RES/22/34 Education as a tool to prevent racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance

GE.13-13051

Human Rights Council Twenty-second session

Agenda item 9 Racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related

forms of intolerance, follow-up to and implementation of

the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action

Resolution adopted by the Human Rights Council

22/34.

Education as a tool to prevent racism, racial discrimination,

xenophobia and related intolerance

The Human Rights Council,

Guided by the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations,

Guided also by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the International Covenants on Human Rights, the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination and other relevant international instruments,

Recalling the World Conference on Human Rights, held in 1993, and its outcome, the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action, concerning the elimination of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance,

Recalling also the World Conference against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance in 2001, and its outcome, the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action and the outcome document of the Durban Review Conference,

Recalling further all previous resolutions and decisions of the General Assembly, the Commission on Human Rights and the Human Rights Council on the elimination of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance, and on the right to education,

Reaffirming the human right of everyone to education, which is enshrined in, inter alia, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination, the Convention on the Rights of the Child, the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, the Convention against Discrimination in Education of the

 The resolutions and decisions adopted by the Human Rights Council will be contained in the report of

the Council on its twenty-second session (A/HRC/22/2), chap. I.

United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, the United Nations Declaration on Human Rights Education and Training and other relevant international instruments,

Acknowledging that the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action recognizes that education at all levels and all ages, including within the family, in particular human rights education, is a key to changing attitudes and behaviour based on racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance and to promoting tolerance and respect for diversity in societies, and affirms that such education is a determining factor in the promotion, dissemination and protection of the democratic values of justice and equity, which are essential to prevent and combat the spread of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance,

Recognizing the important role played by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization in relation to education against racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance, in particular the Slave Route Project and the Teaching Respect for All initiative,

Encouraging all States, in cooperation with the United Nations, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization and other relevant international organizations, to initiate and develop cultural and educational programmes aimed at countering racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance in order to ensure respect for the dignity and worth of all human beings and to enhance mutual understanding among all cultures and civilizations,

Welcoming the efforts made by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and by the Intergovernmental Working Group on the Effective Implementation of the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action in this regard,

Affirming that the realization of the right to education, including for girls and persons belonging to vulnerable groups, contributes to the eradication of poverty and of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance,

1. Underlines the need for increased political will and commitment in using education as a tool to prevent and combat racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance;

2. Also underlines the importance of the full and effective implementation of the paragraphs of the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action concerning the role of education in preventing and eliminating racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance;

3. Reaffirms that education, development and the faithful implementation of all international human rights norms and obligations, including enactment of laws and political, social and economic policies, are crucial to combat racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance;

4. Recognizes that quality education, the elimination of illiteracy and access to free primary education for all can contribute to more inclusive societies, equity, stable and harmonious relations and friendship among nations, peoples, groups and individuals, and a culture of peace, fostering mutual understanding, solidarity, social justice and respect for all human rights for all;

5. Underlines the essential role of education, including human rights education and education that is sensitive to and respects cultural diversity, especially among children and young people, in the prevention and eradication of all forms of intolerance and discrimination, and welcomes the catalytic role that non-governmental organizations play in

promoting human rights education and raising awareness about racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance;

6. Urges States, in particular:

(a) To adopt and implement laws that prohibit discrimination on the basis of race, colour, descent or national or ethnic origin, at all levels of education, both formal and non-formal;

(b) To take all appropriate measures to eliminate obstacles limiting the access of children to education;

(c) To ensure that all children have access without discrimination to education of good quality;

(d) To support efforts to ensure safe school environments, free from violence and harassment motivated by racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia or related intolerance;

7. Also urges States to introduce and, as applicable, to reinforce anti- discrimination and anti-racism components in human rights programmes in school curricula, to develop and improve relevant educational material, including history and other textbooks, and to ensure that all teachers are effectively trained and adequately motivated to shape attitudes and behavioural patterns based on the principles of non-discrimination, mutual respect and tolerance;

8. Draws attention to the potential of increasing the use of new information and communications technologies, including the Internet, to create educational and awareness- raising networks against racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance, both in and out of school, as well as to the ability of the Internet to promote universal respect for human rights and also respect for the value of cultural diversity;

9. Stresses the need for States parties to implement fully their obligations under the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination as the principal convention in the fight against racism, and in particular their obligations thereunder with respect to the elimination of racial discrimination, the right to education and training and their obligations to adopt immediate and effective measures in the fields of teaching, education, culture and information;

10. Recalls the importance of international cooperation in promoting education as a tool to prevent racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance and to share good practices;

11. Requests the Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance to continue to address the role of education to prevent racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance in his next reports as appropriate and, in this context, encourages all States and other stakeholders to provide information on good practices to the Special Rapporteur and to the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, to be made publicly available on the website of the Special Rapporteur and entered into the global database, to be established by the Office of the High Commissioner, containing information on practical means to address racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance.

50th meeting

22 March 2013

[Adopted by a recorded vote of 46 to 0, with 1 abstention. The voting was as follows:

In favour: Angola, Argentina, Austria, Benin, Botswana, Brazil, Burkina Faso, Chile, Congo, Costa Rica, Côte d’Ivoire, Czech Republic, Ecuador, Estonia,

Ethiopia, Gabon, Germany, Guatemala, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kuwait, Libya, Malaysia, Maldives, Mauritania, Montenegro, Pakistan, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Qatar, Republic of Korea, Republic of Moldova, Romania, Sierra Leone, Spain, Switzerland, Thailand, Uganda, United Arab Emirates, Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of)

Abstaining: United States of America]