RES/36/24 From rhetoric to reality: a global call for concrete action against racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance

GE.17-17699(E)



Human Rights Council Thirty-sixth session

11–29 September 2017

Agenda item 9

Resolution adopted by the Human Rights Council on 29 September 2017

36/24. From rhetoric to reality: a global call for concrete action

against racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related

intolerance

The Human Rights Council,

Recalling all its previous resolutions on the comprehensive follow-up to the World

Conference against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance

and the effective implementation of the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action,

Recalling also the General Assembly resolutions in this regard, and the imperative

need for their full and effective implementation,

Emphasizing the primacy of the International Convention on the Elimination of All

Forms of Racial Discrimination as a principal international instrument to combat all the

scourges of racism, and in this regard noting with concern that the commitment made at the

World Conference against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related

Intolerance to achieve universal ratification of this primary instrument by 2005 was

regrettably not fulfilled, and underlining the imperative need to elaborate complementary

international standards as instructed by paragraph 199 of the Durban Declaration and

Programme of Action,

Concerned that many years have lapsed since the adoption of the Durban

Declaration and Programme of Action, and regretting in this regard that its objectives have

not been met,

Concerned also, in the above context, at the increasing incidents of racially

motivated hatred in all its forms and manifestations, some of which have taken violent

forms with concomitant racial profiling,

Underlining the importance of removing legal obstacles and eliminating

discriminatory practices that hamper individuals and groups, in particular people of African

descent, from participating fully in the public and political life of the countries in which

they live, including the lack of the exercise of their full citizenship rights,

Noting with appreciation the annual observance in Geneva of the International Day

of Remembrance of the Victims of Transatlantic Slavery and the Slave Trade, and the

support expressed at its commemoration in 2017 for the establishment at the United Nations

Office at Geneva of a memorial to the victims of slavery and the transatlantic slave trade,

1. Underscores the importance of political will and commitment to eliminate all

forms of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance;

2. Underlines the imperative need for the full and effective implementation of

the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action as the only instructive outcome

document of the World Conference against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia

and Related Intolerance for the combating of all the scourges of racism, including its

contemporary and resurgent forms, some of which have regrettably taken violent forms;

3. Alarmed at the resurgent violent manifestations of racism, racial

discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance precipitated by scientifically false,

morally condemnable, socially unjust and dangerous ideologies, such as white supremacy,

as well as by extremist nationalist and populist ideologies, and underlines in this respect

that human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights and that everyone has the

right to life, liberty and security of person;

4. Encourages States to make the requisite declaration in accordance with

article 14 of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial

Discrimination recognizing the competence of the Committee on the Elimination of Racial

Discrimination to receive and consider communications from individuals or groups of

individuals within their jurisdiction under its complaints procedure;

5. Welcomes paragraph 5 of General Assembly resolution 71/181 of 19

December 2016, and to this end directs the Ad Hoc Committee on the Elaboration of

Complementary Standards to the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms

of Racial Discrimination to commence, at its tenth session, its elaboration of a draft

additional protocol to the Convention criminalizing acts of a racist and xenophobic nature;

6. Deplores the ongoing use of social media platforms to incite hatred and

violence against migrants, refugees and asylum seekers, and calls upon States to prohibit by

law any advocacy of national, racial or religious hatred that constitutes incitement to

discrimination, hostility or violence, including that propagated by information and

communications technology;

7. Reiterates that the rights to freedom of expression, association and peaceful

assembly should not be exercised with the aim of destroying or denying the rights and

freedoms of others, and not be misused to promote racist hate speech and racist crimes;

8. Calls upon all States that have not yet done so, and consistent with paragraph

75 of the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action, to consider withdrawing their

reservations on article 4 of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of

Racial Discrimination and on articles 18, 19 and 20 of the International Covenant on Civil

and Political Rights;

9. Welcomes the convening of regional meetings organized by the Office of the

United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights to effectively implement the

programme of activities of the International Decade for People of African Descent,

encourages Member States and other stakeholders to adopt action-orientated

recommendations at these meetings, and calls upon States, regional organizations and other

stakeholders to facilitate the participation of civil society from their respective countries

and regions in the meetings;

10. Requests the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, in his

capacity as coordinator of the Decade, to submit an oral update on his activities in follow-

up to the implementation of the programme of activities within the framework of the

Decade to the Human Rights Council at its thirty-ninth session;

11. Welcomes the intention of the African Union to convene a consultative group

for the project to establish at the United Nations Office at Geneva a memorial to the victims

of slavery and the transatlantic slave trade, and invites Member States and all other actors

to lend their support to the initiative;

12. Requests the High Commissioner to prioritize the issue of preventing and

combating racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance in the work of

the Office of the High Commissioner;

13. Decides to remain seized of this important issue.

42nd meeting

29 September 2017

[Adopted by a recorded vote of 32 to 5, with 10 abstentions. The voting was as follows:

In favour:

Bangladesh, Bolivia (Plurinational State of), Botswana, Brazil, Burundi,

China, Congo, Côte d’Ivoire, Cuba, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Ethiopia,

Ghana, India, Indonesia, Iraq, Kenya, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Nigeria,

Panama, Paraguay, Philippines, Qatar, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia, South Africa,

Togo, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates, Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of)

Against:

Albania, Germany, Switzerland, United Kingdom of Great Britain and

Northern Ireland, United States of America

Abstaining:

Belgium, Croatia, Georgia, Hungary, Japan, Latvia, Netherlands, Portugal,

Republic of Korea, Slovenia]