| United Nations | A/RES/48/91 |
General Assembly
Distr. GENERAL
20 December 1993
ORIGINAL:
ENGLISH
A/RES/48/91
84th plenary meeting
20 December 1993
Third Decade to Combat Racism and Racial Discrimination
The General Assembly,
Reaffirming its objectives set forth in the Charter of the United
Nations to achieve international cooperation in solving problems of an
economic, social, cultural or humanitarian character and in promoting and
encouraging respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms for all without
distinction as to race, sex, language or religion,
Reaffirming also its firm determination and its commitment to eradicate
totally and unconditionally racism in all its forms, racial discrimination and
apartheid,
Recalling the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the International
Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination, the
International Convention on the Suppression and Punishment of the Crime of
Apartheid, and the Convention against Discrimination in Education adopted by
the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization on 14
December 1960,
Recalling also the outcome of the two World Conferences to Combat Racism
and Racial Discrimination, held at Geneva in 1978 and 1983,
Welcoming the outcome of the World Conference on Human Rights, and, in
particular, the attention given in the Vienna Declaration and Programme of
Action to the elimination of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and
other forms of intolerance,
Welcoming also the decision taken by the Economic and Social Councilon
28 July 1993 concerning the appointment of a special rapporteur on
contemporary forms of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related
intolerance,
Recalling its resolution 38/14 of 22 November 1983, the annex to which
contains the Programme of Action for the Second Decade to Combat Racism and
Racial Discrimination,
Noting with grave concern that despite the efforts of the international
community, the principal objectives of the two Decades for Action to Combat
Racism and Racial Discrimination have not been attained and that millions of
human beings continue to this day to be the victims of varied forms of racism,
racial discrimination and apartheid,
Deeply concerned about the current trend of the evolution of racism into
discriminatory practices based on culture, nationality, religion or language,
Recalling, in particular, its resolution 47/77 of 16 December 1992,
Having considered the report submitted by the Secretary-General within
the framework of the implementation of the Programme of Action for the Second
Decade,
Firmly convinced of the need to take more effective and sustained
measures at the national and international levels for the elimination of all
forms of racism and racial discrimination,
Welcoming the proposal to launch a third decade to combat racism and
racial discrimination,
Convinced of the need to ensure and support the peaceful transition
towards a democratic and non-racial South Africa,
Recognizing the importance of strengthening national legislation and
institutions for the promotion of racial harmony,
Aware of the importance and the magnitude of the phenomenon of migrant
workers, as well as the efforts undertaken by the international community to
improve the protection of the human rights of migrant workers and members of
their families,
Recalling the adoption at its forty-fifth session of the International
Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members
of Their Families,
Acknowledging that indigenous people are at times victims of particular
forms of racism and racial discrimination,
Reaffirming the Declaration on Apartheid and its Destructive
Consequences in Southern Africa, unanimously adopted by the General Assembly
at its sixteenth special session, on 14 December 1989, which offers guidelines
on how to end apartheid,
1. Declares once again that all forms of racism and racial
discrimination, whether in their institutionalized form, such as apartheid, or
resulting from official doctrines of racial superiority and/or exclusivity,
such as ethnic cleansing, are among the most serious violations of human
rights in the contemporary world and must be combated by all available means;
2. Decides to proclaim the ten-year period beginning in 1993 as the
Third Decade to Combat Racism and Racial Discrimination, and to adopt the
Programme of Action proposed for the Third Decade contained in the annex to
the present resolution;
3. Calls upon Governments to cooperate with the Special Rapporteur on
contemporary forms of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related
intolerance to enable him to fulfil his mandate;
4. Urges all Governments to take all necessary measures to combat new
forms of racism, in particular by adapting constantly the methods provided to
combat them, especially in the legislative, administrative, educational and
information fields;
5. Decides that the international community, in general, and the
United Nations, in particular, should continue to give the highest priority to
programmes for combating racism, racial discrimination and apartheid and
intensify their efforts, during the Third Decade, to provide assistance and
relief to the victims of racism and all forms of racial discrimination and
apartheid;
6. Requests the Secretary-General to continue to accord special
attention to the situation of migrant workers and members of their families
and to include regularly in his reports all information on such workers;
7. Calls upon all Member States to consider signing and ratifying or
acceding to the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of
All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families as a matter of priority, to
enable its entry into force;
8. Also requests the Secretary-General to continue the study on the
effects of racial discrimination on the children of minorities, in particular
those of migrant workers, in the fields of education, training and employment,
and to submit, inter alia, specific recommendations for the implementation of
measures to combat the effects of that discrimination;
9. Urges the Secretary-General, United Nations bodies, the
specialized agencies, all Governments, intergovernmental organizations and
relevant non-governmental organizations, in implementing the Programme of
Action for the Third Decade, to pay particular attention to the situation of
indigenous people;
10. Further requests the Secretary-General to revise and finalize the
draft model legislation for the guidance of Governments in the enactment of
further legislation against racial discrimination, in the light of comments
made by members of the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination
at its fortieth and forty-first sessions and to publish and distribute the
text as soon as possible;
11. Renews its invitation to the United Nations Educational,
Scientific and Cultural Organization to expedite the preparation of teaching
materials and teaching aids to promote teaching, training and educational
activities on human rights and against racism and racial discrimination, with
particular emphasis on activities at the primary and secondary levels of
education;
12. Considers that all the parts of the Programme of Action for the
Third Decade should be given equal attention in order to attain the objectives
of the Third Decade;
13. Regrets that some of the activities scheduled for the Second
Decade to Combat Racism and Racial Discrimination have not been implemented
because of lack of adequate resources;
14. Requests the Secretary-General to ensure that the necessary
financial resources are provided for the implementation of the activities of
the Third Decade during the biennium 1994-1995;
15. Also requests the Secretary-General to accord the highest priority
to the activities of the Programme of Action for the Third Decade that aim at
monitoring the transition from apartheid to a non-racist society in South
Africa;
16. Further requests the Secretary-General to submit each year to the
Economic and Social Council a detailed report on all activities of United
Nations bodies and the specialized agencies containing an analysis of
information received on such activities to combat racism and racial
discrimination;
17. Invites the Secretary-General to submit proposals to the General
Assembly with a view to supplementing, if necessary, the Programme of Action
for the Third Decade;
18. Invites all Governments, United Nations bodies, the specialized
agencies and other intergovernmental organizations, as well as interested
non-governmental organizations in consultative status with the Economic and
Social Council, to participate fully in the Third Decade;
19. Invites all Governments, intergovernmental and non-governmental
organizations and individuals in a position to do so to contribute generously
to the Trust Fund for the Programme for the Decade for Action to Combat Racism
and Racial Discrimination, and to this end requests the Secretary-General to
continue to undertake appropriate contacts and initiatives;
20. Decides to keep the item entitled "Elimination of racism and
racial discrimination" on its agenda and to consider it as a matter of the
highest priority at its forty-ninth session.
ANNEX
Programme of Action for the Third Decade to Combat
Racism and Racial Discrimination (1993-2003)
INTRODUCTION
1. The goals and objectives of the Third Decade to Combat Racism and Racial
Discrimination are those adopted by the General Assembly for the first Decade
and contained in paragraph 8 of the annex to its resolution 3057 (XXVIII) of 2
November 1973:
"The ultimate goals of the Decade are to promote human rights and
fundamental freedoms for all, without distinction of any kind on grounds
of race, colour, descent or national or ethnic origin, especially by
eradicating racial prejudice, racism and racial discrimination; to
arrest any expansion of racist policies, to eliminate the persistence of
racist policies and to counteract the emergence of alliances based on
mutual espousal of racism and racial discrimination; to resist any
policy and practices which lead to the strengthening of the racist
regimes and contribute to the sustainment of racism and racial
discrimination; to identify, isolate and dispel the fallacious and
mythical beliefs, policies and practices that contribute to racism and
racial discrimination; and to put an end to racist regimes."
2. In drawing up suggested elements for the Programme of Action for the
Third Decade, account has been taken of the fact that current global economic
conditions have caused many Member States to call for budgetary restraint,
which in turn requires a conservative approach to the number and type of
programmes of action that may be considered at this time. The Secretary-
General also took into account the relevant suggestions made by the Committee
on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination at its forty-first session. The
elements presented below have been suggested as those which are essential,
should resources be made available to implement them.
MEASURES TO ENSURE A PEACEFUL TRANSITION FROM APARTHEID
TO A DEMOCRATIC, NON-RACIAL REGIME IN SOUTH AFRICA
3. Recently, there have been signs of change in South Africa, notably the
abolition of such legal pillars of apartheid as the Group Areas Act, the Land
Areas Act and the Population Registration Act. Although there is reason to be
hopeful that South Africa is moving into the mainstream of the international
community, the transition period may prove to be difficult and dangerous.
Fierce political competition between political parties and ethnic groups has
in fact already lead to bloodshed.
4. The General Assembly and the Security Council should therefore continue
to exercise constant vigilance with regard to South Africa until a democratic
regime is installed in that country. These two bodies might, moreover,
consider initiating a mechanism to advise and assist the parties concerned in
order to bring apartheid to an end, not only in law but also in fact.
Reference should be made to Security Council resolution 765 (1992) of 16 July
1992 urging the South African authorities to bring an effective end to the
violence and bring those responsible to justice.
5. The General Assembly will continue to examine the relevant work
undertaken by the established United Nations bodies in the fight against
apartheid, that is, the Special Committee against Apartheid, the Group of
Three and the Ad Hoc Working Group of Experts on Southern Africa.
MEASURES TO REMEDY THE LEGACY OF CULTURAL, ECONOMIC AND
SOCIAL DISPARITIES LEFT BY APARTHEID
6. Action will be needed to rectify the consequences of apartheid in South
Africa, since the policy of apartheid has entailed the use of State power to
increase inequalities between racial groups. The knowledge and experience of
human rights bodies dealing with racial discrimination could be most useful in
promoting equality. Assistance to the victims of the political antagonisms
resulting from the process of dismantling apartheid must also be given the
greatest attention, and international solidarity on their behalf should be
intensified.
7. The Centre for Human Rights should offer technical assistance in the
field of human rights to South Africa during and after the transition period.
A cycle of seminars intended to encourage the advent of an egalitarian society
should be envisaged, in cooperation with the concerned specialized agencies
and units of the United Nations Secretariat, which could include the
following:
(a) Seminar on measures to be taken on behalf of the disadvantaged
groups in South African society in the cultural, economic and social fields
("positive discrimination");
(b) Seminar on the effects of racial discrimination on the health of
members of disadvantaged groups;
(c) Training courses in human rights for the South African police
force, military and judiciary.
8. In addition, in cooperation with the democratically elected Government
of South Africa, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural
Organization might undertake a project for the total revision of the South
African educational system in order to eliminate all methods and references of
a racist character.
ACTION AT THE INTERNATIONAL LEVEL
9. During the discussion at the substantive session of 1992 of the Economic
and Social Council concerning the Second Decade to Combat Racism and Racial
Discrimination, many delegations expressed their concern with regard to new
expressions of racism, racial discrimination, intolerance and xenophobia in
various parts of the world. In particular, these affect minorities, ethnic
groups, migrant workers, indigenous populations, nomads, immigrants and
refugees.
10. The biggest contribution to the elimination of racial discrimination
will be that which results from the actions of States within their own
territories. International action undertaken as part of any programme for the
Third Decade should therefore be directed so as to assist States to act
effectively. The International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of
Racial Discrimination has established standards for States, and every
opportunity should be seized to ensure that these are universally accepted and
applied.
11. The General Assembly should consider more effective action to ensure
that all States parties to the International Convention on the Elimination of
All Forms of Racial Discrimination fulfil their reporting and financial
obligations. National action against racism and racial discrimination should
be monitored and improved by requesting an expert member of the Committee on
the Elimination of Racial Discrimination to prepare a report on obstacles
encountered with respect to the effective implementation of the Convention by
States parties and suggestions for remedial measures.
12. The General Assembly requests the Secretary-General to organize regional
workshops and seminars. A team from the Committee should be invited to
monitor these meetings. The following themes are suggested for the seminars:
(a) Seminar to assess the experience gained in the implementation of
the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial
Discrimination. The seminar would also assess the efficiency of national
legislation and recourse procedures available to victims of racism;
(b) Seminar on the eradication of incitement to racial hatred and
discrimination, including the prohibition of propaganda activities and of
organizations involved in them;
(c) Seminar on the right to equal treatment before tribunals and other
judicial institutions, including the provision of reparation for damages
suffered as a result of discrimination;
(d) Seminar on the transmission of racial inequality from one
generation to another, with special reference to the children of migrant
workers and the appearance of new forms of segregation;
(e) Seminar on immigration and racism;
(f) Seminar on international cooperation in the elimination of racial
discrimination, including cooperation between States, the contribution of
non-governmental organizations, national and regional institutions, United
Nations bodies and petitions to treaty-monitoring bodies;
(g) Seminar on the enactment of national legislation to combat racism
and racial discrimination affecting ethnic groups, migrant workers and
refugees (in Europe and North America);
(h) Seminar on flows of refugees resulting from ethnic conflicts or
political restructuring of multi-ethnic societies in socio-economic transition
(Eastern Europe, Africa and Asia) and their link with racism in the host
country;
(i) Training course on national legislation prohibiting racial
discrimination for nationals from countries with and without such legislation;
(j) Regional seminars on nationalism, ethno-nationalism and human
rights could also provide an opportunity for broadening knowledge of the
causes of today's ethnic conflicts and particularly of the so-called policy of
"ethnic cleansing", in order to provide solutions.
13. The General Assembly requests the Department of Public Information of
the Secretariat to undertake specific activities that could be carried out by
Governments and relevant national non-governmental organizations to
commemorate the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination
on 21 March each year. Support should be sought from artists, as well as
religious leaders, trade unions, enterprises and political parties, to
sensitize the population on the evils of racism and racial discrimination.
14. The Department of Public Information should also publish its posters for
the Third Decade and informative brochures on the activities planned for the
Decade. Documentary films and reports, as well as radio broadcasts on the
damaging effects of racism and racial discrimination, should, moreover, be
considered.
15. In cooperation with the United Nations Educational, Scientific and
Cultural Organization and the Department of Public Information, the General
Assembly supports the organization of a seminar on the role of mass media in
combating or disseminating racist ideas.
16. In cooperation with the International Labour Organisation, the
possibility of organizing a seminar on the role of trade unions in combating
racism and racial discrimination in employment should be explored.
17. The General Assembly invites the United Nations Educational, Scientific
and Cultural Organization to expedite the preparation of teaching materials
and teaching aids to promote teaching, training and educational activities
against racism and racial discrimination, with particular emphasis on
activities at the primary and secondary levels of education.
18. The General Assembly calls upon Member States to make special efforts:
(a) To promote the aim of non-discrimination in all educational
programmes and policies;
(b) To give special attention to the civic education of teachers. It
is essential that teachers be aware of the principles and essential content of
the legal texts relevant to racism and racial discrimination and of how to
deal with the problem of relations between children belonging to different
communities;
(c) To teach contemporary history at an early age, presenting children
with an accurate picture of the crimes committed by fascist and other
totalitarian regimes, and more particularly of the crimes of apartheid and
genocide;
(d) To ensure that curricula and textbooks reflect anti-racist
principles and promote intercultural education.
ACTION AT THE NATIONAL AND REGIONAL LEVELS
19. The following questions are addressed in the context of action to be
taken at the national and regional levels: have there been any successful
national models to eliminate racism and racial prejudices that could be
recommended to States, for example, for educating children, or principles of
equality to tackle racism against migrant workers, ethnic minorities or
indigenous people? What kind of affirmative action programmes are there at
the national or regional level to redress discrimination against specific
groups?
20. The General Assembly recommends that States that have not yet done so
adopt, ratify and implement legislation prohibiting racism and racial
discrimination, such as the International Convention on the Elimination of All
Forms of Racial Discrimination, the International Convention on the
Suppression and Punishment of the Crime of Apartheid and the International
Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members
of Their Families.
21. The General Assembly recommends that Member States review their national
programmes to combat racial discrimination and its effects in order to
identify and to seize opportunities to close gaps between different groups,
and especially to undertake housing, educational and employment programmes
that have proved to be successful in combating racial discrimination and
xenophobia.
22. The General Assembly recommends that Member States encourage the
participation of journalists and human rights advocates from minority groups
and communities in the mass media. Radio and television programmes should
increase the number of broadcasts produced by and in cooperation with racial
and cultural minority groups. Multicultural activities of the media should
also be encouraged where they can contribute to the suppression of racism and
xenophobia.
23. The General Assembly recommends that regional organizations cooperate
closely with United Nations efforts to combat racism and racial
discrimination. Regional organizations dealing with human rights issues could
mobilize public opinion in their regions against the evils of racism and
racial prejudices directed towards disadvantaged racial and ethnic groups.
These institutions could serve an important function in assisting Governments
to enact national legislation against racial discrimination and promote
adoption and application of international conventions. Regional human rights
commissions should be called upon to publicize widely basic texts on existing
human rights instruments.
BASIC RESEARCH AND STUDIES
24. The long-term viability of the United Nations programme against racism
and racial discrimination will depend in part on continuing research into the
causes of racism and into the new manifestations of racism and racial
discrimination. The General Assembly may wish to examine the importance of
preparing studies on racism. The following are some aspects to be studied:
(a) Application of article 2 of the International Convention on the
Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination. Such a study might assist
States to learn from one another the national measures taken to implement the
Convention;
(b) Economic factors contributing to perpetuation of racism and racial
discrimination;
(c) Integration or preservation of cultural identity in a multiracial
or multi-ethnic society;
(d) Political rights, including the participation of various racial
groups in political processes and their representation in government service;
(e) Civil rights, including migration, nationality and freedom of
opinion and association;
(f) Educational measures to combat racial prejudice and discrimination
and to propagate the principles of the United Nations;
(g) Socio-economic costs of racism and racial discrimination;
(h) Global integration and the question of racism and the nation
State;
(i) National mechanisms against racism and racial discrimination in
the fields of immigration, employment, salary, housing, education and
ownership of property.
COORDINATION AND REPORTING
25. It may be relevant to recall that in its resolution 38/14 of 22 November
1983, in which it proclaimed the Second Decade to Combat Racism and Racial
Discrimination, the General Assembly charged the Economic and Social Council
with coordinating the implementation of the Programme of Action for the Second
Decade and evaluating the activities. The Assembly decides that the following
steps should be taken to strengthen the United Nations input into the Third
Decade to Combat Racism and Racial Discrimination:
(a) The General Assembly entrusts the Economic and Social Council and
the Commission on Human Rights, in cooperation with the Secretary-General,
with the responsibility for coordinating the programmes and evaluating the
activities undertaken in connection with the Third Decade;
(b) The Secretary-General is invited to provide specific information
on activities against racism, to be contained in one annual report, which
should be comprehensive in nature and allow a general overview of all mandated
activities. This will facilitate coordination and evaluation;
(c) An open-ended working group of the Commission on Human Rights, or
other appropriate arrangements under the Commission, may be established to
review decade-related information on the basis of the annual reports referred
to above, as well as relevant studies and reports of seminars, to assist the
Commission in formulating appropriate recommendations to the Economic and
Social Council on particular activities, allocation of priorities and so on.
26. Furthermore, an inter-agency meeting should be organized immediately
after the proclamation of the Third Decade, in 1994, with a view to planning
working meetings and other activities.
REGULAR SYSTEM-WIDE CONSULTATIONS
27. On an annual basis, consultations between the United Nations,
specialized agencies and non-governmental organizations should take place to
review and plan decade-related activities. In this framework, the Centre for
Human Rights should organize inter-agency meetings to consider and discuss
further measures to strengthen the coordination and cooperation of programmes
related to the issues of combating racism and racial discrimination.
28. The Centre should also strengthen the relationship with non-governmental
organizations fighting against racism and racial discrimination by holding
consultations and briefings with the non-governmental organizations. Such
meetings could help them to initiate, develop and present proposals regarding
the struggle against racism and racial discrimination.
29. The Secretary-General should include the activities to be carried out
during the Decade, as well as the related resource requirements, in the
proposed programme budgets, which will be submitted biennially, during the
Decade, starting with the proposed programme budget for the biennium 1994-
1995.