Background Release

COMMITTEE ON ELIMINATION OF RACIAL DISCRIMINATION TO MEET

AT PALAIS DES NATIONS 4-22 MARCH

Reports of Austria, Belgium, Costa Rica, Croatia, Denmark,

Jamaica, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Moldova, Qatar, Switzerland to Be Examined

(Reissued as received.)

States Parties to Convention

against Racial Discrimination

Nineteenth Session

28^th Meeting (AM)

DURBAN CONFERENCE MARKS FRESH START AND SETS NEW ROAD-MAP

IN FIGHT AGAINST RACISM, CONFERENCE PRESIDENT SAYS

DURBAN, 8 September -- Following is the text of the closing statement by the President of the World Conference against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance, Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, in Durban, South Africa:

Round-up

TRUE MEASURE OF DURBAN WILL BE DIFFERENCE IT MAKES IN LIVES OF VICTIMS,

HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR HUMAN RIGHTS TELLS CLOSING OF RACISM CONFERENCE

MAIN COMMITTEE TO MEET AS RACISM CONFERENCE

GENERAL DEBATE COMES TO AN END

DURBAN, 7 September -- As delegates worked to complete action on the final documents on the last scheduled day of the World Conference against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance, dozens of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) this morning urged them to address a range of issues to improve the situation of the millions of victims of daily discrimination.

ADDRESSING RACISM CONFERENCE, NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS CALL

WORKING GROUP ON DRAFT DECLARATION ADOPTS

GENERIC TEXT ON VICTIMS OF RACISM

DURBAN, 6 September -- Working Group I, charged with examining the text of the draft declaration for the World Conference on Racism, this morning agreed on a text identifying the victims of racism.  The text will immediately follow preambular paragraph 43 of the draft.

CONFERENCE AGAINST RACISM CONTINUES TO HEAR CONCERNS

OF NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS

ACTION TAKEN BY WORKING GROUPS ON DRAFT DECLARATION

AND DRAFT ACTION PROGRAMME, 5 SEPTEMBER

DURBAN, 6 September -- On Wednesday 5 September, Working Group I on the draft declaration for the World Conference on Racism held three meetings and Working Group II on the draft programme of action met four times.