Racial discrimination: UN Committee to review Spain, Oman, Rwanda, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Namibia

GENEVA (18 April 2016) – The UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD) is meeting in Geneva from 25 April to 13 May 2016 to review the following countries on these dates:  Spain (26-27 Apr); Oman (27-28 Apr); Rwanda (28-29 Apr); Georgia (2-3 May); Azerbaijan (3-4 May); Namibia (4 May pm and 6 May am)
 
The above are among the 177 States Parties to the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination. They are required to submit regular reports to the Committee, which is composed of 18 international independent experts.

The public dialogue between CERD members and a delegation from the respective State runs from 15:00 to 18:00 and then from 10:00 to 13:00 the following day. Live webcasts of the public sessions held at Palais Wilson in Geneva can be viewed on http://www.treatybodywebcast.org/.   CERD will also hear from NGOs and national human rights institutions. 

More information including the States’ submitted reports, lists of issues, and information from civil society can be found here:
http://tbinternet.ohchr.org/_layouts/treatybodyexternal/SessionDetails1.aspx?SessionID=1072&Lang=en

The Committee will publish its findings, officially known as concluding observations, on 13 May here:
http://tbinternet.ohchr.org/_layouts/treatybodyexternal/SessionDetails1.aspx?SessionID=1072&Lang=en

ENDS

For more information and media requests, please contact Liz Throssell - +41 22 917 9466 / ethrossell@ohchr.org

Background
Members of CERD are independent human rights experts drawn from around the world, who serve in their personal capacity and not as representatives of States parties. The Committee’s concluding observations are an independent assessment of States’ compliance with their human rights obligations under the treaty. More information on the Committee: http://www.ohchr.org/en/hrbodies/cerd/pages/cerdindex.aspx

The International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination was adopted by the UN General Assembly on 21 December 1965. More information on the Convention’s 50th anniversary here: http://www.ohchr.org/EN/HRBodies/CERD/50/Pages/Icerd50.aspx

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