Implementation of the Programme of Action for the Second Decade to Combat Racism and Racial Discrimination.

1988/16. Implementation of the Programme of Action for the Second Decade to Combat Racism and Racial Discrimination

The Commission on Human Rights, Reaffirming the obligation of States under the Charter of the United Nations to promote universal respect for, and observance of, human rights and fundamental freedoms for all without distinction as to race, sex, language or religion, Reaffirming its conviction that racism, racial discrimination and apartheid constitute a total negation of the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Reaffirming its firm determination and its commitment to eradicate totally and unconditionally racism in all its forms, racial discrimination and apartheid, Recalling its resolution 1987/12 of 26 February 1987, Bearing in mind General Assembly resolution 39/16 of 23 November 1984 on the Second Decade to Combat Racism and Racial Discrimination, in which the Assembly invited The Commission on Human Rights to continue exercising vigilance in identifying actual or emergent situations of racism or racial discrimination, to draw attention to them where discovered and to suggest remedial measures, Convinced of the need to take more effective and sustained international measures for the elimination of all forms of racism and racial discrimination and the total eradication of apartheid in South Africa and Namibia, Noting with concern that, despite the efforts of the international community, the principal objectives of the first Decade for Action to Combat Racism and Racial Discrimination were not attained, and that millions of human beings continue to this day to be the victims of varied forms of racism, racial discrimination and apartheid, Recalling General Assembly resolution 42/47 of 30 November 1987, by which the Assembly appealed to all Governments, 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, Taking note with satisfaction of the declarations made by some States regarding their contributions to the Trust Fund, Taking note of the report of the Secretary-General (E/CN.4/1988/33),

1. Commends all States that have ratified or acceded to the relevant international instruments;

2. Appeals to those States that have not yet done so to take the necessary steps to ratify, accede to and implement the relevant international instruments, particularly 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 General Conference of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization on 14 December 1960;

3. Emphasizes the importance of adequate recourse procedures for victims of racism and racial discrimination and therefore requests the Secretary-General, in the light of the results of the seminars held on this topic, to prepare and finalize, with the appropriate assistance of qualified experts if possible, a handbook of recourse procedures;

4. Invites all Governments and international and non-governmental organizations to increase and intensify their activities to combat recism, racial discrimination and apartheid and to provide relief and assistance to the victims of these evils;

5. Urges all States and international organizations to co-operate with the Secretary-General in the implementation of the plan of activities for the period 1985-1989 (A/39/167-E/1984/33 and Add.1 and 2);

6. Appeals to all Governments, 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, so as to enable the Secretary-General to implement the various programme elements out lined in the plan of activities for 1985-1989;

7. Requests the Secretary-General to inform The Commission on Human Rights annually of the progress made in carrying out the above-mentioned plan of activities so that the Commission can make its contribution thereto;

8. Takes note with satisfaction of resolution 42/47, in which the General Assembly requested the Economic and Social Council, throughout the Second Decade, to submit annual reports to the General Assembly on the activities undertaken or contemplated to achieve the objectives of the Second Decade;

9. Reiterates its decision to give thematic consideration, each year, to a selected topic within the plan of activities for 1985-1989;

10. Recalls its resolution 1987/12, in which it decided that the topic for such thematic consideration in 1989 would be "The political, historical, economic, social and cultural factors contributing to racism, racial discrimination and apartheid", and requests the Secretary-General to envisage the organization of a seminar on that topic;

11. Decides that the topic for 1990 will be "The human rights of individuals belonging to ethnic groups in countries of immigration";

12. Welcomes General Assembly resolution 42/47 , in which the Assembly once again authorized the Secretary-General to organize in 1988 a global consultation on racial discrimination involving representatives of the United Nations system, regional intergovernmental organizations and interested non-governmental organizations in consultative status with the Economic and Social Council to focus on the co-ordination of international activities to combat racism and racial discrimination;

13. Encourages the Secretary-General to make every effort to proceed with the implementation of the activities planned for the period 1990-1993 and listed in the annex to General Assembly resolution 42/47 ;

14. Decides to consider the implementation of the Programme of Action for the Second Decade to Combat Racism and Racial Discrimination as a matter of high priority at its forty-fifth session.

40th meeting
29 February 1988
[Adopted without a vote. See chap. XVII.]
Disclaimer:

This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.