The Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination this morning opened its one hundred and thirteenth session, during which it will review anti-discrimination efforts by Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Iran, Iraq, Pakistan, the United Kingdom and Venezuela.
Guillaume Ngefa, Representative of the Secretary-General, Chief of the Universal Periodic Review Branch and Officer-in-Charge of the Human Rights Council and Treaty Mechanisms Division of the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, said many challenges facing the world today involved issues of direct concern to the Committee. Volker Türk, the High Commissioner for Human Rights, in his global update to the fifty-sixth session of the Human Rights Council, was "dismayed by the extent to which warring parties have pushed beyond the boundaries of what is acceptable… trampling human rights at their core."
The actions to which the High Commissioner referred demonstrated the continued relevance of the Convention today. For instance, the Advisory Decision of the International Court of Justice adopted on 19 July on the legal consequences arising from the policies and practices of Israel in the occupied Palestinian territory, including East Jerusalem, was grounded to a substantial degree on the Convention. This landmark decision highlighted the complementarity of the human rights mechanisms and the resonance of the human rights treaties and the work of the treaty bodies.
Mr. Ngefa said the Committee's efforts on intimidation and reprisals were welcomed. Civil society and victims provided crucial information and testimonies to the treaty bodies and provided treaty body experts with contextual information. States needed to ensure adequate protection against any act of intimidation or reprisals against those who cooperated with the United Nations, its representatives and its mechanisms in the field of human rights. There had been some important developments related to the Committee's mandate since the last session.
In accordance with Human Rights Council resolution 54/25 on a world of sport free from racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance, the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights made commitments to various sports bodies and Member States to include the fight against racism in and through sport on their agendas. The High Commissioner called on all stakeholders to work with the Office of the High Commissioner in the implementation of Human Rights Council resolution 54/25.
The High Commissioner would present his fourth report on racial justice and equality for Africans and people of African descent to the fifty-seventh session of the Human Rights Council, followed by an enhanced interactive dialogue with two directly affected individuals. Furthermore, calls for a Second International Decade for People of African Descent had gained momentum as the current International Decade concluded this year, with Member States undertaking initiatives to contribute to the fight against racism.
The Office of the High Commissioner continued to actively support efforts to strengthen the treaty body system, which was the key topic at the thirty-sixth annual meeting of the treaty body Chairpersons in New York in June. At a well-attended meeting with Member States, the Chairs called for resources to implement the predictable review schedule and other key strengthening proposals. The Office deeply appreciated the Committee's commitment to advancing human rights across the globe despite the challenging circumstances, as well as the liquidity crisis. Mr. Ngefa said he was pleased to inform the Committee that despite continuing resource challenges, funds had been secured for the organisation of all plenary sessions this year, including the Committee's third session. He wished the Committee a successful session.
Committee Chairperson Michal Balcerzak said the Advisory Decision referenced in the opening statement had included extensive references to the Convention. The Convention had also served as the basis for several pending proceedings at the International Court of Justice which underscored the Convention's significance as a crucial rights treaty.
As the Committee began its one hundred and thirteenth session, they were confronted with crises on multiple fronts. These challenges had already affected the work of the treaty bodies in various ways, including on the Committee's capacity to process individual communications. Despite the developments of the Office, the United Nations human rights system was in danger. States were urged to take their obligations under the United Nations Charter and international law. The Committee treated the issue of reprisals with utmost vigilance and reacted immediately. Sadly, disturbing information had been received in the context of the present session. Mr. Balcerzak called on all States to protect and support human rights defenders.
A Committee Expert said she was heartened to hear that Canada had extended the International Decade of People of African Descent. It was hoped other States would follow in their footsteps.
Another Expert said all the resolutions adopted by the International Court of Justice and the Security Council had not succeeded in stopping the massacre of an entire people. Despite efforts, Israel had not returned to peace. The world needed peace and justice. The killing needed to stop. The Committee should be at the forefront of efforts to stop discrimination.
A Committee Expert commended Canada's actions on extending the International Decade of People of African Descent and said the Committee should encourage other States to do the same. On the resolution on racism and sports, the Committee was working actively in this regard. As focal point on reprisals, the Expert said the Committee had indeed received allegations of intimidation of persons. The Committee aimed to secure the support of the concerned countries.
The Committee then adopted the provisional agenda.
Summaries of the public meetings of the Committee can be found here, while webcasts of the public meetings can be found here. The programme of work of the Committee's one hundred and thirteenth session and other documents related to the session can be found here.
The Committee will next meet in public on Tuesday, 6 August, at 3 p.m. to consider the combined twenty-second to twenty-fourth periodic report of Venezuela (CERD/C/VEN/22-24).
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