Measures to Combat Contemporary Forms of Racism and Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance

A/RES/56/267View PDF

Who adopted this document and its mandates?

A Resolution of the General Assembly, under agenda item 117 Elimination of racism and racial discrimination, published in 2002.

What other versions does this mandate have?

2 versions · 2001–2002

Year	Symbol	Title	Word length	Text similarity
2002	A/RES/56/267	Measures to combat contemporary forms of racism and racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance	2,672	39%Compare
2001	A/RES/55/83	Measures to combat contemporary forms of racism and racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance	1,603	–

What’s in this document?

37 operative paragraphs

Expresses its full support and appreciation for the work of the Special Rapporteur of the Commission on Human Rights on contemporary forms of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance, and encourages its continuation;

Invites the Special Rapporteur to continue his exchange of views with Member States, United Nations organs and the specialized agencies, other relevant mechanisms and non-governmental organizations in order to further their effectiveness and mutual cooperation;

Commends the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination for its role in the effective implementation of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination,Error: Reference source not found which contributes to the fight against contemporary forms of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance;

Urges States that have not yet done so to consider ratifying or acceding to the international human rights instruments that combat racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance, in particular to accede to the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination as a matter of urgency, with a view to achieving universal ratification by 2005 and to consider making the declaration envisaged under article 14 thereof, to comply with their reporting obligations and to publish and act upon the concluding observations of the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, and also urges States to withdraw reservations contrary to the object and purpose of that Convention and to consider withdrawing other reservations;

Urges States to adopt and implement or strengthen national legislation and administrative measures that expressly and specifically counter racism and prohibit racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance whether direct or indirect, in all spheres of public life, in accordance with their obligations under the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination, ensuring that their reservations are not contrary to the object and purpose of the Convention;

Also urges States to establish on the basis of statistical information national programmes, which may include affirmative or positive measures, to promote access by individuals and groups of individuals who are or may be victims of racial discrimination to basic social services, including primary education, basic health care and adequate housing;

Condemns the misuse of print, audio-visual and electronic media and new communication technologies, including the Internet, to incite violence motivated by racial hatred, and calls upon States to take all necessary measures to combat this form of racism in accordance with the commitments they have undertaken under the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action,Error: Reference source not found in particular paragraph 147 of the Programme of Action, in accordance with existing international and regional standards on freedom of expression, and taking all necessary measures to guarantee the right to freedom of opinion and expression;

Welcomes international consultations at the governmental level with a view to combating the misuse of the Internet for racist purposes, and stresses the importance of international law enforcement cooperation in this area;

Reaffirms that acts of violence against others stemming from racism do not constitute expressions of opinion but rather offences;

Affirms that racism and racial discrimination, and xenophobia and related intolerance, where they amount to racism and racial discrimination, constitute serious violations of and obstacles to the full enjoyment of all human rights;

Calls upon States to criminalize all forms of trafficking in persons, in particular women and children, and to condemn and penalize traffickers and intermediaries, while ensuring protection of and assistance to the victims of trafficking with full respect for their human rights;

Urges States to enact and implement, as appropriate, laws against trafficking in persons, especially women and children, and smuggling of migrants, taking into account practices that endanger human lives or lead to various kinds of servitude and exploitation such as debt bondage, slavery, sexual exploitation and labour exploitation, and encourages States to create, if they do not already exist, mechanisms to combat such practices and to allocate adequate resources to ensure law enforcement and the protection of the rights of victims, and to reinforce bilateral, regional and international cooperation, inter alia, with non-governmental organizations that assist victims, to combat the trafficking in persons and smuggling of migrants;

Also urges States to take all necessary measures to address specifically, through policies and programmes, racism and racially motivated violence against women and girls and to increase cooperation, policy responses and effective implementation of national legislation and of their obligations under relevant international instruments, and to take other protective and preventive measures aimed at the elimination of all forms of racially motivated discrimination and violence against women and girls;

Further urges States to mainstream a gender perspective in the design and development of measures of prevention, education and protection aimed at the eradication of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance at all levels, to ensure that they effectively target the distinct situations of women and men;

Expresses its profound concern about and unequivocal condemnation of all forms of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance, in particular all racist violence, including related acts of random and indiscriminate violence;

Condemns political platforms and organizations based on racism, xenophobia or doctrines of racial superiority and related discrimination, as well as legislation and practices based on racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance as incompatible with democracy and transparent and accountable governance;

Declares that all human beings are born free, equal in dignity and rights and have the potential to contribute constructively to the development and well-being of their societies and that any doctrine of racial superiority is scientifically false, morally condemnable, socially unjust and dangerous and must be rejected together with theories which attempt to determine the existence of separate human races;

Expresses its profound concern about and unequivocal condemnation of all forms of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance, including propaganda, activities, organizations and political platforms based on doctrines of racial superiority that attempt to justify or promote racism and racial discrimination in any form;

Expresses its profound concern about and condemnation of manifestations of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance against and stereotyping of migrant workers and members of their families, persons belonging to minorities and members of vulnerable groups in many societies;

Urges States, including the law enforcement agencies, to design and fully implement effective policies and programmes to prevent, detect and ensure accountability for misconduct by police officers and other law enforcement personnel that is motivated by racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance and to prosecute perpetrators of such misconduct;

Also urges States to design, implement and enforce effective measures to eliminate the phenomenon popularly known as “racial profiling”, consisting in the practice by police and other law enforcement officers of relying to any degree on race, colour, descent or national or ethnic origin as the basis for subjecting persons to investigatory activities or for determining whether an individual is engaged in criminal activity;

Recognizes that members of certain groups with a distinct cultural identity face barriers arising from a complex interplay of ethnic, religious and other factors, as well as their traditions and customs, and calls upon States to ensure that measures, policies and programmes aimed at eradicating racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance address the barriers that this interplay of factors creates;

Calls upon States to take all necessary measures to overcome the persistent racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance on the basis of indigenous origin or identity;

Expresses deep concern at the ongoing manifestations of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance, including violence, against Roma/Gypsies/Sinti/Travellers, and urges States to develop effective policies and implementation mechanisms for their full achievement of equality;

Encourages all States to include in their educational curricula and social programmes at all levels, as appropriate, knowledge of and tolerance and respect for foreign cultures, peoples and countries;

Recognizes that different manifestations of racism, racial discrimination and xenophobia in various parts of the world require a more integrated and effective approach on the part of the relevant mechanisms of United Nations human rights machinery;

Encourages Governments to take appropriate measures to eradicate all forms of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance;

Underlines the need to design, promote and implement, at the national, regional and international levels, strategies, programmes and policies and adequate legislation, which may include special and positive measures, for furthering equal social development and the realization of the civil and political, economic, social and cultural rights of all victims of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance, inter alia, through more effective access to political, judicial and administrative institutions, and also underlines the need to promote effective access to justice as well as to guarantee that the benefits of development, science and technology contribute effectively to the improvement of the quality of life for all, without discrimination;

Urges States to adopt the necessary measures, as provided by national law, to ensure the right of victims to seek just and adequate reparation and satisfaction to redress acts of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance, and to design effective measures to prevent the repetition of such acts;

Also urges States to review and revise, where necessary, their immigration laws, policies and practices so that they are free of racial discrimination and compatible with States’ obligations under international human rights instruments;

Calls upon all Governments and intergovernmental organizations, with the assistance of non-governmental organizations, as appropriate, to continue to supply relevant information to the Special Rapporteur to enable him to fulfil his mandate;

Recognizes the importance of independent national human rights institutions conforming to the principles relating to the status of national institutions for the promotion and protection of human rights, annexed to General Assembly resolution 48/134 of 20 December 1993, and other relevant specialized institutions created by law for the promotion and protection of human rights, including ombudsman institutions, in the struggle against racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance, as well as for the promotion of democratic values and the rule of law, and encourages States, as appropriate, to establish such institutions and call upon the authorities and society in general in those countries where they are performing their tasks of promotion, protection and prevention to cooperate to the maximum extent possible with those institutions, while respecting their independence;

Strongly condemns the fact that slavery and slavery-like practices still exist today in parts of the world, and urges States to take immediate measures as a matter of priority to end such practices which constitute flagrant violations of human rights;

Commends non-governmental organizations for the action they have taken against racism and racial discrimination and for the continuous support and assistance they have provided to the victims of racism and racial discrimination;

Urges all Governments to cooperate fully with the Special Rapporteur with a view to enabling him to fulfil his mandate, including the examination of incidents of contemporary forms of racism and racial discrimination, inter alia, against Africans and people of African descent, xenophobia, Negrophobia, Islamophobia/anti-Muslim, anti-Semitism and related intolerance;

Requests the Secretary-General to provide the Special Rapporteur with all the necessary human and financial assistance to carry out his mandate efficiently, effectively and expeditiously and to enable him to submit an interim report to the General Assembly at its fifty-seventh session;

Decides to continue the consideration of this matter at its fifty-seventh session under the item entitled “Elimination of racism and racial discrimination”.

Measures to Combat Contemporary Forms of Racism and Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance

Who adopted this document and its mandates?

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