SHRG and the WCAR

The United Nations (UN) World Conference against racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance took place between 31 August and 8 September 2001 in Durban, South Africa.

The conference provided a unique opportunity for the world to engage in a broad agenda to address racism and discrimination. The themes of the conference were:

• sources, causes, forms and contemporary manifestations of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance;
• victims of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance;
• measures of prevention, education and protection aimed at the eradication of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance at the national, regional and international levels;
• provision of effective remedies, recourse, redress (compensatory) and other measures at the national, regional and international levels;
• strategies to achieve full and effective equality, including international co-operation and enhancement of the United Nations and other international mechanisms in combating racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance and follow-up.

Jasdev Singh Rai giving the plenary statement in Durban, South Africa.

About 14,000 delegates attended the conference. More than half were members from NGOs (Non-Governmental Organisations) from across the world.

The conference was based on nearly two years of preparatory work, including (continental) regional meetings and expert seminars held in Europe, Asian, Africa, North and South America.

The final documentation of the conference comprises of a Declaration and a Programme of Action which are currently being ratified by UN member states. These documents were negotiated during the two years of preparatory work and adopted at the world conference in Durban.

Two further conference documents are available. These documents were produced from the Youth Summit and the NGO Forum that were part of the Conference in Durban.