PREJUDICE AND DISCRIMINATION RIFE IN ERA OF GLOBALIZATION, INTERNET, ACTING HIGH COMMISSIONER TELLS MEETING ON FOLLOW UP TO DURBAN ANTI-RACISM CONFERENCE

Address of Bertrand Ramcharan, Acting High Commissioner for Human Rights To Commission on Human Rights Working Group Against Racism, Racial
Discrimination, Xenophobia, and related intolerance
Palais des Nations, January 26, 2004-01-25


Your Excellencies, Distinguished delegates, Distinguished representatives of International Organisations and NGOs, Ladies and Gentlemen,

It is the role of the United Nations to bring to the conscience of the international community the pervasive violations of human rights that are taking place in the world and to call for a mobilization of conscience against such gross violations. There can be no doubt that racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance affect millions of people throughout the world. If there is any set of issues on which there must be continuing and increasing mobilization it is on those that bring us together today.

We all know that in time of economic and social turbulence globally, that in a period of fast-paced globalization, that in a period where poverty is rampant, that in a time when millions of children do not have access to schooling, in a time when the Internet is used to bring people together but also to spread hatred, prejudice and discrimination are rife in our midst. Every country and every nation of the world therefore has a duty of care when it comes to combating prejudice and discrimination and to promoting tolerance and respect. Historically the United Nations has led the fight against discrimination and we in the office of High Commissioner for Human Rights are determined to hold aloft the principles of equality and non-discrimination globally.

I am grateful that in your first session you sought to lay the foundations for an evolving consensus in the fight against discrimination and intolerance and that you have chosen for this session three concrete subjects: poverty, education and the issue of standards. You will be having three panels of leading experts on each of these topics and I would appeal to each panel, and to all of us assembled here, to help us make practical assessments and come up with tangible recommendations that can help us take forward constructively each of the three topics you have selected for discussion.

On the issue of poverty, allow me to bring to your attention the guidelines we have developed on the role of human rights in poverty reduction strategies. The central idea of the guidelines is that by promoting and protecting human rights we can help reduce poverty. Advancing the principle of equality and non-discrimination is of fundamental importance. The principle of non-discrimination runs through the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and all other relevant documents.

In the course of your deliberations you can help provide additional insights on the promotion of equality and non-discrimination in anti-poverty strategies keeping in mind the goals of the United Nations Millennium Declaration. You will also undoubtedly take into account the important recommendations that have been developed by the Special Rapporteur against poverty, Madame Lizin, who is joining your deliberations. You will also no doubt be guided by the recommendations of the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights.

On the issue of education, you will no doubt be influenced by the content of the right to education in the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and in the Convention on the Rights of the Child. The United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Right to Education, Ms. Tomasevski, has done important pioneering work on the implementation of the right to education. She has, among other things, devoted particular attention to discrimination against the girl child and her insights and recommendations will certainly inform and inspire your deliberations. She is also joining you for your discussions. UNESCO and UNICEF have strong experiences in this area and they will also contribute actively to your discussions.

When it comes to the issue of standards, we in the Office of High Commissioner will pay particular attention to your deliberations on where you consider there is urgent need for complementary standards. The report we have provided to you on this topic was meant to be a factual, background report that you may take into account in your deliberations. We felt that after listening to you at this session on where you consider there is urgent need for complementary standards we could consider the idea of empanelling a group of experts to take your deliberations forward and to help us deepen the analysis in this area with a view to broadening understanding of areas for further attention.

Let me, in conclusion, thank you for your support and wish you a successful session.