RES/6/22 From rhetoric to reality: a global call for concrete action against racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance

Human Rights Council

Resolution 6/22. From rhetoric to reality: a global call for concrete action against racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance

The Human Rights Council,

Recalling its decision 3/103 of 8 December 2006,

Recalling also its resolution 3/2 of 8 December 2006,

Welcoming General Assembly resolution 61/149 of 19 December 2006 in which

the Assembly decided to convene the Durban Review Conference in 2009,

Deploring the surge and sharp increases in xenophobic and racial tendencies in

certain regions of the world, particularly towards those categories of victims already

identified in the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action such as migrants,

refugees, asylum-seekers, people of African descent, people of Asian descent and

national and ethnic minorities,

Regretting the lack of political will to take decisive steps to combat racism in all

its forms and manifestations and to concretely move away from denials about the

persistence of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance,

Underlining, in the above context, the imperative need to end posturing about

racism and calling on all States to resolutely end impunity for acts of racism, racial

discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance, and to face the everyday realities

and challenges of these scourges,

Absolutely convinced that the failure by States to translate the Durban

commitments into concrete action and tangible results is attributable to a lack of

political will, in particular with respect to honouring the memory of the victims of

historical injustices and past tragedies caused by slavery, the slave trade, the

transatlantic slave trade, apartheid, colonialism and genocide, and also underlining that

Africans and people of African descent, Asians and people of Asian descent and

indigenous peoples were victims of these injustices and tragedies and continue to be

victims of their consequences,

Underlining in the above context, the importance of closing these dark chapters

in history through reconciliation and healing, and calling on all concerned States to

assume their moral obligation to halt and reverse the lasting and cascading

consequences of these practices prior to the convening of the 2009 Durban Review

Conference,

Noting the efforts of the Intergovernmental Working Group on the Effective

Implementation of the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action since its inception

in 2002, by upholding and promoting the spirit of Durban, and registering some

progress in spite of the obvious challenges,

1. Decides to realign the work and name of the Anti-Discrimination Unit in

the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights consistent with

its mandate and that henceforth, this Unit shall be known as “The Anti-Racial

Discrimination Unit”, and that its operational activities shall focus exclusively on

racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance, as defined in

paragraphs 1 and 2 of the Durban Declaration;

2. Encourages closer collaboration between the Intergovernmental Working

Group and the Independent Eminent Experts on ways and means of achieving enhanced

political will and commitment to combating all the contemporary manifestations of

racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance;

3. Emphasizes the importance of demonstrating goodwill to humanity and

the primacy of reconciliation, by taking concrete steps towards the implementation of

key issues of concern to the victims of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and

related intolerance, which relate to the restoration of their dignity and equality as

envisaged in paragraphs 98 to 106 of the Durban Declaration;

4. Regrets that the commitments made in paragraphs 157 and 158 of the

Durban Programme of Action remain unfulfilled;

5. Decides to remain seized of this important issue.

22nd meeting 28 September 2007

[Adopted by a recorded vote of 28 to 13, with 5 abstentions

In favour: Angola, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Bolivia, Cameroon, China, Cuba, Djibouti, Egypt,

Ghana, India, Indonesia, Jordan, Madagascar, Malaysia, Mali, Mauritius, Nicaragua,

Nigeria, Pakistan, Philippines, Qatar, Russian Federation, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, South

Africa, Sri Lanka, Zambia.

Against: Bosnia and Herzegovina, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, Republic

of Korea, Romania, Slovenia, Switzerland, Ukraine, United Kingdom of Great Britain

and Northern Ireland.

Abstaining: Brazil, Guatemala, Mexico, Peru, Uruguay.]

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