Decade for Action to Combat Racism and Racial Discrimination

XXVIII. RESOLUTIONS ADOPTED ON THE REPORTS OF THE THIRD COMMITTEE
3057. Decade for Action to Combat Racism and Racial Discrimination

The General Assembly, Reaffirming its firm. resolve to achieve the total and unconditional elimination of racism and racial discrimination, against which the conscience and sense of justice of mankind have long been aroused and which in our time represent serious obstacles to further progress and to the strengthening of international peace and security, Recalling its decision, in resolution 2919 (XXVII) of 15 November 1972, to launch the Decade for Action to Combat Racism and Racial Discrimination and to inaugurate the activities thereof on 10 December 1973, the twenty-fifth anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Having examined the draft programme for the Decade transmitted to it by the Economic and Social Council,[1] and the views on the draft programme expressed by Government[2]

1. Designates the ten-year period beginning on 10 December 1973 as the Decade for Action to Combat Racism and Racial Discrimination;

2. Approves the Programme for the Decade for Action to Combat Racism and Racial Discrimination annexed to the present resolution and calls upon all States to co-operate in every possible way in its implementation;

3. Invites Governments, United Nations organs, the specialized agencies and other intergovernmental organizations, and non-governmental organizations in consultative relationship concerned, to participate in the observance of the Decade by intensifying and expanding their efforts towards ensuring the rapid eradication of racism and racial discrimination;

4. Calls upon all Members States to submit every two years to the Economic and Social Council a report on the action taken under the Programme;

5. Requests the Economic and Social Council to assume, with the assistance of the Secretary-General, responsibility for co-ordinating the Programme and evaluating activities undertaken during the Decade as provided in the Programme;

6. Recommends that the Economic and Social Council should perform these functions in plenary meetings;

7. Requests the Economic and Social Council to report annually to the General Assembly on the implementation of the Programme;

8. Requests the Secretary-General:

(a) To transmit the Programme to Governments and to the specialized agencies and other intergovernmental organizations for such action as they may undertake in order to give effect to the suggestions contained therein;

(b) To transmit the Programme and the recommendations on the role of non-governmental organizations[3] to the non-governmental organizations in consultative relationship concerned;

(c) To take the necessary measures for the implementation of those suggestions contained in the Programme which fall within the Secretary-General's area of responsibility or which require action by other organs of the United Nations;

(d) To serve as a central point from which information relating to the implementation of the suggestions contained in the Programme may be obtained;

(e) To ensure the closest possible degree of collaboration between United Nations bodies and their respective staffs in the work required for the implementation of the suggestions contained in the Programme;

9. Decides to consider this question annually on the basis of the report of the Economic and Social Council on the implementation of the Programme.

2163rd plenary meeting,
2 November 1973

ANNEX Programme for the Decade for Action to Combat Racism and Racial Discrimination

1. The United Nations, having solemnly proclaimed, in the Preamble to the Charter, faith in fundamental human rights, in the dignity and worth of the human person, and in -the equal rights of men and women and of nations large and small, is determined:

(a) To establish conditions under which justice and respect for obligations arising from treaties and other sources of international law can be maintained;

(b) To promote social progress and better standards of life in larger freedom.

2. The United Nations has opposed all manifestations of racial discrimination and has in particular condemned the policy of apartheid and similar policies based on racial theories and, consequently, its competent organs have:

(a) Declared that discrimination between human beings on the ground of race, colour or ethnic origin is an affront to humanity and shall be condemned as a violation of the principles of the Charter of the United Nations and of the human rights and fundamental freedoms proclaimed in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, as an obstacle to friendly and peaceful relations among nations and as a factor capable of disturbing peace and security among peoples;

(b) Declared that any Government or régime whose official policy or actual practice is based on racial discrimination contravenes the purposes and principles of the United Nations Charter, and called upon them to desist forthwith from pursuing such policies;

(c) Condemned all military, economic or political collaboration with the racist régimes that enables and encourages these régimes to enforce and perpetuate their racist policies, and called for an immediate end to such collaboration;

(d) Reaffirmed time and again the legitimacy of the struggle of all oppressed peoples, in particular in the territories under colonial, racial or alien domination, to obtain racial equality and freedom, and called for increased and continued moral and material support for those peoples.

3. Action has been taken by a number of countries, as well as international and national institutions, to oppose racial discrimination and promote respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms for all, irrespective of race, colour, descent or national or ethnic origin, through:

(a) Ratification of or accession to, and implementation of, the widely-accepted International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination[4] and other international instruments with similar objectives;

(b) The continuing efforts of specialized agencies such as the International Labour Organisation and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, and of United Nations bodies such as the United Nations Institute for Training and Research;

(c) Instruments, procedures and programmes instituted by regional organizations;

(d) The enactment of legislation and the putting into effect of procedures by Governments to combat racism and racial discrimination and improve relations among racial groups;

(e) Activities carried on internationally or within a particular country to reduce and even eliminate racial hostility and prejudice, protect persons and groups from discrimination, and promote respect for all people regardless of race, colour, descent, national or ethnic origin or other status.

4. The actions referred to in paragraphs 2 and 3 above have been successful in promoting a greater understanding of the fallacy and injustice of racist dogmas and practices but have been disregarded by a number of Governments and racist régimes, in particular in southern Africa; it is also noted that in several countries segments of the population have continued to maintain attitudes based on racial prejudice and discrimination.

5. The United Nations is convinced more than ever of the need for constant national, regional and international efforts to eliminate racism, apartheid and racial discrimination.

6. The ultimate success of the efforts of the United Nations and other bodies in combating racial discrimination will depend upon:

(a) Full adherence to the purposes and principles of the Charter in creating conditions of universal respect for and observance of human rights and fundamental freedoms for all, without distinction as to race, colour, descent or national or ethnic origin;

(b) The vigour with which action is taken by individual Governments and the degree of co-operation between them, inside and outside the United Nations, to fulfil the purposes and principles of the Charter and to implement the resolutions relating to the eradication of racist policies and practices, as well as colonialism;

(c) The full utilization of the desire and readiness of men and women to devote their energies, talents and abilities to the benefit of society and more particularly to combat racism and racial discrimination.

7. To this end, the General Assembly proclaims the years 1973 to 1983 as the Decade for Action to Combat Racism and Racial Discrimination.

GOALS AND OBJECTIVES

8. The ultimate goals of the Decade are to promote human rights and fundamental freedom 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 régimes 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 régimes.

9. To this end, appropriate measures should be taken to implement fully United Nations instruments and decisions concerning the elimination of racial discrimination, to ensure support for all peoples striving for racial equality, to eradicate all forms of racial discrimination, and to pursue a vigorous world-wide campaign of information designed to dispel racial prejudice and to enlighten and involve world public opinion in the struggle against racism and racial discrimination, emphasizing, inter alia, the education of youth in the spirit of human rights and fundamental freedoms and in the dignity and worth of the human person and against theories of racism and racial discrimination, as well as the full involvement of women in the formulation and implementation of these measures.

POLICY MEASURES AND TARGET DATES

10. The above goals and objectives call for a continuing effort by all peoples, Governments and institutions to eradicate racial discrimination and to promote respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms for all, irrespective of race, colour, descent or national or ethnic origin, both within their national jurisdiction and universally.

11. To this end, the following measures need to be taken at the national, regional, international and United Nations levels:

National

12.

(a) Measures in the economic, social, cultural and political fields that would ensure the full equality of all peoples and individuals, without distinction of any kind on grounds of race, colour, descent or national or ethnic origin, should be prepared and implemented. This would necessitate:

(i) Assistance on a bilateral basis to peoples which are victims of racial discrimination;

(ii) No support being given to Governments or régimes which practise racial discrimination that will enable them to perpetuate racist policies or practices;

(iii) In the case of States not parties to the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination, the urgent enactment as a matter of the highest priority of appropriate legislation and other suitable measures to prohibit and bring to an end racial discrimination, to abrogate, amend, rescind or nullify any policies or regulations that have the effect of creating or perpetuating racial hatred, and, with due regard to the principles embodied in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the United Nations Declaration on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination[5] and the rights set forth in article 5 of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination, to declare the dissemination of ideas based on racial superiority and hatred to be an offence punishable by law;

(iv) The establishment by every national and local Government of recourse procedures to be invoked against any acts of racial discrimination which may be suffered by an individual and which violate his human rights and fundamental freedoms; it is necessary that there should be adequate machinery and procedures for handling complaints, with easy access thereto, facilitated by all appropriate encouragement and support to persons in the protection of their rights;

(v) The granting of scholarships by the competent authorities and institutions to the youth of the territories where racial discrimination prevails, in particular through increased contributions to the United Nations Educational and Training Programme for Southern Africa;

(vi) The encouragement of the preparation and publication of studies based, in particular, on the provisions of the United Nations Declaration on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination and the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination;

(vii) The wide publicizing of the contents of this Programme by Governments and all institutions concerned, using every means at their disposal, including all the appropriate communications media;

(viii) Ratification of or accession to the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination, on a universal basis, and the effective implementation of that Convention, in co-operation with the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, in particular by the preparation of full and comprehensive reports under article 9 of the Convention;

(ix) No discrimination for any reason or on any basis whatsoever in education and school systems; this should be implemented as rapidly as possible during the first half of the Decade;

(x) No discrimination on any of the grounds mentioned above in the immigration laws and policies; this should be attained as soon as possible and in any event not later than the end of the Decade.

(b) The inclusion in the curricula of education of children and youth of the subject of human rights, with special emphasis, in the primary stages of education, on the equality of all human beings and the evils of racial discrimination, should be attained as soon as possible during the Decade.

(c) The use of available media of information to educate the public continuously and systematically in the spirit of respect for human rights and, in particular, against all policies, practices and manifestations of racism and racial discrimination should be embarked upon as from the first year of the Decade.

Regional and international

13.

(a) As a major feature during the Decade, a world conference on combating racial discrimination should be convened by the General Assembly as soon as possible, but preferably not later than 1978. The conference should have as its main theme the adoption of effective ways and means and concrete measures for securing the full and universal implementation of United Nations decisions and resolutions on racism, racial discrimination, apartheid, decolonization and self-determination, as well as the accession to and ratification and enforcement of the international instruments relating to human rights and the elimination of racism and racial discrimination.

(b) The convening of international and regional seminars, conferences and other similar activities in line with the goals and objectives of this Programme should be undertaken; the Secretary-General should be informed of all the activities undertaken in this connexion.

(c) Activities undertaken in connexion with the International Women's Year should reflect the importance of women's effective contribution to the struggle against racism and racial discrimination.

(d) The consideration of ways and means of preparing concrete proposals in support of the efforts of all oppressed peoples suffering from racism and racial discrimination, including the establishment of regional funds on a voluntary basis to support the efforts of those peoples, should be undertaken; reports on the subject would be forwarded to the Secretary-General every two years.

(e) Racist régimes should be denied any support or assistance that could enable them to perpetuate racist policies or practices, including policies aimed at depriving the indigenous people of their inalienable rights.

(f) States should adopt measures to prevent the activities of persons and groups which incite sectarian and racial passions that would provoke people to leave their land and settle in lands belonging to others in accordance with policies designed to consolidate settler-colonialism or to settle natives in reservations, thus condemning them to a miserable existence.

(g) It is essential to consider ways and means of ensuring the international and regional isolation of racist régimes.

(h) It is essential to provide support and assistance, in accordance with the United Nations Charter and the relevant United Nations declarations and resolutions, to liberation movements struggling against colonialism and racial discrimination, as well as to Governments that wish to embark on concrete programmes to eradicate racial discrimination.

(i) The implementation of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination, as well as United Nations resolutions on this question, is imperative; the regional organizations should be invited by the United Nations to give attention to this question in order that the total eradication of all forms of racial discrimination may be attained within the shortest possible time.

(j) The adoption of new international instruments regarding the elimination of racial discrimination in all its forms and the suppression of the crime of apartheid should be considered.

(k) The co-ordination by all Governments of their activities in the field of information is advisable; such co-ordination should be achieved through the United Nations, the regional organizations or through bilateral or multilateral agreements.

United Nations system

14. In addition to the measures referred to above, the activities set forth below should be undertaken by organizations within the United Nations system.

Research and study

15.

(a) The existing studies and research in the field of apartheid and racial discrimination should be updated and developed.

(b) Student workshops should be organized for the teaching of international law, with particular reference to topics related to the United Nations Declaration on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination and the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination, as well as the Declaration on Principles of International Law concerning Friendly Relations and Cooperation among States in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations,[6] which refers to the principle of equal rights and self-determination of peoples.

(c) Further research and publications should be envisaged dealing with racial discrimination in regard, inter alia, to:

(i) The right to security of persons and protection by the State, in particular judicial or quasi-judicial guarantees against violence, maltreatment or arbitrary measures exercised by government officials or by any individual, group or institution;

(ii) The right of access to any place or service intended for use by the general public, such as transport, hotels, restaurants, cafés, theatres and parks.

(d) Pilot studies on racism and racial discrimination in the economic, political, social, cultural, sociological and other fields should be undertaken, continued and co-ordinated, and special attention should be given to:

(i) The kinds of situations that lead to racism;

(ii) Charting the spread or decline of racism or racial discrimination, diagnosing and detecting the introduction of racism or racial discrimination into any area early enough to permit effective preventive action;

(iii) The propagation, consciously or otherwise, of racial prejudice by the press, cinema and television, in particular in publications and programmes for children and youth;

(iv) The role of education and science, especially social science, in combating racism and racial discrimination and in solving racial problems;

(v) The preparation and implementation of economic, social and political measures that would ensure the real equality of all peoples and individuals, without distinction of any kind on grounds of race, colour, descent or national or ethnic origin;

(vi) Problems of discrimination arising in connexion with immigration of men, women-married and unmarried-and their children and foreign workers of both sexes;

(vii) The crime of apartheid under international penal law, with particular reference to the responsibility of individuals;

(viii) Problems of racial discrimination arising in connexion with housing, sporting activities, and so forth;

(ix) The role of private group action in combating racism and racial discrimination, consistent with the objectives of this Programme.

(e) Seminars on special aspects of combating racism and racial discrimination and promoting racial harmony should be organized at both the international and regional levels.

(f) The United Nations should address an appeal to various scientific international organizations (for example, associations of jurists, sociologists, anthropologists, historians, economists) to devote special efforts during the Decade to the analysis and study of aspects of racial discrimination within their competence.

Education, training and information

16.

(a) The need for interagency co-ordination and cooperation in the field of education and training on problems and activities concerning the elimination of racial discrimination undertaken in the implementation of this Programme should be identified.

(b) The procedures and types of action used by various agencies in the field of education and training related to racial discrimination with a view to any necessary harmonization should be examined in the light of the experience acquired.

(c) New educational and information materials should be prepared to dispel racial prejudice and to combat racism and racial discrimination, such as teaching materials for use in every type of institution of learning, at the elementary, secondary and higher levels of education.

(d) Popular publications, films and radio and television programmes should be produced for distribution or broadcasting to the general public.

International funds

17. The General Assembly should establish an international fund on a voluntary basis to help the peoples struggling against racial discrimination and apartheid.

Co-ordination, review and appraisal, and reporting

18.

(a) The General Assembly shall entrust the Economic and Social Council, in co-operation with the Secretary-General, with the responsibility for co-ordinating the programmes and evaluating the activities undertaken in connexion with the Decade.

(b) The Economic and Social Council shall, during the period of the, Decade, submit an annual report to the General Assembly containing, inter alia:

(i) An enumeration of the activities undertaken or contemplated to achieve the objectives of the Decade, including the activities of Governments, United Nations organs, the specialized agencies and other international organizations;

(ii) A review and appraisal of those activities;

(iii) Its suggestions and recommendations.

(c) The Economic and Social Council shall also act as the preparatory committee for the world conference to be convened as a major feature of the Decade.

(d) The Secretary-General shall provide the Economic and Social Council with such assistance as may be necessary for the performance of its functions relating to the Decade.

(e) Governments should forward a report every two years on the action taken under the Programme for the Decade, on the basis of a questionnaire circulated by the Secretary-General; these reports shall be transmitted to the Economic and Social Council for its consideration.

(f) The Secretary-General shall submit to the Economic and Social Council an annual report containing:

(i) A summary of the actions, suggestions, trends, etc., emerging from the deliberations of United Nations organs and bodies and the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, as well as from the deliberations of the specialized agencies concerned with the question of racial discrimination and apartheid;

(ii) A summary of information relating to the elimination of racism and racial discrimination as may be received by the United Nations under the system of periodic reports on human rights;

(iii) Information concerning the activities undertaken or contemplated during the Decade under the programme of advisory services in the field of human rights in regard to the elimination of racial discrimination;

(iv) Information submitted by non-governmental organizations in consultative relationship concerning activities undertaken or contemplated during the Decade;

(v) A report on the action of the Office of Public Information with respect to the Decade;

(vi) A report on any action by the United Nations Institute for Training and Research in relation to the Decade.

(g) Adequate resources shall be made available to the Secretary-General to enable him to undertake the activities entrusted to him under the Programme for the Decade and, in particular, to enable him to provide the Economic and Social Council with such assistance as may be necessary for the performance of its functions relating to the Decade.

(h) The General Assembly shall consider annually the item entitled "Decade for Action to Combat Racism and Racial Discrimination" on the basis of the report of the Economic and Social Council and of other relevant reports which it may receive from the Secretary-General, and shall review the implementation of this Programme.

(i) The General Assembly shall address itself at the earliest opportunity to the question of ways and means of ensuring the implementation of United Nations resolutions on apartheid, racial discrimination and related matters.

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[1] A/9094 and Corr.1, annex I. [2] A/9094 and Corr.1, chap. III, A/9094/Add.1 And 2. [3] A/9094 and Corr.1, annex II. [4] Resolution 2106 A (XX), annex [5] Resolution 1904 (XVIII). [6] Resolution 2625 (XXV), annex.