed the situation with regard to Mozambique's implementation of the Convention on 13 August 1999 in the absence of a report, and conclusions on it can be found in document A/54/18, paras. 436-438; the third to ninth and tenth periodic reports of the Democratic Republic of the Congo were taken up by the Committee on 14 and 15 August 1996, and the final conclusions on it can be found in document CERD/C/304/Add.18; the Committee considered the eleventh and twelfth periodic reports of the Republic of Korea on 8 and 11 August 2003, and published its concluding observations on it in document CERD/C/63/CO/9; and the initial, second, third and fourth periodic reports of the Republic of Moldova were reviewed by the Committee on 11 and 12 March 2002, and final observations on it can be found in document CERD/C/60/CO/9.
During the course of the three-week session, the Committee will also be briefed on follow-up activities to the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action adopted at the World Conference against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance.
In addition, the Committee will study, in closed session, communications from individuals claiming to be victims of racial discrimination. Only complaints against the 51 States parties that have recognized the competence of the Committee under article 14 of the Convention are admissible.
Near the end of its session, on the afternoon of Tuesday, 14 August, the Committee will hold a meeting with States parties on issues of interest to the Committee. Also at this session, it will hold a dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion or Belief. Furthermore, the Committee will continue reviewing the draft revised guidelines for the CERD-specific document already tabled and reviewed by the Committee at its seventieth session. In addition, it will consider follow-up by States parties to its observations and recommendations, and will examine country situations under its early warning and urgent action procedures.
Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination
Adopted in 1965 by the General Assembly, the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination entered into force 4 January 1969. The Convention defines racial discrimination as any distinction, exclusion, restriction or preference based on race, colour, descent, or national or ethnic origin which has the purpose or effect of nullifying or impairing the recognition, enjoyment or exercise, on an equal footing, of human rights and fundamental freedoms in the political, economic, social, cultural or any other field of public life.
Under the Convention, States parties commit themselves to condemn racial discrimination and undertake to pursue by all appropriate means and without delay a policy of eliminating racial discrimination in all its forms and promoting understanding among all races. To that end, each State Party undertakes to engage in no act or practice of racial discrimination against persons, groups of persons or institutions and to en sure that all public authorities and public institutions, national and local, shall act in conformity with this obligation; not to sponsor, defend or support racial discrimination by any persons or organizations; to take effective measures to review governmental, national and local policies, and to amend, rescind or nullify any laws and regulations which have the effect of creating or perpetuating racial discrimination wherever it exists; to prohibit and bring to an end, by all appropriate means, including legislation as required by circumstances, racial discrimination by any persons, group or organization; and to encourage, where appropriate, integrationist multiracial organizations and movements and other means of eliminating barriers between races, and to discourage anything which tends to strengthen racial division.
In accordance with article 4, States parties undertake to condemn all propaganda and all organizations which are based on ideas or theories of superiority of one race or group of persons of one colour or ethnic origin, or which attempt to justify or promote racial hatred and discrimination in any form, and undertake to adopt immediate and positive measures designed to eradicate all incitement to, or acts of, such discrimination.
States parties, by virtue of article 9, undertake to submit a report on the legislative, judicial, administrative or other measures which they have adopted and which give effect to the provisions of this Convention. To ensure the implementation and the respect of their obligations under the Convention by States parties, the Convention establishes the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination to review those reports.
In addition, as provided in article 14, a State Party may at any time declare that it recognizes the competence of the Committee to receive and consider communications from individuals or groups of individuals within its jurisdiction claiming to be victims of a violation by that State Party of any of the rights set forth in this Convention. No communication shall be received by the Committee if it concerns a State Party which has not made such a declaration. To date, 51 States parties have made a declaration under this article.
States Parties to the Convention
At present, the following 173 States are parties to the Convention: Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Andorra, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Bolivia, Benin, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, 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, Czech Republic, Cyprus, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia, Fiji, Equatorial Guinea, Finland, France, Gabon, Gambia, Germany, Georgia, Ghana, Greece, Guatemala, Guinea, Guyana, Haiti, Holy See, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Lao People's Democratic Republic, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Madagascar, Malawi, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Montenegro, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Paraguay, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Republic of Korea, Romania, Russian Federation, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, San Marino, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Tajikistan, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkmenistan, Turkey, Uganda, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United Republic of Tanzania, United States, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Venezuela, Viet Nam, Yemen, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
Communications Under Article 14
Under article 14 of the Convention, the Committee considers communications from individuals or groups of individuals claiming to be victims of a violation by States parties of any of the rights set forth in the Convention, provided the States concerned have recognized the competence of the Committee in this regard. The following 51 States parties have already done so: Algeria, Andorra, Argentina, Austria, Australia, Azerbaijan, Belgium, Bolivia, Brazil, Bulgaria, Chile, Costa Rica, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Ecuador, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malta, Mexico, Monaco, Montenegro, Morocco, Netherlands, Norway, Peru, Poland, Portugal, Republic of Korea, Romania, Russian Federation, Senegal, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Ukraine, Uruguay and Venezuela.
Committee Membership and Officers
The members of the Committee, elected in their individual capacity, are: Mahmoud Aboul-Nasr (Egypt); Nourredine Amir (Algeria); Alexei Avtonomov (Russian Federation); Jose Francisco Cali Tzay (Guatemala); Fatima-Binta Victoire Dah (Vice-Chairperson) (Burkina Faso); Kokou Mawuena Ika Kana (Dieudonne) Ewomsan (Togo); Régis de Gouttes (Chairperson) (France); Patricia Nozipho January-Bardill (South Africa); Anwar Kemal (Pakistan); Morten Kjaerum (Denmark); José Augusto Lindgren Alves (Brazil); Raghavan Vasudevan Pillai (Vice-Chairperson) (India); Pierre-Richard Prosper (United States of America); Linos Alexander Sicilianos (Greece); Tang Chengyuan (China); Patrick Thornberry (Rapporteur) (United Kingdom); Luis Valencia Rodriguez (Ecuador); and Mario Jorge Yutzis (Vice-Chairperson) (Argentina).
Timetable for Consideration of Reports, Comments and Further Information Submitted by States Parties
Monday, 30 July
p.m. Costa Rica: seventeenth and eighteenth periodic reports (CERD/C/CRI/18)
Tuesday, 31 July
a.m. Costa Rica (continued)
p.m. New Zealand: fifteenth to seventeenth periodic reports (CERD/C/NZL/17)
Thursday, 2 August
a.m. New Zealand (continued)
p.m. Kyrgyzstan: second to fourth periodic reports (CERD/C/KGZ/4)
Friday, 3 August
a.m. Kyrgyzstan (continued)
p.m. Mozambique: second to twelfth periodic report (CERD/C/MOZ/12)
Monday, 6 August
a.m. Mozambique (continued)
p.m. Democratic Republic of the Congo: eleventh to fifteenth periodic reports (CERD/C/COD/15)
Tuesday, 7 August
a.m. Democratic Republic of the Congo (continued)
Wednesday, 8 August
p.m. Indonesia: initial to third periodic reports (CERD/C/IDN/3)
Thursday, 9 August
a.m. Indonesia (continued)
p.m. Republic of Korea: thirteenth to fourteenth periodic reports (CERD/C/KOR/14)
Friday, 10 August
a.m. Republic of Korea (continued)
p.m. Republic of Moldova: fifth to seventh periodic reports (CERD/C/MDA/7)
Monday, 13 August
a.m. Republic of Moldova (continued)
Friday, 17 August
a.m. Adoption of concluding observations; public closing
__________
For use of the information media; not an official record
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