States Parties to Convention

against Racial Discrimination

Twenty-second Session

22^nd Meeting (AM)

STATES PARTIES TO ANTI-RACISM CONVENTION ELECT NINE MEMBERS TO MONITORING BODY

The States parties to the International Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Racial Discrimination gathered at United Nations Headquarters in New York today to elect nine members to the Convention’s monitoring body to serve for a two-year period, beginning on 19 January.

The meeting began with the adoption of its agenda and the election by acclamation of Boniface G. Chidyausiku of Zimbabwe to chair the twenty-second meeting of States parties.  Also elected were Magdalena Grabianowska of Poland, Julio Peralta of Paraguay and Polly Ioannou of Cyprus as Vice-Chairpersons.

Having received the required majority of 83 votes in one round of secret balloting, the following were elected to the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination: Dilip Lahiri of India (152 votes); Francisco Calitzay of Guatemala (144 votes); Alexi S. Avtonomov of the Russian Federation (143); Fatima Binta Victoire Dah Diallo of Burkina Faso (143 votes); Pierre-Richard Prosper of the United States (143 votes); Huang Yong’an of China (139 votes); Ion Diaconu of Romania (133 votes); Chris Peter Mania of the United Republic of Tanzania (131 votes); and Pastor Elías Murillo Martínez of Colombia (130 votes).

The Convention entered into force on 4 January 1969.  By its terms, States parties, convinced that the existence of racial barriers is repugnant to the ideals of any human society, resolved to adopt all necessary measures for speedily eliminating racial discrimination in all its forms and manifestations.  The Convention’s 18-member monitoring body considers reports from States parties and –- if the State concerned has accepted the Convention’s Optional Protocol –- considers petitions from individuals or groups alleging violations of the Convention.

Opening the meeting on behalf of the Secretary-General, Craig Mokhiber reviewed recent developments of interest concerning the activities of the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination.  He said the number of States parties to the International Convention had increased from 170 to 173, with the addition of Andorra, Montenegro and Saint Kitts and Nevis.  However, there was still a way to go towards the goal of universal ratification.

Noting that the Committee, established in 1969, had so far held 71 sessions, he said it had considered 30 initial or periodic reports during its 2006 and 2007 sessions and, in each case, had adopted conclusions and recommendations aimed at the effective implementation of the Convention at the national level.  The Committee had also reviewed implementation in four States whose reports were seriously overdue.  In the context of its consideration of communications received from individuals or groups alleging a violation of their rights under the Convention, the Committee had taken five opinions and decisions on communications examined during the past two years.

He added that, at its 2007 session, the Committee had adopted new reporting guidelines and also decided that it would begin drafting a new general recommendation on special measures at its 2008 session, from 18 February to 7 March, with a view to guiding States parties in their efforts to improve the Convention’s implementation nationally.  The Committee had also devoted considerable attention to reviewing its working methods.  At its seventy-first session, held from 30 July to 17 August 2007, it had modified rule 40 of its rules of procedure so as to reflect its practice since 2005 concerning interaction with national human rights institutions accredited to take part in the deliberations of the Human Rights Council.  The underutilization of the individual communications procedure could be improved.

Turning to the financing of activities under the Convention, he recalled that General Assembly resolution 47/111 of 16 December 1992 endorsed the amendment to article 8 of the Convention providing for the financing of the Committee’s activities from the regular United Nations budget and requested the Secretary-General to ensure the provision of the financing in that way, beginning in the biennium 1994-1995.  Acceptance must be received from two thirds of the States parties for the amendment to enter into force.  To date, only 43 States parties had ratified the amendment, despite the Assembly’s repeated calls.

He drew attention to the withdrawal of two candidates for today’s election to the Committee to replace those whose terms of office will expire on 19 January -- Madagascar and Azerbaijan.  The names of the nine members of the Committee who will continue to serve until 19 January 2010 are listed in Annex II of document CERD/SP/69.

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