Third Decade to Combat Racism and Racial Discrimination, G.A. res. 50/136, U.N. Doc. A/RES/50/136 (1995)



     
 
     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, and racial
discrimination,
 
     Recalling the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the International
Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination 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,
 
     Recalling with satisfaction the outcome of the World Conference on Human
Rights, held at Vienna from 14 to 25 June 1993, 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,
 
     Stressing the importance of the activities of the Special Rapporteur of
the Commission on Human Rights on contemporary forms of racism, racial
discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance,
 
     Recalling its resolution 49/146 of 23 December 1994, the annex to which
contains the revised Programme of Action for the Third Decade to Combat Racism
and Racial Discrimination (1993-2003),
 
     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
and racial discrimination,
 
     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 48/91 of 20 December 1993, by
which it proclaimed the Third Decade to Combat Racism and Racial
Discrimination,
 
     Having considered the reports submitted by the Secretary-General within
the framework of the implementation of the Programme of Action for the Third
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,
 
     Recognizing the importance of strengthening national legislation and
institutions for the promotion of racial harmony,
 
     Deeply concerned about the fact that the phenomenon of racism and racial
discrimination against migrant workers continues to increase despite 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,
 
     1.   Declares once again that all forms of racism and racial
discrimination, whether in their institutionalized form or resulting from
official doctrines of racial superiority 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.   Recalls with satisfaction the proclamation of the Third Decade to
Combat Racism and Racial Discrimination, which began in 1993, and requests the
Secretary-General to make a further review of the Programme of Action with a
view to making it more effective and action-oriented;
 
     3.   Calls upon Governments to cooperate more closely with the Special
Rapporteur of the Commission on Human Rights 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 means 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 give the highest priority to programmes for
combating racism and racial discrimination and should intensify their efforts,
during the Third Decade, to provide assistance and relief to the victims of
racism and all forms of racial discrimination;
 
     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;
 
     8.   Commends all States which have ratified or acceded to the
international instruments to combat racism and racial discrimination;
 
     9.   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;
 
     10.  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;
 
     11.  Requests States to consider the relevant decisions of the Economic
and Social Council on the integrated follow-up to previous world conferences
and the need to make optimum use of all available mechanisms in the struggle
against racism;
 
     12.  Requests the Secretary-General to consult Member States and
intergovernmental, as well as non-governmental, organizations on the
possibility of holding a world conference to combat racism, racial
discrimination, xenophobia and other related contemporary forms of
intolerance;
 
     13.  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;
 
     14.  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 Decade;
 
     15.  Regrets that some of the activities scheduled for the Second Decade
to Combat Racism and Racial Discrimination have not been implemented for lack
of adequate resources;
 
     16.  Considers that voluntary contributions to the Trust Fund for the
Programme for the Decade for Action to Combat Racism and Racial Discrimination
are indispensable for the implementation of the Programme;
 
     17.  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 1996-1997;
 
     18.  Also requests the Secretary-General to accord the highest priority
to the activities of the Programme of Action for the Third Decade;
 
     19.  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;
 
     20.  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;
 
     21.  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;
 
     22.  Notes that unless a supplementary financial effort is made very few
of the activities planned for the period 1994-1997 will be carried out;
 
     23.  Strongly appeals to 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 to encourage contributions;
 
     24.  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 fifty-first session.
      

 

 



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