[WCAR] High-level UN panel calls for further measures to battle racial discrimination and bias

UNITED NATIONS
Press Release
19 September 2003

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xxxxxxxxxxHIGH-LEVEL PANEL CALLS FOR FURTHER MEASURES TO BATTLE RACIAL 
DISCRIMINATION AND BIASxxxxxxxxxx

The group of eminent persons charged with working with the High
Commissioner for Human Rights to follow up on the action plan of the
2001 World Conference against Racism has underlined in Geneva the
importance in the struggle against discrimination of
awareness-raising and access to education, access to justice, in
particular for those who have historically suffered from racial
discrimination, and the need for national plans of action against
bias, encouraging States to complete such plans"with meaningful
participation from national human rights institutions and civil
society".

In a statement issued at the end of a three-day meeting, the group
said it was convinced its work "should follow a humanitarian vision
based on an 'ethic of human solidarity'" and stressed the centrality
of human dignity, respect for diversity and the importance of
effective measures of protection for civilians.

The high-level experts - Prince El Hassan bin Talal of Jordan, Edna
Maria Santos Roland of Brazil, Salim Ahmed Salim of Tanzania, Hanna
Suchocka of Poland and Martti Oiva Kalevi Ahtisaari of Finland - were
appointed by United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan to assist
the High Commissioner for Human Rights in following the
implementation of the provisions of the Durban Declaration and
Programme of Action of the World Conference and in assessing and
evaluating existing legal instruments to combat racial
discrimination. Mr. Ahtisaari was unable to attend this first
meeting.

In their statement, the experts said they had paid special attention
to the need to safeguard against racial discrimination and xenophobia
in the struggle against terrorism. They urged strict adherence to the
provisions of the International Convention on the Elimination of
Racial Discrimination in carrying out counterterrorism measures.

Following their deliberations from 16 to 18 September, during which
they held discussions with acting High Commissioner for Human Rights
Bertrand Ramcharan and others, the experts also recommended that the
international community find ways of measuring existing racial
inequalities. "A possible way to achieve this", they said, "could be
through the development of a 'Racial Equality Index', similar to the
'Human Development Index' developed and used by the United Nations
Development Programme".

The group is an advisory body to the High Commissioner. Mr. Ramcharan
said the Office of the High Commissioner appreciated their advice and
insights and looked forward to their support in the future.
The statement of the eminent persons can be found on the website of
the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (www.ohchr.org).

For further information, contact Jose' Luis Di'az (e-mail
jdiaz@ohchr.org, tel+41 22 917 9242, fax+41 22 917 9004) or Gloria
Nwabuogu (e-mail, gnwabuogu@ohchr.org, tel+41 22 917 9394, fax+41 22
917 9050), Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, United
Nations Office at Geneva.



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