Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination Commemorates the Sixtieth Anniversary of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination
The Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination today held a high-level event to commemorate the sixtieth anniversary of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination.
The event was opened by Committee Vice-Chair Gay McDougall, who delivered a solemn tribute to the victims of racial discrimination and all those who had fought and were fighting it. Ms. McDougall said the adoption of the Convention was a crowning achievement of the United Nations just 20 years after its birth. She said it was important to remember and share regret for the millions of lives lost, those whose lives were diminished and whose dreams were denied because of the lie that one life was superior to another. In closing, Ms. McDougall called for a moment of silent memory.
The Committee then heard opening remarks by Nada Al-Nashif, United Nations Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights, and Michal Balcerzak, Committee Chair.
Ms. Al-Nashif said this important anniversary was a reminder of the collective responsibility to honour the legacy of victims of racism by redoubling efforts to eliminate racial discrimination in all its forms. She said conflicts with ethnic and identity dimensions leading to atrocity crimes were today on the rise. Sixty years on, the objectives of the Convention “to build an international community free from all forms of racial segregation and racial discrimination” remained elusive, which was why the Committee’s work continued to be essential.
Mr. Balcerzak said over six decades, the Convention had spurred constitutional reforms, inspired national legislation, strengthened institutions, and empowered civil society. However, structural and systemic racism persisted across regions, affecting access to justice, education, health care, housing, employment and political participation. States needed to renew their commitment to the Convention by strengthening national implementation, by supporting the treaty body system, and by fully cooperating with the Convention’s procedures.
Representatives of regional groups, States and international organizations then took the floor, delivering statements addressing the importance of the Convention in the global fight to eradicate racism and progress made in this fight over the last 60 years; modern challenges such as rising hate speech and efforts needed to address them; and the need for reparation of historical injustices that occurred during colonial periods.
Speaking were Ghana on behalf of the African Group, Haiti on behalf of the African Group and the Caribbean Community, the European Union on behalf of the 27 European Union Member States, the Council of Europe, Venezuela, on behalf of the Group of Friends in Defence of the United Nations Charter, Belgium, South Africa, Chile, Qatar, France, Venezuela, Slovenia, Ecuador, Canada, Egypt, Colombia, Morocco, Dominican Republic, Algeria, Spain, Mexico, United Arab Emirates, Portugal, Brazil, Tunisia, Azerbaijan, Cuba, Pakistan, Gambia and Greece.
Next, the Committee held the first of three panel discussions planned for the day, on the topic “Sixty years of the Convention: From global to local implementation – progress and challenges.” Several speakers made statements in the panel, addressing topics such as the importance of the participation of indigenous peoples in the fight against racism; reparations for persons of African descent; and new challenges arising in the fight against racial discrimination, including due to discriminatory technology.
Speaking were Ilze Brands Kehris, Assistant Secretary-General for Human Rights, Permanent Co-Chair of the United Nations Network on Racial Discrimination and Protection of Minorities; Irina Schoulgin Nyoni, Ambassador for Human Rights, Democracy and the Rule of Law, Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Sweden; José Francisco Calí Tzay, Permanent Representative of Guatemala to the United Nations Office in Geneva; Gloria Monique de Mees, Commissioner, Rapporteur on the Rights of Persons of African Descent and against Racial Discrimination, Inter-American Commission on Human Rights; Michaela Moua, European Commission Anti-Racism Coordinator; Idrissa Sow, Chairperson, African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights; Bertil Cottier, Chairperson, European Commission against Racism and Intolerance; and Anh Thu Duong, Co-Director, Global Cities Hub.
States, Committee Experts and other stakeholders also took to the floor to make statements and pose questions. Speaking were Sudan, Saudi Arabia, Türkiye, Brazil, Tunisia, Venezuela, Australia, Iran and Armenia. The Ombudsman of Azerbaijan took the floor, as did Amnesty International and Global Forum of Communities Discriminated on Work and Descent.
The Committee then held its second panel discussion on “Realising the promise of equality without distinction as to race, colour, descent, or national or ethnic origin”. Several speakers made statements in the panel discussion, addressing topics such as the continued racial discrimination faced by people of African descent, indigenous peoples, migrants, Dalits, the Roma and other ethnic minorities; and measures to promote equality and a more inclusive society.
Speaking were Verene Albertha Shepherd, Committee Vice-Chair and moderator of the discussion; Sheryl Lighfoot, Vice-Chairperson, Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples; Pastor Elías Murillo Martínez, Member of the Permanent Forum on People of African Descent; Rossalina Latcheva, Head of Anti-Racism and Non-Discrimination Sector, European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights; Meena Varma, Executive Director, International Dalit Solidarity Network; Claire Charters, Professor, Faculty of Law, University of Auckland; and Mãe Nilce de Iansã, National Network of Afro-Brazilian Religions and Health.
States and other stakeholders also took the floor to make statements and pose questions. Speaking were Mauritius, Mozambique, the Russian Federation, the State of Palestine, Mexico and Brazil. Also speaking were Race and Equality, the Global Forum of Communities Discriminated on Work and Descent, an individual, and the Institute of Human Rights of Catalonia also made statements.
The third panel discussion addressed the topic “The Convention at 60 – a living instrument: Building on progress, shaping the future”. Several speakers made statements in the panel, addressing topics such as the role of the Convention in strengthening the rights of indigenous peoples; the importance of the Committee’s individual complaints procedure; and shortcomings of the Committee which needed to be addressed.
Speaking were Dafna Feinholz Klip, Director, Research and Inclusion Division, United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization; Albert K. Barume, Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples; Stamatia Stavrinaki, Committee Member; Ashwini K.P., Special Rapporteur on Contemporary Forms of Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance; Mattias Åhren, Guest Professor, Faculty of Law, Lund University; Carlos Quesada, Executive Director, Race and Equality; and Paul Divakar Namala, Convenor of the Global Forum of Communities Discriminated on Work and Descent.
States, Committee Experts and other stakeholders also took the floor to make statements and pose questions. Speaking were Uruguay, China and Brazil. Also taking the floor was the Ombudsman of Azerbaijan, as well as Guangzhou City Human Rights Committee, the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, International Indian Treaty Council, an individual, Race and Equality, and African Meeting for the Defence of Human Rights.
Michal Balcerzak, Committee Chair, in his closing remarks, thanked all panellists, States and other participants for their contributions to the meeting, and the secretariat for organising the session. He said the commemoration had demonstrated that the Committee had come a long way over the last 55 years.
The programme of work and other documents related to the Committee’s current one hundred and sixteenth session can be found here. Summaries of the public meetings of the Committee can be found here, while webcasts of the public meetings can be found here.
The Committee will next meet in public on Friday, 5 December at 3 p.m. to close its one hundred and sixteenth session.
Opening Ceremony – Tribute to Victims and Advocates
GAY MCDOUGALL, Vice-Chairperson of the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, said today they were commemorating the sixtieth anniversary of the adoption of the International Convention for the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination, a crowning achievement of the United Nations just 20 years after its birth. As the day progressed, there would be discussions about the achievements the Convention had heralded. However, before this, it was important to remember and share regret for the millions of lives lost, those whose lives were diminished and whose dreams were denied because of the lie that one life was superior to another. It was also vital to acknowledge the painful legacy of racism and discrimination that had scarred societies around the globe, affecting indigenous peoples from every continent, the estimated 30 million Africans who were forced into slavery, Asian communities, and the Roma, among others. These injustices were not confined to one nation; they were woven into the global fabric of collective memory.
Ms. McDougall said this was a time to remember those who had suffered the quiet, daily acts of violence, and the daily fight for recognition of culture, and to confront stereotypes. Racism and discrimination were not abstractions; they were injuries inflicted on the soul of a nation and of humanity. It was important to acknowledge that systems and attitudes had been shaped by history and sustained by neglect and complicity. The courage of those who resisted and rebelled must be honoured; their bravery was a reminder that justice required persistent action, not occasional lament. It was important to listen to those whose lives were shaped by discrimination, amplify voices too long ignored, and partner with communities to build institutions that protect rather than punish. Regret should be an engine for change, and commitment to repair, and compassion should fuel the constant work of equality and inclusion.
Ms. McDougall urged attendees to hold the memories of all those lost and those who still struggled, and to work with commitment and courage to dismantle the structures of exclusion and to build communities of belonging. This should be the moral rearmament for the struggle ahead.
Ms. McDougall then called for a moment of silent memory.
Opening Remarks
NADA AL-NASHIF, United Nations Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights, said she joined the tribute to victims of racial discrimination, racism, racial segregation and apartheid, and to all those who had fought and continued to fight racial discrimination. This important anniversary was a reminder of the collective responsibility to honour their legacy by redoubling efforts to eliminate racial discrimination in all its forms and manifestations.
Sixty years ago, when it was less than decades old, the United Nations gave effect to one of the central promises of its establishment - to eliminate racial discrimination - by boldly elaborating a legally binding treaty. The Convention not only responded to that imperative, but also, as the first of the “core human rights treaties”, marked a milestone in the development of international human rights law. Statements from States on the day of adoption showed that they understood that they were making history.
The Convention was revolutionary for the time, not only for the norms it established but also for the mechanism that States voluntarily accepted to monitor their own implementation. The Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination was the first human rights treaty body and a precursor to a small ecosystem of anti-racial discrimination mechanisms.
Conflicts with ethnic and identity dimensions leading to atrocity crimes were today on the rise; the legacies of colonialism and slavery continued to fuel racism; there had been a resurgence of platforms and organizations openly promoting racial hatred, xenophobia, and doctrines of racial superiority; racial discrimination was intersecting with other forms of discrimination, targeting people of African and Asian descent, indigenous peoples, Roma, minorities, as well as migrants, asylum seekers and refugees, among many others.
To strengthen the Convention’s impact in addressing contemporary manifestations of racism and racial discrimination, an Ad Hoc Committee was established to elaborate complementary standards to the Convention. At its fifteenth session last April and May, the Ad Hoc Committee made important progress when it addressed draft provisions defining key offences, including hate speech and hate crimes, and began considering definitions for racial profiling, xenophobia and xenophobic discrimination.
The United Nations was also committed to redressing the specific harms caused by racial discrimination. In the Second International Decade for People of African Descent (2025-2034), there was a vital opportunity to accelerate progress in the areas of recognition, justice and development for people of African descent. At the local level as well, the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights now counted on a team of regional anti-racism advisors that supported local actors with the development of comprehensive anti-discrimination legislation.
Sixty years on, the objectives of the Convention “to build an international community free from all forms of racial segregation and racial discrimination” remained elusive, which was why the Committee’s work continued to be essential. Ms. Al-Nashif expressed thanks to the outgoing members Noureddin Amir, Gay McDougall and Yeung Kam John Yeung Sik Yuen and all the Committee members for their service to humanity.
Anniversaries were useful occasions to both appreciate the progress made but also to reflect on the challenges that remained, including financial challenges. Renewed political courage and will was needed from all States parties to enable the Committee and all the treaty bodies to return to normal functioning mode. This was not a high bar - the normal functioning mode of the Committee at its best was inherently limited, given the breadth of its work and the near universal level of ratification. Ms. Al-Nashif called on States parties to cooperate with the Committee and treaty bodies by submitting their periodic reports on time, particularly any overdue reports as soon as possible; to fully implement the Convention and the Committee’s recommendations; and not least, to commit the financial and other resources necessary for the proper functioning of the treaty system. She expressed hope that the next six decades would be anchored in this renewed commitment.
MICHAL BALCERZAK, Chairperson of the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, said the tribute to the victims of racial discrimination by Gay McDougall was a reminder that the struggle against racial discrimination, racism, segregation and apartheid was neither abstract nor historical. It was a continuous fight for dignity, equality and full respect of human rights without any distinction. Additionally, Nada Al-Nashif, Deputy High Commissioner, reminded that 60 years ago at the moment of the Convention’s adoption, States had agreed that it was a historic achievement for humankind. The Convention had become one of the great milestones of modern international law and an indispensable instrument to confront and eliminate racial discrimination, together with the establishment of the Committee.
However, these 60 years of efforts seemed to be vanishing due to the lack of implementation of the Convention, and the lack of political and financial support to the monitoring body that States themselves created. The world was also witnessing the underfunding of the United Nations treaty bodies, which had significantly affected the Committee’s ability to fulfil its mandate; it was hoped this situation would be temporary.
Over six decades, the Convention had spurred constitutional reforms, inspired national legislation, strengthened institutions and empowered civil society. However, structural and systemic racism persisted across regions, affecting access to justice, education, health care, housing, employment and political participation. The legacies of slavery, colonialism and apartheid continued to shape the lives of people of African descent, indigenous peoples, and many ethnic communities and minorities around the world. There was a resurgence of ideologies of racial superiority, including white supremacism, with racist and xenophobic rhetoric spreading, amplified by digital platforms where accountability was weakening. Hate crimes were rising and in many places, laws and policies now restricted teaching about racism, colonialism or slavery, jeopardising the transformative power of education that States committed to uphold under article 7 of the Convention.
The international community must not allow hard-won gains to be rolled back. On the contrary, today the Convention and other human rights mechanisms were needed to address the immense challenges being faced. States needed to renew their commitment to the Convention by strengthening national implementation, by supporting the treaty body system, and by fully cooperating with the Convention’s procedures, including periodic reporting, early warning and urgent action, and, where relevant, inter-State communications procedure.
During the last 60 years, the Committee had heard the struggles of civil society, people of African descent, people of Asian descent, indigenous peoples, Roma, minorities, as well as migrants, asylum seekers and refugees. At a time when the very existence of racial discrimination and racism was increasingly denied, the Committee called on individuals, human rights defenders, and civil society organizations to persist in their efforts to expose and combat racial injustice, and encouraged their increased engagement with the Committee’s work.
Discussion
In the ensuring discussion, speakers said this gathering was of great significance to the international community. Many speakers congratulated the Committee on the sixtieth anniversary of its Convention, a historic milestone that needed to be marked by a renewed commitment to implement the Convention. The Convention was a key instrument in the global fight to eradicate racism; it remained the most relevant platform to measure national progress in combatting racial discrimination. Its vision remained as relevant today as it was in 1965.
Speakers expressed support for the work of the Committee. One speaker called on States that had not ratified the Convention to do so, while another called on all parties to accept the competence of the Committee to receive individual communications from individuals and groups of individuals. One speaker called on States to withdraw reservations to article four of the Convention.
Over the past 60 years, significant progress had been made, but serious gaps remained in the implementation of the Convention, speakers said. Many achievements made risked being eroded due to a lack of compliance with the Convention. The scourge of hate speech, extremism and racial discrimination was on the rise in many regions of the world, posing challenges to democratic societies.
Some speakers said that rising hate speech against migrants was a particular challenge, and one speaker expressed concern about narratives that merged racial prejudice with religious intolerance. Speakers condemned incitement to racial discrimination and violence on the basis of ethnicity or other characteristics.
Some speakers said the people of Africa had been connected by centuries of struggle against colonial rule and the unfair global economic system. The effects of colonialism lingered long after former colonies had gained independence. Racism continued to shape the daily lives of people of African descent worldwide. One speaker expressed concern about police bias against people of African descent. Some speakers called on former colonial powers to repair historical injustices that they had caused, and for increased efforts to combat racial discrimination against people of African descent.
Today’s event needed to spark increased implementation of the Convention, speakers said. States parties needed to take measures to implement the Convention and the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action without delay. This involved prohibiting racial discrimination and hate speech, enhancing legal protections for minorities, promoting social cohesion, and ensuring inclusive development. Commitments alone were not enough; these words needed to translate into concrete action grounded in resources; truth, justice and reparation; and structural transformation. One speaker called on States to implement General Assembly resolution 2026 on tolerance and security, and another called on all parties to consider racism as part of multiple and intersectional forms of discrimination.
Speakers presented national measures to protect the rights and dignity of all individuals and eliminate racial discrimination, including through local and regional agreements, norms and policies preventing racism; measures recognising the rights of racial and ethnic minorities, including indigenous peoples and people of African descent; policies preventing hate speech and hate crimes; measures repairing past injustices occurring during the colonial era; and efforts to collect data disaggregated by race and ethnicity. Speakers also expressed their commitment to the implementation of the Convention and the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action, and to combatting racism in all its forms now and in the future.
One speaker expressed concern that unilateral coercive measures disproportionately impacted historically marginalised communities, broadening the inequalities that the Convention sought to eliminate. They called on the Committee to speak out against unilateral coercive measures.
Panel One: “Sixty Years of the Convention: From Global to Local Implementation – Progress and Challenges”
MICHAL BALCERZAK, Chairperson of the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, said the panel would reflect on progress achieved and challenges at the local and international level on combatting racial discrimination, and exchange experiences and good practices in implementing the Convention.
ILZE BRANDS KEHRIS, Assistant Secretary-General for Human Rights, Permanent Co-Chair of the United Nations Network on Racial Discrimination and Protection of Minorities, said 60 years ago, the world came together to affirm that dignity knew no race, colour, descent, national or ethnic origin, and that equality was not a privilege but a right. Today, the fight against racial discrimination was not history, but continued to be imperative. While there had been undeniable progress in addressing racial discrimination since the adoption of the Convention, the scourge of racism - often rooted in the legacies of enslavement and colonialism - continued today for countless people around the world. The Committee’s leadership and guidance in combatting racial discrimination remained essential, as did the collaboration of States and other actors to counter its diverse and harmful manifestations.
The Committee was one of the United Nations’ key tools for combatting today’s alarming re-emergence of xenophobia in many corners of the world. United Nations Country Teams relied on the Committee’s work in supporting governments, civil society and a range of local actors to transform commitments into action, driving innovative and collaborative solutions for a world free from racial discrimination, where equality and dignity were not just ideals, but lived realities for all.
IRINA SCHOULGIN NYONI, Ambassador for Human Rights, Democracy and the Rule of Law, Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Sweden, said that the world had made huge progress in the fight against racial discrimination in the last 60 years. However, these were uncertain times. Around the world, there were signs of a growing pushback against human rights. This needed to be met with renewed efforts to promote and protect them. This was a key priority for Sweden. Events such as this were one way of demonstrating the united effort against racial discrimination. Racism in all its forms was never acceptable and always needed to be fought. It was the shared responsibility of the international community to ensure that persons’ rights and opportunities in life were not limited by the colour of their skin and that everyone felt safe to express their ethnic, religious or sexual identity.
Ms. Nyoni said the Swedish Government had in December 2024 adopted a national action plan to combat racism and hate crime, which shed light on various forms of racism and the specific challenges, needs and actions that were linked to them. Sweden had also taken many measures over the last few years to counter racism in schools and support systematic work to strengthen democracy in different parts of the school system. Further, Sweden had, in the past year, strengthened the criminal law protection against racist hate speech.
The Swedish Government remained fully committed to the promotion and protection of human rights, democracy and the rule of law, and to the elimination of racism, discrimination and hate crime. Sweden was also deeply concerned by the liquidity crisis, which directly undermined the capacity of the Committee and other treaty bodies. These bodies needed to be provided with adequate resources to discharge their mandates.
JOSÉ FRANCISCO CALÍ TZAY, Permanent Representative of Guatemala to the United Nations Office in Geneva, said the Convention was the first modern human rights treaty with legally binding obligations for the elimination of racism, and today retained its key role in challenging the multiple contemporary forms of racism existing in all regions. Today, many challenges such as an increase in hate speech were proliferated through new technologies and algorithms which projected bias. As years of the Committee’s practice demonstrated, indigenous peoples were suffering from multiple forms of discrimination. Over six decades, the Convention had been a key tool for those suffering from racial discrimination. Its recommendations, including those on indigenous peoples, had bolstered their ability to obtain free, prior and informed consent and to protect their resources.
It was necessary to strengthen the independence and resources and guarantee the civic space of human rights defenders, who played a key role in combatting racial discrimination. Good practices included progress in multilingual education, the recognition of indigenous legal systems, and the growing practice of consultation with indigenous peoples as an international standard. However, challenges remained, and commitments were required in three spheres: strengthening the multilateral and treaty body system; regulating digital technology and ensuring oversight, to prevent discriminatory racial bias; and addressing climatic impact and environmental discrimination, which had a disproportionate impact on marginalised peoples. Guatemala reaffirmed its commitment to the Convention and the work of the Committee. It was only through the effective participation of indigenous peoples that progress could be made to a world free from racism.
GLORIA MONIQUE DE MEES, Commissioner, Rapporteur on the Rights of Persons of African Descent and against Racial Discrimination, Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, said that 60 years after the adoption of the Convention, the international community needed to consider how to translate its promise into tangible results for Afro-descendant people and other marginalised groups in the Americas. There had been significant progress over the last 60 years, including Constitutional frameworks promoting equality, affirmative action policies in education and employment, and inspiring experiences of community participation.
The Inter-American Commission combined complementary tools, monitoring measures to protect and support the development of communities at risk. The Commission would continue to work with the States of the Americas to move forward and point out where setbacks persisted. The challenges today were immense and some were growing, such as racist and xenophobic hate speech, political violence against people of African descent, and the impacts of digital technologies and climate change on this group. The coming years needed to see further tangible and verifiable results that helped to close the gaps that still separated societies from real equality.
MICHAELA MOUA, European Commission Anti-Racism Coordinator, said this was a landmark Convention which had shaped the fight against racial discrimination. The European Union’s legal framework against racism was robust and evolving, which protected rights holders against racial discrimination and hate speech. However, legislation was not enough. The adoption of the European Union anti-racism action plan encompassed law, education, media, health and employment. However, many challenges remained, including hate speech, digital tools and the climate impact. It was also important to address the structural routes of racism, including colonialism, which continued to shape unequal outcomes today. Acknowledging this was essential for shaping truly inclusive policies.
The central role play by bodies like the Committee could not be overstated in providing guidance, as they offered a structural approach for nations to align their national laws with international standards. Early next year, the Commission would adopt the new European Union anti-racism strategy 2026-2030, which would consolidate progress achieved, and address areas which demanded further action. The sixtieth anniversary offered an opportunity to redouble efforts towards achieving a racism-free world.
IDRISSA SOW, Chairperson of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights, said that the visionary Convention was founded on the strong claim that no society could achieve peace and progress while some segments of that society remained excluded and discriminated against. The current challenges faced by African communities stemmed from the legacies of slavery and colonialism. The regrets expressed by former colonial powers should not dampen efforts to seek reparation.
Mr. Sow said that the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights had made justice for people of African descent a priority for 2025. It had created several resolutions aiming to redress imbalances created by the regrettable treatment of people of African descent throughout human history. In celebrating the Convention, the Commission noted that progress was still needed to tackle racial discrimination. The sixtieth anniversary was an opportunity to mobilise actions and work under the ubuntu principle. Mr. Sow closed by expressing hope that the African continent could, in the future, enjoy growth in a world where no person was excluded because of their race, origin or religion.
BERTIL COTTIER, Chairperson of the European Commission against Racism and Intolerance, said 60 years ago, the United Nations General Assembly adopted a major international human rights instrument with a clear purpose: that racism and racial discrimination had no place in this world, were incompatible with the principles of human dignity and equality, and must be eliminated everywhere, at all times, in both law and practice. Today, it was important to recognise the unique role of the Committee in transforming these principles into a living reality.
Many of the working methods of the European Commission against Racism and Intolerance were complimentary to the Committee’s work. However, the challenges today were not the same as in 1965; they now included algorithmic discrimination, online hatred, various forms of racial profiling practices by law enforcement and other public officials, and a growing “trivialisation” of racial hatred in political and other public discourse in an era of democratic backsliding. Common efforts must focus on three key directions: stronger accountability, ensuring equality and hate crime laws must be enforced, not merely adopted; structural approaches, through tackling root causes of racism, not just symptoms; and participation, with decisions including all those affected by racism.
ANH THU DUONG, Co-Director of Global Cities Hub, said Global Cities Hub was established in 2020 to better connect local and regional governments to the United Nations and other international organizations. It sought to identify international processes where local and regional governments could contribute. Local governments adopted and implemented legislative, budgetary, administrative, educational, and policy measures that directly affected human rights at the local level. They needed support in designing and implementing anti-racism policies. Local governments also needed to be encouraged to contribute to State reporting under the Convention.
The Committee could engage with local governments as a distinct category of stakeholders and systematically request information on how racial discrimination was addressed at the sub-national level. The Global Cities Hub intended to launch a “Cities for CEDAW” campaign, where municipalities adopted local ordinances to implement the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women within their own administrations and territories. A similar model could also be envisioned to support the local uptake and effective implementation of this Convention.
Discussion
In the ensuing discussion, speakers said this event marking the Convention’s sixtieth anniversary was a critical milestone which reinforced the principles of equality and non-discrimination. The Convention was a pillar of international stability, serving as a legal and moral compass, capable of supporting dialogue and contributing to just and lasting solutions. Today reminded the international community of the need to be ever vigilant in combatting racism, hatred and discrimination of any kind. The Convention’s power lay not just in its articles, but in the ability of States to uphold them.
Many speakers expressed their commitment to the Convention and spoke about specific steps being taken to ensure its implementation and to combat racial discrimination. These included initiatives aimed at improving the rights of indigenous peoples; producing reports to combat anti-Semitism and Islamophobia; developing programmes as key tools for incorporating international human rights practices into public policies; international initiatives aimed at combatting discrimination; disseminating a culture of tolerance; and engaging constructively with the Convention and other human rights mechanisms, among other measures. One speaker noted that the Committee’s general comment on the Roma had opened the door for these communities to receive protection.
However, speakers also emphasised that 60 years since the adoption of the Convention, the fight against racial discrimination and inequality remained as urgent as ever. Throughout the world today, systemic racism and the persisting legacies of slavery and colonialism continued to obstruct the full realisation of the human rights of racialised people. Despite progress made, the lived realities across many regions showed a widening gap, including racism, discrimination and xenophobia manifesting in troubling ways, disproportionately affecting migrants, Muslims and people of African descent.
The evolving challenges of discriminatory technologies was a persistent issue, and research continued to document the prevalence of systemic racism across the globe, including in law enforcement and criminal justice systems, migration policies, social protection systems, and the burden of pollution, environmental degradation and climate change. One speaker also noted that limitations on a wide range of rights and actions were curtailed by unilateral coercive measures. Another speaker highlighted the civil war in Sudan, where a militia was committing murder, based on race and skin colour. This terrorist militia should be condemned as well as those who supported it.
Speakers called on all States to reaffirm and rejuvenate their commitment to the elimination of racial discrimination and to take all necessary measures to ensure the full implementation of the Convention. This required both addressing the legacies of slavery and colonialism and dismantling contemporary structures of racial discrimination rooted in these historic harms.
Committee Experts also raised questions and made comments to the panellists, including asking what infrastructure would enhance the ability of the Convention to have a positive and ongoing impact on localities; whether there were opportunities to connect to local governments; and the need to give the Convention the financial means and the capabilities to carry out investigations on the ground. When discussing the progress and challenges of the Committee, there was a lot to cover. The Committee had substantially developed its working methods to do justice to the mandate of the Convention.
Closing Remarks
IRINA SCHOULGIN NYONI, Ambassador for Human Rights, Democracy and the Rule of Law, Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Sweden, said there needed to be stronger interlinkages between national and local governments and civil society in efforts to combat racial discrimination. There was no country in the world today that was immune to this issue. Hate speech and attacks on ethnic groups were creating a polemic in society; Sweden was also struggling with this. The State respected freedom of expression and was including marginalised voices in discussions about racial discrimination. It was eager to work with others to exchange good practices and work to address the problem together.
JOSÉ FRANCISCO CALÍ TZAY, Permanent Representative of Guatemala to the United Nations Office in Geneva, said the adoption of the Convention was an important achievement that highlighted the issue of structural racism in society. Racism was an issue both in urban and rural areas. States needed to both take advantage of new technologies and pursue traditional methods such as human rights education in their efforts to tackle racial discrimination.
MICHAELA MOUA, European Commission Anti-Racism Coordinator, said the European Union had strong anti-discrimination legislation. The Commission was developing such legislation and monitoring its implementation. The European Union included 27 States that had ratified the Convention, and it needed to push for increased implementation of the Convention. Increased cooperation was needed at all levels towards this aim. The Commission worked with various stakeholders on the local level, where amazing things were happening in terms of tackling racial discrimination. Local governments were closer to the people and were able to implement effective measures to tackle racial discrimination. Racism needed to be recognised as a form of trauma that could lead to other mental health issues such as depression and anxiety.
ANH THU DUONG, Co-Director of Global Cities Hub, said it was not easy for the Committee to engage with local and regional governments. However, it could engage with national associations of cities and municipalities, which were directly connected to local and regional governments, for example through online hearings. These governments were closely connected to the people they served and could implement effective policies. Engagement by the Committee with local governments could help to encourage increased engagement between national authorities and local and regional governments in the implementation of the Convention. The Committee should thus pursue this engagement, despite its resource constraints.
Panel 2: “Sixty Years of the Convention: Realising the Promise of Equality Without Distinction as to Race, Colour, Descent, or National or Ethnic Origin”
VERENE ALBERTHA SHEPHERD, Committee Vice-Chair and moderator of the discussion, said this segment would place focus on the lived realities of various persons and communities that continued to face persistent and intersecting forms of discrimination. The panel would also consider how the enduring legacies of slavery and colonialism, coupled with the lack of applications of special measures, reparations and education, challenged the effective implementation of the Convention’s objectives.
SHERYL LIGHTFOOT, Vice-Chairperson, Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, said the event was a reminder that the Convention was a living instrument, committing States to the immediate eradication of racial discrimination. Yet, six decades on, its promise remained unfulfilled for millions of indigenous individuals worldwide. The legacy of slavery, colonialism and structural racism continued to shape indigenous realities, where the fight for equality was inseparable from the struggle for land, territories and resources. Intersectional discrimination further compounded these challenges - the high rates of disability within indigenous communities were intrinsically linked to systemic failures rooted in historical legacies that were exacerbated by poverty, violence, environmental degradation, and the adverse impact of extractive industries.
Ms. Lightfoot said the Expert Mechanism and the Committee maintained a strategic working relationship. The international community should commit to translating the Convention’s promise into the lived reality of indigenous peoples and other marginalised groups through collaboration, reforms and addressing structural discrimination.
PASTOR ELÍAS MURILLO MARTÍNEZ, Member of the Permanent Forum on People of African Descent, said the Convention had significant importance in recognising the development of and justice for persons of African descent. The Committee had inspired the first International Decade for People of African Descent, which Colombia had participated in. In 2011, general recommendation 34 was adopted by the Committee, establishing the individual and collective rights of persons of African descent, which served as a benchmark in ensuring the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action was complied with. The Committee also adopted a general recommendation on racial profiling to combat algorithmic biases. After 60 years, today’s commemoration was a call for the elimination of racial discrimination; everyone was encouraged to join this fight.
ROSSALINA LATCHEVA, Head of the Anti-Racism and Non-Discrimination Sector, European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights, said that the event today was an opportunity to reflect on progress achieved and enduring gaps between the Convention’s promise and lived reality. The Convention enshrined the right to equality, but in many areas, discrimination persisted, and implementation of the Convention remained as urgent as ever. The Agency had conducted studies that painted stark pictures of racism in Europe, which was structural and intersectional.
One study found that around 31 per cent of the Roma experienced racial discrimination, around 36 per cent experienced discrimination in the labour market, 64 per cent of Roma children in high concentration areas attended segregated schools, and the Roma had a life expectancy gap of seven or eight years with the rest of the European population. Other studies found that people of African descent and Muslim communities also encountered high rates of racism and discrimination in access to housing and work. Studies found that there had been increases in racial discrimination between 2023 and 2024. The promise of the Convention thus remained incomplete and the legacies of colonialism and exclusion continued to shape modern realities. The international community needed to address structural racism and protect the most vulnerable. The Agency was committed to working with States, institutions and civil society to ensure that equality remained a lived reality for all.
MEENA VARMA, Executive Director, International Dalit Solidarity Network, said caste-based discrimination was a hidden apartheid, affecting the human rights of more than 260 million people. The Convention’s inclusion of descent within its scope and explicit affirmation in general recommendation 29 that descent included caste and analogous systems of inherited status, had been crucial. The International Dalit Solidarity Network was formed to break the bonds of the caste system and campaign for the rights and dignity of Dalits. Today, Dalits continued to face entrenched, systemic and intersectional discrimination in many countries. The Convention remained an important tool to address it. However, it was only by referring explicitly to caste that one could fully understand the nature of this type of discrimination and the horrors of the indignity and perceived notions of purity and pollution.
The current realities that Dalits continued to face included discrimination and segregation in all aspects of life, severe barriers to accessing justice, disproportionate gender-based and sexual violence against Dalit women, digital caste hate speech, disproportionate climate vulnerabilities, and caste-related labour exploitation and abuse in global supply chains. Moving forward, it was important to ensure full implementation of the Convention; reaffirm and operationalise general recommendation 29; collect disaggregated data and monitor implementation of recommended measures; and strengthen access to justice for addressing caste discrimination and realising the human rights of persons affected by caste discrimination, among other recommendations. Caste needed to be recognised as a global issue.
CLAIRE CHARTERS, Professor, Faculty of Law, University of Auckland, said indigenous peoples continued to face the effects of colonisation the world over, including systemic discrimination embedded in constitutional and legal structures and institutions. The genesis of this systemic discrimination was in the forceful imposition of colonial constitutions and governments over indigenous peoples’ territories without their consent. When that happened, invariably the non-indigenous colonial legal systems overruled and disregarded indigenous peoples’ sovereign rights, including the rights to self-determination and their lands, territories and resources.
Human rights treaty bodies had provided critical review of the consequences of colonisation, and the Committee had been leading the charge with its jurisprudence in this respect. It adopted a general recommendation with respect to indigenous peoples in 1997 and had called on States to uphold indigenous peoples’ rights to their lands, territories and resources in its reviews. The Committee could be instrumental in promoting redress for the ongoing consequences of colonisation by continuing to review States parties; continuing to emphasise indigenous peoples’ self-determination; reviewing and revising its general recommendation 23 to reflect progressive developments in indigenous peoples’ rights; and working closely together with indigenous peoples. She closed by wishing the Committee a happy birthday.
MÃE NILCE DE IANSÃ, National Network of Afro-Brazilian Religions and Health, said just four years ago there was no reliable data on the violence against Afro-Brazilian communities. The project “Respect my Afro-Brazilian Religion” had broken this silence. The first research in 2022 covered over 200 communities of Afro-Brazilian communities, and found all kinds of crimes, drawing the profiles of those committing the crimes. In 2024, more research was conducted with over 500 Afro-Brazilian religious communities. The results spoke volumes, emphasising communities attacked and people who had been disrespected. The violence destroyed entire families and pained communities. Most victims had no access to justice and there were no reparations.
The High Commissioner for Human Rights had recognised religious violence in one of his reports which was historic, but did not go far enough. Government mechanisms were still weak. The Network was calling for urgent actions from States, including drawing up public policies to protect members of traditional religious congregations, and that these groups should be involved in drafting the policies. There needed to be reparations, and inclusion of religious history in school curricula, as a means of combatting racism. Despite the attacks, Afro-Brazilians continued to support each other. They were calling for justice, recognition and respect. It was hoped the Convention’s sixtieth anniversary would be characterised by the elimination of religious violence.
Discussion
In the discussion, speakers, among other things, said the Convention was an absolute necessity and that universal adherence to the Convention was vital for a better world.
Several speakers raised concerns that many people of African descent, indigenous peoples, migrants, ethnic minorities and others continued to face persistent racial discrimination, and legacies of colonialism continued to inhibit efforts to achieve equality. Speakers gave statements expressing specific concern regarding the situation of Black women in Colombia, many of whom continued to face poverty; the Roma in Europe, who faced continued segregation and violence; and discrimination against certain nationalities and languages in European States. One speaker called for an end to the occupation of Palestine, which was an example of institutionalised racial discrimination.
Some speakers said education, cultural dialogue and the strengthening of institutions were fundamental pillars for a fairer and more inclusive society. The international community needed to work for a world in which equality was realised for all, regardless of race, colour, descent, and national or ethnic origin. One speaker said sustainable development was only possible with the elimination of all forms of racial inequality.
A number of speakers presented national measures taken to combat and prohibit racial discrimination, including institutions established to prevent racism; regional justice and development plans supporting indigenous peoples; and measures to restore the rights of women of African descent.
Speakers asked the panellists about new challenges for the effective implementation of the Convention; whether the Committee would consider convening a hearing on the urgent situation of the Roma; best practices for combatting emerging forms of discrimination against the global Dalit diaspora; and examples of good practices in implementing the Convention to protect minority rights.
Committee Experts, meanwhile, asked the panellists about guidelines for States to improve disaggregated data collection in the health sector; the status of indigenous peoples in Europe; and the possibility of establishing a declaration on discrimination based on work and descent.
Concluding Remarks
SHERYL LIGHFOOT, Vice-Chairperson, Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, said the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples was inaccurately described as a non-binding human rights declaration. However, it became binding through domestic legislation and the treaty bodies. Work had been done to gather data on how the treaty bodies were using the declaration as an interpretive lens, with the Committee being the first to do so. This was cascading down to other treaty bodies which was exciting. Ms. Lightfoot encouraged more indigenous peoples around the world to bring issues to the Committee and other treaty bodies.
ROSSALINA LATCHEVA, Head of the Anti-Racism and Non-Discrimination Sector, European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights, said a guidance had been produced for Member States to collect equality data containing national practices. If there were safeguards, this data could be collected, as well as if a human rights-based approach to collecting data was used.
MEENA VARMA, Executive Director, International Dalit Solidarity Network, said there were several steps before a declaration of those suffering from descent-based discrimination could become a reality. The United Nations principles and guidelines from 2007 should be adopted, which would provide a good basis for advocating for a Convention in this regard. Caste was a global issue, and it was important to embed it in every treaty body. The role of the Committee in the future would be vital for those working on caste discrimination. It was time to tear down the walls of caste.
CLAIRE CHARTERS, Professor, Faculty of Law, University of Auckland, said no country was perfect, but there were interesting legal things happening around the world, including developing customary law around indigenous people’s rights. Those norms were often binding. Human rights were relevant when they reached the hearts and minds of people. This involved engaging civil society, the media and parliamentarians. In places like Canada and Australia, there were treaties heading in the right direction. Lessons learned from the indigenous movement was to always persist and be present in the dialogues.
MÃE NILCE DE IANSÃ, National Network of Afro-Brazilian Religions and Health, said racism was a violation of human rights. There needed to be protective policies, reparations and security. It was not fair to have your place of worship destroyed by people violating human rights. The National Network would continue to fight for the culture of Afro-Brazilians, and against racism and violence.
VERENE ALBERTHA SHEPHERD, Committee Vice-Chair and moderator of the discussion, said the Committee worked hard to raise many issues in dialogues with States. However, the enduring nature of racial discrimination made it difficult to overcome these challenges. Nevertheless, the Committee remained resolved to work with States and other stakeholders to eliminate this scourge. Everyone was urged to join the fight.
Panel 3: “The Convention at 60 – A Living Instrument: Building on Progress, Shaping the Future”
RÉGINE ESSENEME, Committee Vice-Chair and moderator of the discussion, said article one of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights stated that all human beings were born free and equal in dignity and rights, were endowed with reason and conscience, and needed to act towards one another in a spirit of fraternity. This ideal, which had been pursued for 77 years, seemed to be difficult to achieve in view of the current resurgence of racism and xenophobia, despite all the legal instruments relating to human rights that were adopted by the United Nations and regional mechanisms. The Convention offered States and all stakeholders a framework for the realisation of all human rights without discrimination.
This panel would be an opportunity to reflect on past achievements and shortcomings, which could inform responses to persistent and emerging challenges in the fight against racial discrimination. It would highlight the character of the Convention as a living instrument and would articulate a forward-looking vision to strengthen the implementation of the Convention; the capacities of its Committee and the need to revitalise its procedures, particularly in the context of budgetary constraints; and the disengagement of some States from human rights obligations and mechanisms.
DAFNA FEINHOLZ KLIP, Director, Research and Inclusion Division, United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, said the Convention was now more than ever a living commitment, renewed through the work of the Committee. Over the years, it had evolved and adapted to new challenges and given voices to those who had none. However, today challenges were not diminishing. The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization’s Global Outlook on Racism and Discrimination, launched in 2024, noted that 70 per cent of countries reported discrimination against marginalised groups in the last decade. Since 2020, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization had organised four global forums against racism and racial discrimination, trained 17,000 young people, held six youth camps for sustainable cities, and created a network of anti-discrimination officials.
One of the most significant milestones had been the official launch of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization’s Global Alliance against Racism and Discrimination, which consolidated decades of fragmented commitment into a coordinated platform, bringing together multiple stakeholders to implement public polices, strengthen legal frameworks, and mobilise solidarity worldwide. The Global Alliance aimed to create synergies and support States in transforming the Convention’s provisions into realities. It was important to hold onto the hope that societies could change, that injustices could be overcome, and that the new generation would inherit a world that was more just than today.
ALBERT K. BARUME, Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, noted the impact of the Convention and its general recommendation 23, which had been guiding lights for fostering trust and respect between States and indigenous peoples. He welcomed the Committee’s efforts to promote the rights of indigenous peoples. Indigenous peoples suffered from the worst forms of racial discrimination. Those who experienced it frequently experienced several other violations as a result. Indigenous peoples were portrayed as racially and culturally inferior, lacking the ability to govern themselves. This form of racism had been used to dispossess indigenous peoples of their ancestral lands. The right to land and territory of indigenous peoples was clearly founded in international norms.
The Committee had inspired legal frameworks promoting indigenous rights. It had emphasised ongoing historical forms of racial discrimination that continued to be experienced by indigenous peoples in post-colonial States. In the current global trend of resistance to human rights, vulnerable groups such as indigenous peoples paid the highest price.
STAMATIA STAVRINAKI, Committee Member, said today’s discussion offered a valuable opportunity to reflect on the individual communications procedure, which formed a vital part of the Convention’s protective architecture. All these mechanisms not only provided redress but clarified States obligations and promoted compliance. Through this mechanism, the Committee heard cases of those whose voices remained unheard. In the communications, the Committee had addressed a wide range of issues, including legislation on hate speech, practices in prosecuting hate crimes, structural discrimination, discrimination in employment, the situation of minorities, including Roma, and the rights of indigenous peoples.
The findings of these cases had deepened understanding of how States parties could better implement the Convention, including how national courts could better examine anti-discrimination cases and redress individuals, and the collective harm of racial discrimination. However, the procedure faced significant challenges, including that only a limited number of States had accepted the declaration to receive individual complaints. Since 1982, when the mechanism became operational, the Committee had considered more than 80 complaints relating to 20 countries. Resource constraints within the United Nations human rights system, coupled with a lack of awareness about complaints mechanisms, posed issues. Looking ahead, Ms. Stavrinaki expressed hope that all States parties would commit to all procedures of the Convention.
ASHWINI K.P., Special Rapporteur on Contemporary Forms of Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance, said the Convention remained one of the most visionary yet practical international human rights instruments. It was adopted at a historic moment, when the world sought to dismantle structural racial discrimination. However, the scourge of racial discrimination remained entrenched in the world today. It manifested in barriers to access to health, education, housing and public services for ethnic minorities. A renewed commitment was required to build on the Convention’s progress. Implementation needed to be transparent and measurable.
States needed to strengthen accountability mechanisms and provide national human rights institutions with sufficient resources and independence. Education systems needed to nurture empathy, not indifference. As contemporary challenges emerged, including algorithmic biases, climate-induced displacement, and manipulation of narratives, the international community’s commitment to the Convention needed to be unwavering. The Convention called on the world to act assertively. A world without racism was not only aspirational, but achievable.
MATTIAS ÅHREN, Guest Professor, Faculty of Law, Lund University, said the Committee’s 2021 Ågren decision showed how the Committee and other judicial institutions could contribute to the realisation of the human rights of indigenous and other marginalised peoples, respond to different rights violations, and require States to take measures accordingly. In the Ågren case, the Committee held that Sweden breached the Vapsten indigenous Sámi reindeer herding community’s right to control its land by authorising a mining project on the community’s land. The Committee found that assessments of whether limitations on rights were allowed needed to be customised to indigenous communities’ cultural background. Since this decision in 2021, Ågren had been widely referenced, cited and endorsed by other United Nations treaty bodies. Indigenous peoples’ rights to lands and societies entitled them to control their territories, lands and societies. The Committee had taken the lead in the crystallisation of these rights as norms.
CARLOS QUESADA, Executive Director, Race and Equality, dedicated his speech to one of the last survivors of the Tulsa massacre in Oklahoma who had recently passed away. In 2017, Race and Equality had conducted research, finding that civil society had not sufficiently used the Committee in their advocacy and States had failed to take the Committee’s review process with the seriousness it deserved. Some States had even appeared openly hostile to the work of the Committee, despite the process being designed by States themselves. Civil society reports had become an important source of information for Committee members to help them understand the full scope of the countries’ examined, helping the Committee apply stronger oversight to the State’s implementation of the Convention.
However, the participation of civil society in the process was hindered by a lack of awareness of the Committee’s work, and a lack of resources that posed a challenge, as did the liquidity issue facing the United Nations. Race and Equality aimed to address these challenges. Unfortunately, there was a lack of notable will and ability to act critically among some of the Committee members. Mr. Quesada said the Committee should seek to raise the awareness of the Convention among civil society, including through conferences and meetings, and put further pressure on States to submit their reports on time. There needed to be a stronger Committee which spoke out against acts of racism and racial intolerance in the world.
PAUL DIVAKAR NAMALA, Convenor of the Global Forum of Communities Discriminated on Work and Descent, said 60 years after its adoption, the Convention remained a cornerstone of the international human rights infrastructure. The Committee’s general recommendations had continuously updated global standards addressing racism, structural discrimination, digital profiling, hate speech, and discrimination based on descent. Its inter-State and individual communication system had affirmed that racial discrimination was judicable.
Around 270 million people, including Dalits, Roma and other ethnic minorities experienced systematic exclusion rooted in inherited status. The Convention remained relevant in this landscape, addressing intersectional and gendered racial discrimination. The Committee needed to enhance its cooperation with United Nations special procedures, regional mechanisms, national human rights institutions, victims and survivors, and work to raise awareness of its mechanisms and make them more accessible. By confronting emerging challenges with courage, the Committee could guide the world into a future where no community remained invisible and no system of inherited inequality remained untouched.
Discussion
In the discussion, speakers, among other things, said today, the sixtieth anniversary of the adoption of the Convention was not just an opportunity to celebrate but to make true and structural change. It was a time to pay homage to victims and express the wish for a world free from racial discrimination, where everyone was treated equally. Through the Committee, the Convention had evolved into a living framework and would continue to adapt to evolving circumstances.
It should be celebrated that in 2014, the Committee was the first treaty body to seat an indigenous expert as its chair, one speaker said. The Committee continued to make strong recommendations to States to respect indigenous peoples’ rights to free, prior and informed consent, and to protect their sacred sites. The Committee should be thanked for its vital work.
Unfortunately, the Committee faced many challenges, including the late or lack of submissions of the periodic reports of some States, which was vital for the Committee. Adequate and predictable funding for all human rights bodies was essential. It was also vital to ensure the effectiveness of mechanisms which implemented the provisions of the Convention.
No country was spared from racism; it was a global concern and there needed to be collective action to combat it. The ban on discrimination was the only right set out under all nine treaties., one speaker said.
There needed to be strengthened political will, properly implemented laws, and reparations for affected communities, so everyone could achieve dignity. Activists were often repressed in some States, a speaker said, and those in prisons sometimes faced slavery like practices, perpetuated by the State. Racism threatened international peace, stability and development. Sixty years on, the Convention remained highly relevant, and several speakers pledged their continued support.
Committee Experts raised questions and comments to the panellists, including that civil society was the engine of the Committee’s work; civil society organizations and the use of technology and opportunities at regional levels; the challenges posed by the current liquidity crisis; structural discrimination which affected indigenous peoples, Roma and people of African descent; and asking how the Committee could still engage with non-governmental organizations and civil society to promote the Convention and seek effectiveness in implementation.
Closing Remarks
ALBERT K. BARUME, Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, said indigenous peoples’ land and territory was in high demand due to factors such as the carbon market and increasing demand for resources. Between 40 to 50 per cent of minerals required for green energy were on indigenous land. There had been a regression in commitments to indigenous peoples’ rights and an increase in hate speech. Mr. Marume called on the Committee to update general recommendation 23 to consider the new risks faced by indigenous peoples. He closed with an African proverb that said that when elephants fought, it was the surrounding trees that sustained the most damage.
STAMATIA STAVRINAKI, Committee Member, said the Committee had strengthened general recommendation 23 through its recent concluding observations and general recommendations, which clarified the Committee’s position on access to material rights and land. The Committee’s general recommendation on health and its most recent joint general recommendations adopted with the Committee on the Rights of Migrant Workers reflected issues such as discrimination based on descent. The Committee was available to participate in local and regional events, where it could interact with civil society.
MATTIAS ÅHREN, Guest Professor, Faculty of Law, Lund University, said breaches of indigenous peoples’ rights were examples of structural discrimination. All were concerned by the Committee’s limited funding and wanted to see an increase in its resources. The Committee needed to continue to produce precise, relevant recommendations. Indigenous peoples viewed their rights as sovereignty rights, but they had been more effectively implemented through the propriety system, and the Committee had been at the forefront in this regard. The Committee needed to update general recommendation 23 in this regard.
CARLOS QUESADA, Executive Director, Race and Equality, said the United Nations had regional offices around the world. The Committee needed to take advantage of those regional offices in efforts to liaise with civil society. Race and Equality had contributed to interaction between the Committee and civil society organizations in Brazil. The Committee needed to strengthen its use of modern technologies in this regard. The Committee’s secretariat needed sufficient resources to support the Committee’s mandate.
PAUL DIVAKAR NAMALA, Convenor of the Global Forum of Communities Discriminated on Work and Descent, said much new information had come to light since the Committee issued its general recommendation 29 almost 25 years ago. The Committee needed to update this general recommendation. There were ways of reducing the cost of the Committee’s operations using digital technologies. The Committee needed to pursue these methods. Mr. Namala expressed support for an increased budget for the Committee.
RÉGINE ESSENEME, Committee Vice-Chair and moderator of the discussion, said the Committee would draw upon all statements made in the panel. The fight for a world free from racial discrimination required efforts from all stakeholders, including rights holders themselves. The international community needed to fight together to make equality of human beings a tangible reality.
Closing Statements for the Commemoration
MICHAL BALCERZAK, Chairperson of the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, thanked all panellists, States and other participants for their contributions to the meeting, and the secretariat for organising the session. The Committee had come a long way over the last 55 years. The first report submitted to the Committee in 1970 had one sentence saying that there was no racial discrimination in the country. Reports today went further in depth and were much longer. In closing, Mr. Balcerzak thanked all those who supported the Committee during this period of financial crisis. He expressed hope that it would be temporary.
YEUNG KAM JOHN YEUNG SIK YUEN, Committee Expert, said he was leaving Geneva tomorrow as his term as a Committee member came to an end. He had spent the last 12 years working on the Committee and had enjoyed his work, despite some tough moments. He acknowledged the problems the treaty body system was experiencing with funding and wished the Committee all the best for the future.
GAY MCDOUGALL, Committee Vice-Chair, said it had been an honour and privilege to serve on the Committee for 12 years. Committee members, those in the secretariat, and civil society were working towards a common cause to end racism. Ms. McDougall said she would continue her work after she left the Committee.
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