Skip to main content

UN human rights chief: racism and xenophobia are ‘contagious killers’ too

UN human rights chief: racism and xenophobia are ‘contagious killers’ too

UNDPLAC
Young women from the Caribbean island of Dominica.
    
13 March 2020
Human Rights
The coronavirus outbreak may have forced millions around the world already into “social distancing”, keeping a metre apart to prevent its spread, but it will not stop them from uniting to combat racism, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights declared in Geneva on Friday. 
Michelle Bachelet was addressing the Human Rights Council as members met to debate progress since the launch of the International Decade for People of African Descent in 2014. 
“Like COVID-19, racism and xenophobia are contagious killers”, she said.  “In the current context, we, at this Council, need to come together and work for the common good by maintaining physical distances between us. But our conviction, and our determination to advance human rights, are as forceful as they have ever been.” 

Stop discrimination, promote inclusion 

The UN General Assembly established the International Decade to promote and protect the human rights of people of African descent, who number around 200 million worldwide. 
Ms. Bachelet described it as “a unique platform” that emphasises their important contributions to society.  It also promotes measures to stop discrimination and support their full inclusion. 
“Indeed, throughout the world – and regardless of whether they are descendants of victims of enslavement, or recent migrants – people of African descent endure intolerable discrimination and constitute some of the poorest and most marginalized groups”, she said. 
The General Assembly will hold a midterm review of the International Decade when it meets later this year.  Countries will assess progress, share good practices and decide on further actions. 
Ms. Bachelet expressed hope that they will soon establish a Permanent Forum on people of African descent, and draft a related UN declaration on respecting their human rights:  the first step towards a treaty that would be legally binding. 
In the interim, the UN human rights office (OHCHR) has been working with countries, civil society and UN agencies in its role as Coordinator of the International Decade. 
This engagement has sparked numerous initiatives such as the adoption of national action plans against discrimination, the establishment of national monitoring and complaint mechanisms, and the creation of an annual fellowship programme that has benefited more than 80 people from 32 countries. 
Although she acknowledged these steps forward, the UN rights chief stressed the need for more action: “We need to tackle disproportionate police violence, racial profiling, mass incarceration, and structural racial discrimination in health, employment, education and housing”, she said. 

COVID-19 and the Human Rights Council 

While Ms. Bachelet said COVID-19 will not stop action to advance human rights, the disease had impacted this latest session of the Human Rights Council. 
On Thursday, the Council moved to suspend meetings from Friday onwards, taking into consideration measures adopted by the Swiss government to prevent the spread of the new coronavirus. 
“The Council has never been suspended for a (pandemic). It has been suspended for technical reasons at various moments in time, so there is no real comparison, but it’s the only sensible and reasonable and responsible thing to do at this stage”, President Elisabeth Tichy-Fisslberger told UN News in Geneva that day. 
Prior to concluding, the Council appointed 19 human rights experts under its Special Procedures system and extended all mandates which would have expired this session. 
Special Procedures mandate holders research and gather information on a vast range of human rights violations worldwide.  They are independent of the UN and are not paid for what they do.   
Courtesy;,UN News
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Remembering victims of second World War by UN

8 May 2021 Peace and Security The Second World War had a profound impact on the international community, and established the conditions for the creation of the United Nations. This weekend marks the official remembrance of the tens of millions of civilians and soldiers who died during the conflict. In total, about 40 million civilians, and some 20 million soldiers, lost their lives in the war between 1939 and 1945. On 8 and 9 May, the UN invites its 193 member countries, non-governmental organizations, and individuals, to pay tribute to the victims of the conflict. The date of 8 May was chosen because it is the day the Nazi forces in Germany surrendered in 1945 but, recognizing that UN member states may have their own memorable days associated with the victory over fascism, the General Assembly invited all countries, UN organizations, non-governmental organizations and individuals to celebrate either 8 May, 9 May, or both of these days annually as a tribute to all victims of the Sec...
Post a Comment
Read more

Low-skilled workers, developing countries at risk of steep economic decline as coronavirus advances

Low-skilled workers, developing countries at risk of steep economic decline as coronavirus advances UN News/Elizabeth Scaffidi Woman waits with cash in hand to make purchase an old time New York City bakery, which counts the number of people it allows in to maintain a safe distance between customers.         1 April 2020 Economic Development The global economy could shrink by up to one per cent in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and may contract even further if restrictions on economic activities are extended without adequate fiscal responses, according to analysis released today by the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs ( DESA ). The DESA briefing finds that millions of workers are at risk of losing their jobs as nearly 100 countries close their national borders. That could translate to a global economic contraction of 0.9 per cent by the end of 2020, or even higher if governments fail to provide income support and help boost consumer spending. Str...
Post a Comment
Read more

UN campaign to tap into personal connections in bid to protect religious sites

UN campaign to tap into personal connections in bid to protect religious sites UN Photo/Mark Garten A sign reads "Love takes courage and determination" at the Linwood Islamic Centre in Christchurch, New Zealand. The Centre was the second of two sites attacked by terrorists on 15 March 2019.         20 March 2020 Peace and Security The United Nations will soon launch a campaign highlighting the personal connections of individuals with religious sites as part of its efforts to protect places of worship around the world.   The campaign is part of the UN Plan of Action to safeguard religious sites, which was launched last September in the wake of a series of horrific attacks, including on mosques in New Zealand, a synagogue in the US city of Pittsburgh, and churches in Sri Lanka.    Developed by the UN Alliance of Civilizations ( UNAOC ), the Plan of Action is complemented by another in...
Post a Comment
Read more