Background

Operative paragraph 23 of Human Rights Council resolution 51/32 entitled “From rhetoric to reality: a global call for concrete action against racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance” requests the Group of Independent Eminent Experts to prepare a comprehensive study on the implementation of the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action.

Key questions and types of input/comments sought

The Group of Independent Eminent Experts on the Implementation of the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action invites Member States, United Nations entities, specialized agencies and related organizations, regional bodies, organizations and mechanisms, financial and development institutions, intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations, national human rights institutions and other relevant stakeholders to submit written inputs to inform the preparation of the comprehensive study of the Group, pursuant to Human Rights Council resolution 51/32.

While the comprehensive study endeavours to cover all aspects of the implementation of the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action, the Group of Independent Eminent Experts focuses this call for inputs specifically on aspects of the study for which information could not be readily found in United Nations documents, and which are deemed important for the effective implementation of the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action. The guiding questions were developed further to a comprehensive review by the Group of Independent Eminent Experts of information available in United Nations documents, notably in relevant reporting by States to various human rights mechanisms.^[1] This approach is taken with a view to avoiding duplication and making optimal use of publicly available information to the United Nations human rights system.

National level

1. What kind of cooperation programmes have been developed, including bilateral, regional, and international ones, to promote equal opportunities for the benefit of victims of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia, and related intolerance? What steps have been taken to ensure the equal participation of marginalized groups in the development and implementation of such programmes (Durban Programme of Action paras. 60, 169, 174)?
2. Has the Government allocated adequate financial resources to implement measures for the eradication of racism, racial discrimination xenophobia and related intolerance? Please provide details regarding the annual amount, preferably for the last four years, and the types of activities that were funded, including those of national human rights institutions (Durban Declaration para.114, Durban Programme of Action paras.90, 117).
3. What measures have been taken to prevent and address multiple and intersecting forms of discrimination on the grounds of race, colour, descent or national or ethnic origin and related grounds such as sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, social origin, property, birth, or other status (Durban Declaration, paras. 2, 69, Durban Programme of Action paras.14, 18, 31, 49, 79, 104c, 172, 212)?
4. What indicators have been developed to monitor progress of anti-racism measures, including equal participation in decision making processes of individuals and groups of individuals subject to racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia, and related intolerance?
5. What measures have been put in place to monitor racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia, and related intolerance in the private sector, including in the areas of health, education, employment, housing, new technologies, and law enforcement (Durban Plan of Action, paras.93, 95)? What measures have been undertaken to promote and ensure equal access and equitable presence, of people of African descent and other marginalized groups, at all levels of the private enterprises, including transnational corporations (Durban Plan of Action, paras.11, 215)?
6. What mechanisms have been established at local and national levels, including innovative methods and procedures, for conflict resolution, mediation and conciliation between parties involved in conflicts or disputes based on racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia, and related intolerance (Durban Programme of Action, para. 164g)?

7. Have new information and communications technologies, such as the Internet, been used to eradicate or increase racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia, and related intolerance? If so, please share good practices, key challenges, and possible solutions (Durban Programme of Action para. 147g). Please highlight also examples of good practices, challenges, and possible solutions from other areas, such as health, education, employment, housing, and law enforcement.

   Regional level

8. What kind of activities and financial resources have been allocated by the African Development Bank, the Asian Development Bank, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, the Inter-American Development Bank and the Islamic Development Bank to eradicate racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia, and related intolerance? What steps have been taken to ensure the equal participation of racialized groups in economic, cultural, and social decision-making at all stages, particularly in the development and implementation of poverty alleviation strategies, development projects, and trade and market assistance programmes (Durban Programme of Action para. 112)?
9. What programmes of research, education, and mass communication have been implemented by regional organizations to disseminate widely a balanced and objective presentation of Africa’s seminal and valuable contribution to humanity (Durban Programme of Action para. 118)?
10. What strategies, programmes, policies, and legislation, including special measures, have been implemented at regional levels for enhancing equal social development and the full realization of human rights of all victims of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia, and related intolerance (Durban Declaration, para.107)? What steps have been taken to ensure the consideration of the grievances, opinions and demands of these victims (Durban Declaration, para.110), as well as the participation of youth in the design and implementation of respective activities (Durban Declaration, para.121)?
11. What activities have been implemented by regional bodies/organizations/ mechanisms to combat racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia, and related intolerance, including monitoring, data collection, dissemination of information and good practices, analysis of trends, awareness raising and other preventive measures. (Durban Declaration, para. 113, Durban Programme of Action para. 188). What have been the key achievements and challenges? Please provide also details on the annual allocation of financial resources for such activities.
12. What activities have been implemented by regional sports federations to intensify the fight against racism in sport? (Durban Programme of Action, para. 218)

International level

13. What kind of activities and financial resources have been allocated by international financial and development institutions, such as the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank, to eradicate racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia, and related intolerance and to mitigate any negative effects of globalization? What steps have been taken to ensure the equal participation of racialized groups in economic, cultural, and social decision-making at all stages, particularly in the development and implementation of poverty alleviation strategies, development projects, and trade and market assistance programmes (Durban Programme of Action paras. 112, 152, 208)?
14. What programmes of research, education, and mass communication have been implemented by United Nations entities and other international organizations to disseminate widely a balanced and objective presentation of Africa’s seminal and valuable contribution to humanity (Durban Programme of Action para. 118)? Have multi-media centres and programmes been established to collect, record, exhibit, and publish the existing data relevant to the history of slavery and the trans-Atlantic, Mediterranean and Indian Ocean slave trades, paying particular attention to the victims of slavery and the slave trade and their quest for freedom and justice (Durban Programme of Action para. 119)?
15. What activities have been implemented by UN entities and other international organizations to eradicate racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia, and related intolerance (Durban Programme of Action paras. 155, 156, 189)?
16. What activities have been implemented by the World Health Organization and other relevant international organizations for the recognition of the impact of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia, and related intolerance as significant social determinants of physical and mental health status, including pandemics, and access to health care (Durban Programme of Action, para. 154)?
17. What mechanisms have been established in the UN, including the Department of Peace Operations, to discern patterns of serious violations of human rights and humanitarian law with a view to assessing the risk of further deterioration that could lead to genocide, war crimes or crimes against humanity (Durban Programme of Action, para 153)?
18. In what ways have the international human rights mechanisms, including the special procedures of the Human Rights Council and treaty bodies, contributed to the effective implementation of the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action while fulfilling their mandates, in particular in their general comments/recommendations, concluding observations and thematic reports to the General Assembly and the Human Rights Council (Durban Programme of Action, paras. 177, 191, 198)?
19. What kind of activities and financial resources have been used by UN entities and international financial and development institutions, inter alia, to improve the situation of victims of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance and to ensure their equal participation in the development and implementation of such activities; to integrate human rights principles and standards into their policies and programmes; to include in their reports information on their contribution to promoting the equal participation of victims of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance within their programmes and activities (Durban Programme of Action, para. 190)?
20. What activities have been implemented by international sports federations to intensify the fight against racism in sport (Programme of Action, para. 218)?

How inputs will be used?

Submissions should include the full name of the person or organization submitting the information. Unless otherwise specified, all contributions received will be made available in full on the public OHCHR website. Kindly indicate if you wish to keep parts or the entirety of your submission confidential. If your submission includes names of victims and you wish for your submission to be public, please confirm that you have obtained the informed consent of these persons or their representatives and indicate whether the names and related information are in the public domain.

It should be noted that not all information shared will necessarily be reflected in the final report and that information falling outside the mandate will not be considered. 

1. Notably, the guidelines for the CERD-specific document to be submitted by States Parties under article 9, paragraph 1, of the Convention (CERD/C/2007/1) and the harmonized guidelines on reporting under the international human rights treaties, including guidelines on a core document and treaty-specific documents (HRI/GEN/2/Rev.6), as well as States’ periodic reports to treaty bodies and respective concluding observations, and reports of special procedures mandate-holders.