Global Efforts for the Total Elimination of Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance and the Comprehensive Implementation of and Follow-Up to the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action

A/RES/65/240View PDF

Who adopted this document and its mandates?

A Resolution of the General Assembly, under agenda item 66b Comprehensive implementation of and follow-up to the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action, published in 2011.

What other versions does this mandate have?

11 versions · 2004–2014

This is an older version — the most recent is A/RES/68/151

Year	Symbol	Title	Word length	Text similarity
2014	A/RES/68/151	Global efforts for the total elimination of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance and the comprehensive implementation of and follow-up to the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action	2,115	15%Compare
2013	A/RES/67/155	Global efforts for the total elimination of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance and the comprehensive implementation of and follow-up to the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action	5,726	74%Compare
2012	A/RES/66/144	Global efforts for the total elimination of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance and the comprehensive implementation of and follow-up to the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action	4,776	68%Compare
2011	A/RES/65/240	Global efforts for the total elimination of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance and the comprehensive implementation of and follow-up to the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action	4,641	26%Compare
2010	A/RES/64/148	Global efforts for the total elimination of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance and the comprehensive implementation of and follow-up to the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action	3,289	32%Compare

Which reports were submitted under this mandate?

12 reports · 2004–2014

Year	Symbol	Title	Mandate resolution
2014	A/69/354	Global efforts for the total elimination of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance and the comprehensive implementation of and follow-up to the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action report of the Secretary-General	A/RES/68/151
2013	A/68/564	Global efforts for the total elimination of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance and the comprehensive implementation of and follow-up to the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action report of the Secretary-General	A/RES/67/155
2013	A/67/879	How to make the International Decade for People of African Descent effective report of the Secretary-General	A/RES/67/155
2012	A/67/325	Global efforts for the total elimination of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance and the comprehensive implementation of and follow-up to the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action report of the Secretary-General	A/RES/66/144
2011	A/66/328	Global efforts for the total elimination of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance and the comprehensive implementation of and follow-up to the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action report of the Secretary-General	A/RES/65/240

What’s in this document?

75 operative paragraphs

I.General principles

Acknowledges that no derogation from the prohibition of racial discrimination, genocide, the crime of apartheid or slavery is permitted, as defined in the obligations under the relevant human rights instruments;

Expresses its profound concern about and its unequivocal condemnation of all forms of racism and racial discrimination, including related acts of racially motivated violence, xenophobia and intolerance, as well as propaganda activities and organizations that attempt to justify or promote racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance in any form;

Re-emphasizes that international cooperation is a key principle in achieving the goal of the total elimination of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance and the comprehensive implementation of and follow-up to the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action;Error: Reference source not found

Expresses deep concern at inadequate responses to emerging and resurgent forms of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance, and urges States to adopt measures to address those scourges vigorously with a view to preventing their practice and protecting victims;

Underlines the imperative need to address all the contemporary forms and manifestations of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance, which include, inter alia, incitement to such hatred, racial profiling and the propagation of racist and xenophobic acts through cyberspace, with a view to maximizing protection for victims, providing legal remedies and combating impunity;

Stresses that States and international organizations have a responsibility to ensure that measures taken in the struggle against terrorism do not discriminate in purpose or effect on grounds of race, colour, descent or national or ethnic origin, and urges all States to rescind or refrain from all forms of racial profiling;

Recognizes that States should implement and enforce appropriate and effective legislative, judicial, regulatory and administrative measures to prevent and protect against acts of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance, thereby contributing to the prevention of human rights violations;

Also recognizes that racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance occur on the grounds of race, colour, descent or national or ethnic origin and that victims can suffer multiple or aggravated forms of discrimination based on other related grounds, such as sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, social origin, property and birth;

Reaffirms that any advocacy of national, racial or religious hatred that constitutes incitement to discrimination, hostility or violence shall be prohibited by law;

Emphasizes that it is the responsibility of States to adopt effective measures to combat criminal acts motivated by racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance, including measures to ensure that such motivations are considered an aggravating factor for the purposes of sentencing, to prevent those crimes from going unpunished and to ensure the rule of law;

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

Calls upon all States, in accordance with the commitments undertaken in paragraph 147 of the Durban Programme of Action, to take all measures necessary to combat incitement to violence motivated by racial hatred, including through the misuse of print, audio-visual and electronic media and new communications technologies, and, in collaboration with service providers, to promote the use of such technologies, including the Internet, to contribute to the fight against racism, in conformity with international standards of freedom of expression and taking all measures necessary to guarantee that right;

Encourages all States to include in their educational curricula and social programmes at all levels, as appropriate, knowledge of and tolerance and respect for all cultures, civilizations, religions, peoples and countries, as well as information on the follow-up to and implementation of the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action;

Stresses the responsibility of States to mainstream a gender perspective into the design and development of prevention, education and protection measures 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;

II.International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination

Reaffirms that universal adherence to and full implementation of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination⁸ are of paramount importance for the fight against racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance, and for the promotion of equality and non-discrimination in the world;

⁸United Nations, Treaty Series, vol. 660, No. 9464.

Expresses grave concern that universal ratification of the Convention has not yet been reached, despite commitments under the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action,Error: Reference source not found and calls upon those States that have not yet done so to accede to the Convention as a matter of urgency;

Urges, in the above context, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights to maintain on its website and issue regular updates on a list of countries that have not yet ratified the Convention and to encourage those countries to ratify it at the earliest possible time;

Expresses concern at the serious delays in the submission of overdue reports to the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, which impede the effectiveness of the Committee, makes a strong appeal to all States parties to the Convention to comply with their treaty obligations, and reaffirms the importance of the provision of technical assistance to requesting countries in the preparation of their reports to the Committee;

Invites States parties to the Convention to ratify the amendment to article 8 of the Convention on the financing of the Committee, and calls for adequate additional resources from the regular budget of the United Nations to enable the Committee to discharge its mandate fully;

Urges all States parties to the Convention to intensify their efforts to implement the obligations that they have accepted under article 4 of the Convention, with due regard to the principles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights⁹ and article 5 of the Convention;

⁹Resolution 217 A (III).

Recalls that the Committee holds that the prohibition of the dissemination of ideas based on racial superiority or racial hatred is compatible with the right to freedom of opinion and expression as outlined in article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and in article 5 of the Convention;

Welcomes the emphasis placed by the Committee on the importance of follow-up to the World Conference against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance and the measures recommended to strengthen the implementation of the Convention as well as the functioning of the Committee;

Calls upon Member States to do their utmost to ensure that their responses to the current financial and economic crisis do not lead to increased poverty and underdevelopment and, potentially, a rise in racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance against foreigners, immigrants and persons belonging to national, ethnic, religious and linguistic minorities all over the world;

III.Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance, and follow-up to his visits

Takes note of the report of the Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance¹⁰ and the recommendations contained therein;

¹⁰See A/65/295.

Also takes note of the work done by the Special Rapporteur, and welcomes Human Rights Council resolution 7/34 of 28 March 2008,¹¹ by which the Council decided to extend the mandate of the Special Rapporteur for a period of three years;

¹¹See Official Records of the General Assembly, Sixty-third Session, Supplement No. 53 (A/63/53), chap. II.

Further takes note of the reports of the Special Rapporteur,¹² and encourages Member States and other relevant stakeholders to consider implementing the recommendations contained therein;

¹²See A/65/295 and A/65/323.

Reiterates its call to all Member States, intergovernmental organizations, relevant organizations of the United Nations system and non-governmental organizations to cooperate fully with the Special Rapporteur, and calls upon States to consider responding favourably to his requests for visits so as to enable him to fulfil his mandate fully and effectively;

Recognizes with deep concern the increase in anti-Semitism, Christianophobia and Islamophobia in various parts of the world, as well as the emergence of racial and violent movements based on racism and discriminatory ideas directed against Arab, Christian, Jewish and Muslim communities, as well as all religious communities, communities of people of African descent, communities of people of Asian descent, communities of indigenous people and other communities;

Encourages closer collaboration between the Special Rapporteur and the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, in particular the Anti-Discrimination Unit;

Requests the High Commissioner to continue to provide States, at their request, with advisory services and technical assistance to enable them to implement fully the recommendations of the Special Rapporteur;

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

Requests the Special Rapporteur, within his mandate, to continue giving particular attention to the negative impact of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance on the full enjoyment of civil, cultural, economic, political and social rights;

Invites Member States to demonstrate greater commitment to fighting racism in sport by conducting educational and awareness-raising activities and by strongly condemning the perpetrators of racist incidents, in cooperation with national and international sports organizations;

Recommends that States engage in broad efforts to eliminate racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance and to promote cultural, ethnic and religious diversity, and in that regard emphasizes the crucial role of education, including human rights education, training and learning, and a variety of awareness-raising measures which contribute to the creation of tolerant societies in which mutual understanding may be ensured;

Also recommends that all States give due attention to and closely monitor the way in which the concept of national identity is debated within their societies, with a view to preventing it from being used as a tool to create artificial differences among some groups of the population;

Expresses concern at recent deeply marked tendencies within numerous societies to characterize migration as a problem and a threat to social cohesion, and in this context notes the numerous human rights challenges in combating racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance;

Recommends that States conduct human rights training, including on the challenges of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance faced by migrants, refugees and asylum-seekers, for law enforcement officials, especially immigration officials and border police, so that they may act in conformity with international human rights law;

Also recommends that States collect disaggregated data in order to design appropriate anti-racial discrimination legislation and policies and monitor their effectiveness, while abiding by some key principles, including self-identification, the right to privacy, and guaranteeing the consent of those concerned, in the design and implementation of the exercise;

IV.Outcomes of the 2001 World Conference against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance and the 2009 Durban Review Conference

Reaffirms that the General Assembly is the highest intergovernmental mechanism for the formulation and appraisal of policy on matters relating to the economic, social and related fields, in accordance with Assembly resolution 50/227 of 24 May 1996, and that, together with the Human Rights Council, it shall constitute an intergovernmental process for the comprehensive implementation of and follow-up to the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action;Error: Reference source not found

Emphasizes that the basic responsibility for effectively combating racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance lies with States, and to this end stresses that States have the primary responsibility to ensure the full and effective implementation of all commitments and recommendations contained in the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action as well as the outcome of the Durban Review Conference,Error: Reference source not found and in this regard welcomes the steps taken by numerous Governments;

Calls upon all States that have not yet elaborated their national action plans on combating racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance to comply with their commitments undertaken at the World Conference against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance of 2001;

Calls upon all States to formulate and implement without delay, at the national, regional and international levels, policies and plans of action to combat racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance, including their gender-based manifestations;

Urges States to support the activities of existing regional bodies or centres that combat racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance in their respective regions, and recommends the establishment of such bodies in all regions where they do not exist;

Calls upon those States that have not yet done so to consider signing and ratifying or acceding to the instruments enumerated in paragraph 78 of the Durban Programme of Action, including the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families of 1990;¹³

¹³United Nations, Treaty Series, vol. 2220, No. 39481.

Emphasizes the fundamental and complementary role of national human rights institutions, regional bodies or centres and civil society, working jointly with States towards the elimination of all forms of racism and, in particular, towards the achievement of the objectives of the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action;

Recognizes the fundamental role of civil society in the fight against racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance, in particular in helping States to develop regulations and strategies, in taking measures and action against such forms of discrimination and through follow-up implementation;

Reaffirms its commitment to eliminating all forms of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and other forms of related intolerance against indigenous peoples, and in this regard notes the attention paid to the objectives of combating prejudice, eliminating discrimination and promoting tolerance, understanding and good relations among indigenous peoples and all other segments of society in the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples;¹⁴

¹⁴Resolution 61/295, annex.

Acknowledges that the World Conference of 2001, which was the third world conference against racism, was significantly different from the previous two conferences, as evidenced by the inclusion in its title of two important components relating to contemporary forms of racism, namely, xenophobia and related intolerance;

Also acknowledges that the outcomes of the World Conference and the Durban Review Conference are on an equal footing with the outcomes of all the major United Nations conferences, summits and special sessions in the human rights and social fields;

Decides to hold a one-day high-level meeting of the General Assembly to commemorate the tenth anniversary of the adoption of the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action, at the level of Heads of State and Government, on the second day of the general debate of the sixty-sixth session, on the theme “Victims of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance: recognition, justice and development”, consisting of an opening plenary meeting, consecutive round tables/thematic panels and a closing plenary meeting, and calls upon the President of the General Assembly to appoint co-facilitators to conduct consultations on the scope, modalities, format and organization of the high-level meeting;

Also decides that the meeting will adopt a short and concise political declaration aimed at mobilizing political will at the national, regional and international levels for the full and effective implementation of the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action and its follow-up processes;

Invites Member States, international and regional organizations, civil society, including non-governmental organizations, and other stakeholders to organize and support various high-visibility initiatives, aimed at effectively increasing awareness at all levels, to commemorate the tenth anniversary of the adoption of the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action;

Requests the Secretary-General to establish a programme of outreach, with the involvement of Member States and United Nations funds and programmes as well as civil society, including non-governmental organizations, to appropriately commemorate the tenth anniversary of the adoption of the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action;

Emphasizes the critical importance of increasing public support for the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action and the involvement of relevant stakeholders in its realization;

Welcomes the decision of the Human Rights Council to convene a panel discussion during the high-level segment of its sixteenth session focusing on the full enjoyment of the human rights of people of African descent, to mark the International Year for People of African Descent;¹⁵

¹⁵See Official Records of the General Assembly, Sixty-fifth Session, Supplement No. 53 and corrigendum (A/65/53 and Corr.1), chap. III, sect. A, resolution 14/16.

Calls upon Member States and the United Nations system to intensify efforts to widely distribute copies of the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action, and encourages efforts to ensure its translation and wide dissemination;

Requests the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and the Department of Public Information of the Secretariat to launch a public information campaign for the commemoration of the tenth anniversary of the adoption of the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action, including the wide distribution of user-friendly information materials through the United Nations system, inter alia, through United Nations information centres;

Welcomes the decision of the Human Rights Council to dedicate part of the programme of work at its seventeenth session, under the item entitled “Racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related forms of intolerance, follow-up to and implementation of the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action” to a discussion on, inter alia, best practices in the fight against racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance in the context of the tenth anniversary of the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action during the high-level segment of the General Assembly;Error: Reference source not found

Also welcomes the adoption of the laudable initiative led by the States members of the Caribbean Community and other Member States for the establishment of a permanent memorial at the United Nations to the victims of slavery and the transatlantic slave trade as a contribution towards the fulfilment of paragraph 101 of the Durban Declaration, expresses its appreciation for contributions made to the voluntary fund established in this regard, and urges other countries to contribute to the fund;

Expresses its appreciation for the continuing work of the mechanisms mandated to follow up on the World Conference and the Durban Review Conference;

Calls upon the Human Rights Council to ensure that, upon the consideration and adoption of the conclusions and recommendations of the Intergovernmental Working Group on the Effective Implementation of the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action,Error: Reference source not found,Error: Reference source not found the recommendations are brought to the attention of the relevant United Nations agencies for adoption and implementation within their respective mandates;

Encourages the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights to continue mainstreaming the implementation of the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action and the outcome document of the Durban Review Conference in the whole United Nations system, and, in accordance with paragraphs 136 and 137 of the outcome document, which call for the establishment of an inter-agency task force, to update the Human Rights Council in this regard;

Acknowledges the centrality of resource mobilization, effective global partnership and international cooperation in the context of paragraphs 157 and 158 of the Durban Programme of Action for the successful realization of commitments undertaken at the World Conference, and to this end emphasizes the importance of the mandate of the group of independent eminent experts on the implementation of the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action, especially in mobilizing the political will necessary for the successful implementation of the Declaration and Programme of Action;

Requests the Secretary-General to provide the resources necessary for the effective fulfilment of the mandates of the Intergovernmental Working Group on the Effective Implementation of the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action, the Working Group of Experts on People of African Descent, the group of independent eminent experts on the implementation of the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action and the Ad Hoc Committee on the Elaboration of Complementary Standards;

Recalls the request to the Human Rights Council to consider necessary measures to enhance the effectiveness of the follow-up mechanisms for the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action and to ensure better synergy and complementarity in the work of those mechanisms, and looks forward to the discussions with a view to enhancing the interface among and focus of the follow-up mechanisms in order to achieve greater synchronization and coordination at all levels, within their respective mandates, including through the restructuring and reorganization of their work, if deemed appropriate by the Council, and to allow joint discussions and meetings;

Expresses concern at the increasing incidence of racism in various sporting events, while noting with appreciation the efforts made by some governing bodies of the various sporting codes to combat racism, and in this regard invites all international sporting bodies to promote, through their national, regional and international federations, a world of sport free from racism and racial discrimination;

Welcomes the historic and unique dimension of the 2010 International Federation of Association Football World Cup in South Africa, which marked the first time that this major sporting event was held on the African continent;

Expresses serious concern at recent incidents of racism at sporting events targeting, in particular, Africans and people of African descent, and recalls the need to reverse this legacy of racism;

Expresses its appreciation, in this context, to the International Federation of Association Football for the initiative to introduce a visible theme on non-racism in football, and invites the Federation to continue this initiative at the 2014 World Cup soccer tournament to be held in Brazil;

Calls upon States to take advantage of mass sporting events as valuable outreach platforms to mobilize people and convey crucial messages about equality and non-discrimination;

Acknowledges the guidance and leadership role of the Human Rights Council, and encourages it to continue overseeing the implementation of the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action and the outcome document of the Durban Review Conference;

Requests the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights to continue to provide the Human Rights Council with all the support necessary for it to achieve its objectives in this regard;

V.Follow-up activities

Strongly recommends that future meetings of the Human Rights Council focusing on the follow-up to the World Conference against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance and the implementation of the Durban Declaration and Programme of ActionError: Reference source not found be scheduled in a manner that allows broad participation and avoids overlap with the meetings devoted to the consideration of this item in the General Assembly;

Requests the Secretary-General to submit to the General Assembly at its sixty-sixth session a report on the implementation of the present resolution, with recommendations;

Decides to remain seized of this important matter at its sixty-sixth session under the item entitled “Elimination of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance”.