WORKING GROUP OF COMMISSIONON HUMAN RIGHTS CONTINUESPLANNING FOR WORLD CONFERENCEAGAINST RACIAL DISCRIMINATION

AFTERNOON
HR/CN/99/8
25 March 1999



A sessional Working Group of the Commission on Human Rights continued preparations this afternoon for the World Conference against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance, with national delegations offering suggestions for sensitizing public opinion and raising awareness in advance of the global summit.

It was repeatedly suggested that a world education and publicity campaign be carried out both to combat discrimination and to serve as a lead-up to the Conference. Educational efforts should cover all sectors of society, speakers emphasized.

The importance of involving non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in preparations and Conference activities was stressed, as was development of national and regional plans of action in the field. Several pleas were heard to focus on the problems and difficulties of particular groups, such as indigenous peoples, migrant workers and their families, and ethnic or religious minorities.

A representative of India called for creation of a permanent forum to pursue anti-discrimination efforts as a former permanent office had served as a focal point for opposing apartheid.

The Internet was cited not only as a cause of concern -- as a tool for spreading hatred and racist propaganda -- but as a potentially powerful way to disseminate messages of tolerance and appreciation of racial and cultural diversity. A delegate of Cuba noted that many people in the world lacked not only computers but even electricity to run them with. Intercultural events could serve a useful purpose as well, an Egyptian diplomat remarked, adding that it was important to focus on the positive in planning and carrying out anti-discrimination efforts; racism resulted more often from ignorance than from hatred, he said.

Thérèse Gastaut, Director of the United Nations Information Service at Geneva, told the meeting that the Department of Public Information (DPI) would accord highest priority to publicizing the World Conference and would prepare a communications strategy that would take into account the discussion and themes emerging in the Working Group. This would be carried out in close cooperation with the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights.

Financing had been planned for an information pamphlet on the Conference in the six official languages, Ms. Gastaut said. The DPI would put its materials on the World Conference on the Internet, Ms. Gastaut added. The DPI would also be contributing to education projects initiated by the High Commissioner and by the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization and feature the Conference in its on-going educational programmes. At the national level, DPI would utilize United Nations Information Centres around the world to act as catalysts and to support information campaigns combatting racism. Ms. Gastaut also stated that DPI would continue its renewed efforts to enhance media coverage of CERD in the period leading to the Conference.

A representative of the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD) also spoke, noting that States parties to the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination were charged under the treaty with undertaking energetic measures to eliminate such discrimination and to promote harmony between different groups and peoples, and said valuable experiences in that area had been compiled by countries under the rubric of "best practices" and could be of use in planning and conducting the World Conference. A delegate of Canada echoed the suggestion.

Sport had proven to be a useful tool in combatting racism, a Representative of Switzerland noted, and perhaps national and international sports organizations -- such as those for football -- could help in sponsoring the World Conference.

And in a more broad-based statement, Jacob Selebi, the South African diplomat who served as last year's Commission Chairman, cautioned the group not to see a World Conference as a "goal". Battling racism was something that needed to be done now, he said; efforts should be underway now and should be increased. A World Conference should be seen as a way of adding impetus to an important worldwide campaign already under way on a problem that was important enough to be the basis of a daily struggle.

Topics mentioned as worth considering at the World Conference included the effects of globalization and international trade in perpetuating or causing racism; the economic effects of racism, both currently and historically; and the impact of racism on everyday life.

Toward the end of the meeting the Working Group moved on to a new subject: "formulation of recommendations on ways of increasing the effectiveness of United Nations programmes to combat racism and xenophobia". Speakers repeatedly called for a leading role to be played in this area by the High Commissioner for Human Rights. Other recommended sources of advice and expertise were Special Rapporteurs of the Commission and Experts from various United Nations human-rights treaty bodies.

Officials of the following countries took the floor: India, Australia, Netherlands, Austria, China, Canada, Switzerland, Egypt, France, Pakistan, the United States, Finland, Iran, Norway, Cuba, South Africa, Turkey, New Zealand, Germany (on behalf of the European Union), Ireland, Senegal, and Mexico.

The following non-governmental organizations participated in the debate: Women's International League for Peace and Freedom; International Association against Torture; and Minority Rights Group. Also speaking were officials of the World Federation of United Nations Associations and the Holy See.

The Working Group adjourned briefly at 6 p.m. before convening an evening session.