World Conference to Combat Racism and Racial Discrimination.

33. RESOLUTIONS ADOPTED ON THE REPORTS OF THE THIRD COMMITTEE*
99. World Conference to Combat Racism and Racial Discrimination

The General Assembly,

I

Recalling its resolution 3057 (XXVIII) of 2 November 1973, in which it designated the ten-year period beginning on 10 December 1973 as the Decade for Action to Combat Racism and Racial Discrimination and adopted the Programme for the Decade, Recalling also its resolution 32/129 of 16 December 1977, in which it decided to convene the World Conference to Combat Racism and Racial Discrimination, Having considered the report of the Secretary-General on the work of the World Conference to Combat Racism and Racial Discrimination,[1] held at Geneva from 14 to 25 August 1978, Noting that the Conference, by the adoption of the Declaration and the Programme of Action, focused the attention of the international community on the problems of racism, racial discrimination, decolonization, foreign domination and apartheid and provided the international community with an opportunity to review and evaluate the activities undertaken during the first half of the Decade, Stressing the importance of continuous action at all levels to eradicate the evils of racism, racial discrimination, colonial and alien domination and apartheid, Inspired by the spirit of the thirtieth anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and of the International Anti-Apartheid Year to redouble the efforts of the international community to eliminate all forms of racism and racial discrimination,

1. Takes note of the report of the Secretary-General on the work of the World Conference to Combat Racism and Racial Discrimination;

2. Approves the Declaration and the Programme of Action adopted by the Conference;

3. Reaffirms that all forms of racism, racial discrimination and apartheid are abhorrent to the conscience and dignity of mankind and must be eradicated by effective international action;

4. Further reaffirms the special responsibility of the United Nations and the international community for the victims of racial discrimination as well as for peoples subjected to colonial or alien domination;

5. Requests the Secretary-General to circulate his report on the work of the Conference to States, specialized agencies, regional intergovernmental organizations and non-governmental organizations with a request to utilize their best endeavours in striving for the universal elimination of racism, racial discrimination and apartheid;

6. Requests the Economic and Social Council to carry out an evaluation of the activities undertaken in connexion with the Decade, in accordance with paragraph 18 of the Programme for the Decade, [2] taking into account the results of the Conference set out in the Declaration and the Programme of Action adopted by the Conference;

II

Stressing the importance of action at the international, regional and national levels for the effective elimination of racism and racial discrimination,

1. Recommends to all States and intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations to co-operate in making concerted and determined efforts at the national, regional and international levels to combat racism, racial discrimination and apartheid, in accordance with the Programme for the Decade for Action to Combat Racism and Racial Discrimination and in light of the report of the Secretary-General on the work of the World Conference to Combat Racism and Racial Discrimination;

2. Appeals to all States to continue to co-operate with the Secretary-General in the implementation of the Programme for the Decade, inter alia by submitting their reports in compliance with the provisions of paragraph 18 (e) of the Programme for the Decade;

3. Further appeals to all States:

(a) To deny all military, economic, political, diplomatic or other assistance to racist régimes which enables and encourages these régimes to enforce and perpetuate their racist policies;

(b) To ensure the fullest implementation of United Nations resolutions relevant to the complete eradication of racism, racial discrimination and apartheid in southern Africa;

4. Reiterates its appeal to all States, intergovernmental organizations, private institutions and non-governmental organizations to continue to render political and material assistance to the oppressed peoples of southern Africa and the liberation movements recognized by the Organization of African Unity;

5. Calls upon all States and intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations to work for the speedy release of all political prisoners imprisoned by the racist régimes for their fight against apartheid, racism and racial discrimination and for the right of their people to self-determination and independence;

III

Recognizing the importance of concerted and coordinated action by the United Nations system to implement the Programme for the Decade for Action to Combat Racism and Racial Discrimination, Bearing in mind the report of the Secretary-General on the work of the World Conference to Combat Racism and Racial Discrimination, Commending the steps already taken by various organs and bodies within the United Nations system, including the specialized agencies, to implement the Programme for the Decade, Aware of the need for further interagency ordination and co-operation within the United Nations system in the implementation of the Programme for the Decade, Reiterating the importance of publicity as an instrument for furthering the goals and objectives of Decade,

1. Stresses the urgent need for organizations within the United Nations system to continue to intensify their efforts to arouse world public opinion on a continuous basis against the evils of racism, racial discrimination and apartheid;

2. Requests the Secretary-General to direct the Department of Public Information of the Secretariat to continue to make every effort to generate publicity and disseminate information with a view to mobilizing public support for the goals and objectives of the Decade for Action to Combat Racism and Racial Discrimination;

3. Further requests the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization to continue its efforts in the field of education and information, especially by organizing multi-media campaigns to combat racism and racial discrimination;

4. Requests the Secretary-General to undertake during the year 1979 the following activities:

(a) The convening of a regional seminar on recourse procedures available to victims of racial discrimination and activities to be undertaken at the regional level;

(b) The convening of a round-table of university professors and directors of race relations institutions on the teaching of problems of racial discrimination;

(c) he undertaking of a study on education activities and activities of the mass media in the fight against racial discrimination;

5. Further requests the Secretary-General to submit to the Economic and Social Council at its first regular session in 1979 a report containing concrete and detailed suggestions on the following points:

(a) Specific activities which could be undertaken during the second half of the Decade, on a yearly basis, in order to implement fully the programme for the Decade;

(b) The drawing up of the agenda of the Economic and Social Council and the General Assembly, as regards the Decade, in a way that permits separate and detailed consideration of the various aspects of the Programme for the Decade;

6. Requests the Economic and Social Council to consider the report of the Secretary-General referred to in paragraph 5 above and to take the necessary decisions in order to enhance the implementation of the Programme for the Decade;

7. Invites the Economic and Social Council, in order to evaluate the activities of the Decade, to consider the possibility of setting up a working group to assist it in this task;

8. Urges United Nations organs and the specialized agencies to strengthen and enlarge the scope of their activities in support of the objectives of the Programme for the Decade, in light of the report of the Secretary-General on the work of the World Conference to Combat Racism and Racial Discrimination;

9. Requests the United Nations Institute for Training and Research to organize an international colloquium on the prohibition of apartheid, racism and racial discrimination and the achievement of self-determination in international law, with special attention to the principles of non-discrimination and self-determination as imperative norms of international law;

10. Invites the Secretary-General to provide the necessary staff and resources to ensure the effective implementation of the Programme for the Decade, bearing in mind the provisions of the present resolution;

11. Decides to consider at its thirty-fourth session, as a matter of high priority, the item entitled "Implementation of the Programme for the Decade for Action to Combat Racism and Racial Discrimination".

86th plenary meeting
16 December 1978

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[1] Report of the World Conference to Combat Racism and Racial Discrimination, Geneva, 14-25 August 1978 (United Nations publication, Sales No. E.79.XIV.2), chap. II. [2] Resolution 3057 (XXVIII), annex.