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Fwd World Conference Against Racism
- Subject: Fwd World Conference Against Racism
- From: darnott@xxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Mon, 31 Jul 2000 10:01:00
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Approved-By: Laurie Wiseberg <lwiseberg.hchr@xxxxxxx>
Date: Mon, 31 Jul 2000 10:14:51 +0200
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Sender: "NGO list for the purpose of the WCR." <OHCHR-NGO@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: Briefing Note No. 2
To: OHCHR-NGO@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
This briefing note will also be available in Spanish and French. To a=20
receive a
copy in either of these languages, send an e-mail to=
<lwiseberg.hchr@xxxxxxx>
with the following message: "Send Spanish Text" or "Send French Text".
Esta Nota Informativa estar
=E1 pr=F3ximamente disponible en espa=F1ol. Si desea tener
una copia de esta envie una solicitud por e-mail a lwiseberg.hchr@xxxxxxx,
poniendo como t=EDtulo del mensaje: "solicito versi=F3n en espa=F1ol".
Cette note d'informaci=F3n sera bient=F4t disponible en espagnol. Si vous en=
=20
voulez
un exemplaire, envoyer une demande par e-amil =E0 lwiseberg.hchr@xxxxxxx en
stipulant "demande de version fran=E7aise" dans le sujet.
Briefing Note No. 2, 28 July 2000
by the NGO Liaison for the World Conference Against Racism, Racial
Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance (WCAR)
I. Dates and Venue for the World Conference and NGO Forum.
As noted earlier, the WCAR will take place in South Africa from 31 August
to 7 September 2001. There is still no decision on the city. The NGO Forum=
is
likely to be from 29 August-2 September 2001 (dates still to be confirmed).
II. Organizing Committee for the NGO Forum
The Organizing Committee for the NGO Forum will be led by the South African
National NGO Coalition, SANGOCO. Contact Mr. Moshe More at the following=20
e-mail
for further information: moshe@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
III. Preparatory Process
The report of the first session of the PrepCom, which took place in Geneva
from 1-5 May 2000, is now available as A/CONF.189/PC.1/21 (in English,=
French,
Spanish, Arabic, Russian and Chinese). It is available on the website of the
High Commissioner for Human Rights <=20
http://www.unhchr.ch/html/racism/index.htm
>.
The second session of the PrepCom will take place in Geneva from 30 May - 8
June 2001.
In addition, there will be an Open-Ended Inter-Sessional Working Group
Meeting in Geneva, 15-19 January 2001. The Inter-Sessional Working Group=
will
have before it a document prepared by the Secretariat of the World=
Conference
(i.e., a draft Declaration and Programme of Action).
There will also be an Informal Meeting, 19-20 October 2000, to plan for
the Inter-Sessional Working Group and to begin discussion on the sub-themes=
of
the five major conference themes.
NGOs with Consultative Status with ECOSOC or which are accredited to the
World, Conference, can attend these meetings as observers.
IV. Regional Preparatory Meetings
There have been changes in the dates of some of the Regional Preparatory
meetings since the first Briefing Note was prepared. The Regional=
Preparatory
meetings and the associated NGO meetings will now take place as follows.
Regional Preparatory Meeting for Europe (in Strasbourg, France), organized
by the Council of Europe, 11-13 October 2000. On 10 October, there will be a
European NGO Forum. For further information about these meetings, see the
website of the European Commission against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI), <
http://www.ecri.coe.int/en/07/01/e07010001.htm>.
Regional Preparatory Meeting for Africa (in Dakar, Senegal), November 2000
(specific date still to be determined). An African NGO Forum will be held=
one
day prior to the meeting. For details about that NGO Forum, contact Mr.=20
Alioune
Tine at Rencontre africaine pour la d=E9fense des droits de l=94homme=
(RADDHO)
<raddho@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>.
Regional Preparatory Meeting for Latin America and the Caribbean (in
Santiago, Chile), 4-6 December 2000. No decision has as yet been taken about
whether Canada and the USA will be invited as participants of this meeting.=
An
NGO Forum will be held just prior to this meeting. For details, contact Ms.
Cristina Zeledon at the Instituto Inter-Americano de Derechos Humanos (IIDH)
<instituto@xxxxxxxxxx>.
Regional Preparatory Meeting for Asia (in Teheran, Iran). New date! 19-21
February 2001. An NGO Forum will be held 18 February. For details, contact=
Ms.
Nimalka Fernando at the International Movement Against All Forms of
Discrimination and Racism (IMADR) <imadr@xxxxxx>.
Note: NGOs wishing to participate in the preparatory meetings (whether in
Geneva or in the regions) must either have Consultative Status with ECOSOC=
=20
or be
accredited to the World Conference. The procedure for getting accreditation=
to
the WCAR is noted below.
There are funds available to assist NGO participation at these Regional
Preparatory meetings. If your NGO wishes to participate and needs financial
assistance, it is important to contact the relevant =93organizing=94 NGO=
noted
above, and to submit an application as rapidly as possible.
V. Regional Expert Seminars
Two expert seminars have already taken place.
The first was on =93Remedies Available to Victims of Acts of Racism, Racial
Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance and Good National=
Practices
in this Field,=94 which took place in Geneva, 16-18 February 2000. The=
second=20
was
an Expert Seminar for Europe, which took place in Warsaw from 5-7 July 2000=
on
the theme: =93Protection of Minorities and Other Vulnerable Groups and
Strengthening Human Rights Capacity at the National Level=94. Three others=
are
scheduled as follows.
Expert Seminar for Asia (Bangkok), 5-7 September 2000. Theme: =93Migrant
Workers and Trafficking of Persons, with Particular Reference to Women and
Children=94 (Point Person: Gloria Nwabuogu. Email: gnwabuogu.hchr@xxxxxxxx
Tel. 41-22 917-9394.)
Expert Seminar for Africa (Addis Ababa), 4-6 October 2000. Theme:
=93Preventing Ethnic and Racial Conflict=94 (Point Person: Aziz Ndiaye.=
Email:
andiaye.hchr@xxxxxxxx Tel. 41-22 917-9826.)
Expert Seminar for Latin America (Santiago de Chile), 25-27 October 2000.
Theme: Economic, Social and Legal Measures to Combat Racial Discrimination,
with Particular Reference to Vulnerable Groups (Point Person: Robert
Husbands. Email: rhusbands.hchr@xxxxxxxx Tel. 41-22 917-9290.)
Note: NGOs with ECOSOC consultative status or which are accredited to the=
WCAR
may participate in these experts seminars as observers: i.e., they may ask
questions, make comments, or suggest recommendations. Others who wish to
participate may do so as a member of the public gallery, but with no rights=
to
speak or submit documentation. All NGOs wishing to attend an expert seminar,
both those which have and those which do not have consultative status or
accreditation to the World Conference, should write a letter to the member=
of
the WCAR Secretariat responsible for the meeting (as noted above),=
indicating
the name of the NGO representative(s) who will attend. The point person will
provide details about time and venue.
VI. Other Regional NGO Meetings
The Secretariat of the OHCHR is also planning to support four regional NGO
meetings intended to feed into the NGO Forum. While the dates and venues=
have
not yet been confirmed, the plans at present are for meetings:
for Africa, in Botswana: contact Ms. Chantal Kisoon at the Centre for
Human Rights, University of Pretoria <ckisoon@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
for Asia, in Amman, Jordan: contact Arab Organization for Human Rights
(AOHR), Mr. Nizam Assaf, <achrs@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx> or <aohr_jo@xxxxxxxxx>
for the Americas, in Quito, Ecuador: contact Ms. Irene Leon at Agencia
Latinoamerican de Informacion (ALAI) at <mujeres@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
or contact Mr. Mark Hecht at Human Rights Internet (HRI) at
<hechtma@xxxxxx>
for Eastern and Central Europe, in Warsaw: contact, Mr. Marek Nowicki,
Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights, at <jacquel@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Further information will be provided as soon as it is available.
VII. Decisions of the First Session of the PrepCom regarding the structure=
of
the conference
The First Session of the PrepCom elected Ambassador (Mme) Absa Claude
Diallo of Senegal as its Chairperson. Ambassador Diallo chaired the
sessional working group of the 55th Session of the Commission on Human
Rights (1999) on the preparation of the World Conference.
Other members of the Bureau are the following: Tunisia, Islamic Republic of
Iran, Malaysia, FYR of Macedonia, Georgia, Brazil, Mexico (Rapporteur),
France, USA and South Africa as ex-officio.
In the Rules of Procedures adopted at the First Session of the PrepCom, it
was decided that the Conference would establish one Main Committee and one
Drafting Committee, and these Committees may set up their own subcommittees
or working groups. NGOs will be permitted to participate in the work of
both of these Committees (and any subcommittees or working groups they
establish) on questions within the scope of their activities.
This means that NGOs will be able to make oral statements as well as to
submit written statements to the Conference. (See details about written
statement below.)
VIII. Slogan and Themes of the Conference
The First Session of the PrepCom adopted the following World Conference
Slogan:
=93United to combat racism: Equality, Justice, Dignity=94
It also adopted the following 5 broad themes of the Provisional Agenda.
(1) Sources, causes, forms and contemporary manifestations of racism,
racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance;
(2) Victims of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related
intolerance;
(3) 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;
(4) Provision of effective remedies, recourse, redress, [compensatory] and
other measures at the national, regional and international levels;
(5) Strategies to achieve full and effective equality, including
international cooperation and enhancement of the United Nations and other
international mechanisms in combatting racism, racial discrimination,
xenbophobia and related intolerance, and follow-up.
Note that the word =93compensatory=94 in theme 4 is in square brackets=
because
there was no general agreement for including this term.
IX. Accreditation of NGOs
1. NGOs which have Consultative Status with ECOSOC may participate in the
World Conference and its Preparatory processes. As well, representatives of
Indigenous Peoples or Indigenous Organizations which have been accredited
to participate in the Working Group of the Commission on Human Rights on
the draft declaration on the rights of indigenous peoples, under ECOSOC
Resolution 1995/32, may participate in the World Conference.
NGOs/Indigenous Peoples or Indigenous Organizations wishing to accredit
representatives to any of the meetings are invited to send their request
(s) (one letter of accreditation per meeting) to the secretariat of the
Preparatory Committee, for the attention of:
Ms. Catherine Br=E9mont,
OHCHR, Room PW 1-051,
Palais des Nations, 8-14
Avenue de la Paix,
CH - 1211 Geneva 10
Tel: : 00 41 22 917 92 62,
Fax: 00 41 22 917 90 11,
e-mail: cbremont.hchr@xxxxxxx
2. NGOs which do not have Consultative Status can be accredited to the
World Conference under Resolution 1996/31, and Decision PC 1/5 of the First
Session of the PrepCom as follows:
(a) An NGO applies to the Conference Secretariat with required
documentation (see information note for NGOs not having Consultative
Status, on the website of the OHCHR and/or questionnaire on the web).
(b) This documentation is reviewed by the Secretariat to ensure that it is
complete and that the NGO meets the criteria for accreditation.
(c) When 10 applications have been received, the Secretariat sends a note
verbale to all governments with a list of the NGOs applying and its
recommendation. Governments have 14 days to raise any concerns they
have.
(d) Where no concerns have been raised, the Secretariat will forward the
name of the applying NGOs to the Bureau of the PrepCom for
accreditation.
(e) If concerns are raised about an NGO, the Secretariat will inform the
NGO about the government=94s comments and give the NGO the opportunity
to reply. It will then forward the government=94s concerns, the NGOs
comments and its own recommendation to the Bureau for action. The
Bureau, in consultation with the regions, will decide whether or not
to accredit the NGO.
(f) If the Bureau decides not to accredit, the matter will go to the
Second Session of the PrepCom (in May 2000) for final decision.
3. Additionally, representative of Indigenous peoples or organizations
may apply for accreditation under ECOSOC Resolution 1995/32, in which case
the decision is taken by ECOSOC=94s Committee on NGOs, not the Bureau of the
PrepCom.
4. NGOs must be also be accredited to the World Conference if they wish to
participate in the Regional Preparatory Meetings. However, once they have
been accredited to participate in a regional Preparatory Meeting, they will
automatically be accredited to participate in the World Conference itself
and any other preparatory meeting.
5. Since accreditation is a complicated/lengthy process please note and
respect the following deadlines. To be accredited, a complete application
must be received by:
20 August 2000 for, African Preparatory meeting in Dakar
4 October 2000 for South American/Caribbean Preparatory meeting in
Santiago
15 November 2000 for accreditation to Inter-Sessional Working Group
meeting in Geneva
19 December 2001 for Asian Preparatory meeting in Teheran
28 March 2001 for accreditation to Second Session of the PrepCom
As a precaution, if you want to participate, apply NOW or as early as
possible. You should send your applications to: Ms. Sandra Aragon-Parriaux,
OHCHR, Palais des Nations, Room PW-RS181, 1211 Geneva 10, Switzerland. Tel.
(41-22) 917-9129. Fax. (41-22) 917-9050. Email: saragon.hchr@xxxxxxx
X. Written Statements
If written statements of NGOs are to be circulated at the Inter-sessional
Working Group meeting or during the Second Session of the PrepCom, they
must be submitted 10 weeks prior to the respective meeting. It helps if the
statements are submitted electronically, and especially if text can be
provided in English, French and Spanish. Length is restricted to 1,500
words, except that NGOs which have =93general=94 consultative status may
submitted up to 2,000 words.
XI. Substantive Contributions to the Declaration and Programme of Action
As the Secretariat of the WCAR is currently beginning to prepare the draft
Declaration and Programme of Action for the World Conference, which will
initially be considered during the Inter-Sessional Working Group Meeting
(January 15-19, 2000), NGOs in consultative status or those accredited to=
the
WCAR are invited to submit contributions (i.e., text and other suggestions).
Contributions should be post-marked by August 15 to ensure their inclusion=
and
should be sent to the Secretariat of the World Conference Against Racism,=20
Office
of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, Rm RS 181 Palais Wilson, 52 rue=
des
Paquis, 1201 Geneva, Switzerland.
XII. Websites
Website of the High Commissioner for Human Rights for general information
on the WCR: http://www.unhchr.ch. Click on World Conference Against Racism
at the top of the Home Page.
NGO Website for the World Conference: http://www.hri.ca/racism
(with links to many other sites dealing with racism)
NGO Website with a specific European focus: http://www.icare.to
XIII. Guide to Participating in World Conference
The International Human Rights Law Group has produced an excellent Guide to
Participating in the UN World Conference Against Racism, which is available
in English, Spanish, Portuguese and French, in hard copy. It will shortly
also be available on the web. The Law Group plans to periodically updated
this manual throughout the preparatory process. For copies, contact Ms.
Alison N. Stewart, Special Projects Coordinator, IHRLG, 1200 18th St.,
N.W., Suite 602, Washington, DC 20009, USA. Tel. (1-202) 822-4600; Fax.
(1-202) 822-4606. Email: HumanRights@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
XIV. Other Meetings to Note
A large number of other meetings are taking place as part of the
preparatory process for the World Conference. To the extent that we receive
information about these meetings, we will redisseminate that information=20
through
this ListServ.
South African National Conference on Racism 2000 will be taking place in
Johannesburg from 30 August to 2 September. For further information, visit=
the
website of the South African Human Rights Commission,=20
http://www.sahrc.org.za or
contact Ms. B. Tselapedi, SACHR, Private Bag 2700, Houghton 2041, South=20
Africa.
Tel. (27-11) 484-8300. Fax. (27-11) 484-7146. sahrcinfo@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Minority Rights Group Roundtable on Strengthening the Implementation of
International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial
Discrimination, 5 August 2000, in Geneva. This 10th annual roundtable of=20
the MRG
will focus on strengthening the implementation of the Convention. For=
details,
contact: Mr. Paul Gaskell: Minority Rights Group, 379 Brixton Rd. London SW9
7DE, UK. Tel: 44-20-7878-9498. Fax: 44-20-7738- 6265. E-mail:
paul.gaskell@xxxxxxxxxxx
Conferencia Nacional de Honduras contra el Racismo, 15 August 2000, in
Hotel Honduras Maya, Tegacigalpa. For further information, contact: Mr.=
Celeo
Alvarez Casildo, e-mail: calvarez@xxxxxxxxx
XV. For further information on how NGOs can participate in the WCAR,=
contact:
Laurie S. Wiseberg
NGO Liaison for the WCAR
Room 4-025 Palais Wilson
Tel. (41-22) 917-9393
Fax. (41-22) 917-9050
lwiseberg.hchr@xxxxxxx
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Envelope-to: darnott@xxxxxxxxxxx <br>
X-Lotus-FromDomain: UNCHR <br>
Approved-By: Laurie Wiseberg <lwiseberg.hchr@xxxxxxx> <br>
Date: Mon, 31 Jul 2000 10:14:51 +0200 <br>
Reply-To: "NGO list for the purpose of the WCR."
<OHCHR-NGO@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx> <br>
Sender: "NGO list for the purpose of the WCR."
<OHCHR-NGO@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx> <br>
Subject: Briefing Note No. 2 <br>
To: OHCHR-NGO@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx <br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<font face=3D"Arial, Helvetica">This briefing note will also be available
in Spanish and French. To a receive a <br>
copy in either of these languages, send an e-mail to
<lwiseberg.hchr@xxxxxxx> <br>
with the following message: "Send Spanish Text" or "Send
French Text".<br>
Esta Nota Informativa estar <br>
=E1 pr=F3ximamente disponible en espa=F1ol. Si desea tener <br>
una copia de esta envie una solicitud por e-mail a
lwiseberg.hchr@xxxxxxx, <br>
poniendo como t=EDtulo del mensaje: "solicito versi=F3n en
espa=F1ol".<br>
Cette note d'informaci=F3n sera bient=F4t disponible en espagnol. Si vous en
voulez <br>
un exemplaire, envoyer une demande par e-amil =E0 lwiseberg.hchr@xxxxxxx en
<br>
stipulant "demande de version fran=E7aise" dans le sujet.<br>
<br>
Briefing Note No. 2, 28 July 2000<br>
by the NGO Liaison for the World Conference Against Racism, Racial <br>
Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance (WCAR)<br>
<br>
I. Dates and Venue for the World Conference and NGO Forum. <br>
As noted earlier, the WCAR will take place in South Africa from 31 August
<br>
to 7 September 2001. There is still no decision on the city. The NGO
Forum is <br>
likely to be from 29 August-2 September 2001 (dates still to be
confirmed).<br>
II. Organizing Committee for the NGO Forum <br>
The Organizing Committee for the NGO Forum will be led by the South
African <br>
National NGO Coalition, SANGOCO. Contact Mr. Moshe More at the following
e-mail <br>
for further information: moshe@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx<br>
III. Preparatory Process <br>
The report of the first session of the PrepCom, which took place in
Geneva <br>
from 1-5 May 2000, is now available as A/CONF.189/PC.1/21 (in English,
French, <br>
Spanish, Arabic, Russian and Chinese). It is available on the website of
the <br>
High Commissioner for Human Rights <
</font><a href=3D"http://www.unhchr.ch/html/racism/index.htm"=
eudora=3D"autourl"><font face=3D"Arial, Helvetica"=
color=3D"#0000FF"><u>http://www.unhchr.ch/html/racism/index.</a><a=
href=3D"http://www.unhchr.ch/html/racism/index.htm"=
eudora=3D"autourl">htm</a></u></font><font face=3D"Arial, Helvetica">
<br>
>. <br>
The second session of the PrepCom will take place in Geneva from 30 May -
8 <br>
June 2001. <br>
In addition, there will be an Open-Ended Inter-Sessional Working Group
<br>
Meeting in Geneva, 15-19 January 2001. The Inter-Sessional Working Group
will <br>
have before it a document prepared by the Secretariat of the World
Conference <br>
(i.e., a draft Declaration and Programme of Action). <br>
There will also be an Informal Meeting, 19-20 October 2000, to plan for
<br>
the Inter-Sessional Working Group and to begin discussion on the
sub-themes of <br>
the five major conference themes. <br>
NGOs with Consultative Status with ECOSOC or which are accredited to the
<br>
World, Conference, can attend these meetings as observers.<br>
IV. Regional Preparatory Meetings <br>
There have been changes in the dates of some of the Regional Preparatory
<br>
meetings since the first Briefing Note was prepared. The Regional
Preparatory <br>
meetings and the associated NGO meetings will now take place as follows.
<br>
Regional Preparatory Meeting for Europe (in Strasbourg, France),
organized <br>
by the Council of Europe, 11-13 October 2000. On 10 October, there will
be a <br>
European NGO Forum. For further information about these meetings, see the
<br>
website of the European Commission against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI),
< <br>
</font><font face=3D"Arial, Helvetica" color=3D"#0000FF"><u><a=
href=3D"http://www.ecri.coe.int/en/07/01/e07010001.htm"=
eudora=3D"autourl">http://www.ecri.coe.int/en/07/01/e07010001.</a><a=
href=3D"http://www.ecri.coe.int/en/07/01/e07010001.htm"=
eudora=3D"autourl">htm</a></u></font><font face=3D"Arial, Helvetica">>.
<br>
Regional Preparatory Meeting for Africa (in Dakar, Senegal), November
2000 <br>
(specific date still to be determined). An African NGO Forum will be held
one <br>
day prior to the meeting. For details about that NGO Forum, contact Mr.
Alioune <br>
Tine at Rencontre africaine pour la d=E9fense des droits de l=94homme
(RADDHO) <br>
<raddho@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>. <br>
Regional Preparatory Meeting for Latin America and the Caribbean (in
<br>
Santiago, Chile), 4-6 December 2000. No decision has as yet been taken
about <br>
whether Canada and the USA will be invited as participants of this
meeting. An <br>
NGO Forum will be held just prior to this meeting. For details, contact
Ms. <br>
Cristina Zeledon at the Instituto Inter-Americano de Derechos Humanos
(IIDH) <br>
<instituto@xxxxxxxxxx>. <br>
Regional Preparatory Meeting for Asia (in Teheran, Iran). New date! 19-21
<br>
February 2001. An NGO Forum will be held 18 February. For details,
contact Ms. <br>
Nimalka Fernando at the International Movement Against All Forms of=20
<br>
Discrimination and Racism (IMADR) <imadr@xxxxxx>. <br>
Note: NGOs wishing to participate in the preparatory meetings (whether in
<br>
Geneva or in the regions) must either have Consultative Status with
ECOSOC or be <br>
accredited to the World Conference. The procedure for getting
accreditation to <br>
the WCAR is noted below. <br>
There are funds available to assist NGO participation at these Regional
<br>
Preparatory meetings. If your NGO wishes to participate and needs
financial <br>
assistance, it is important to contact the relevant =93organizing=94 NGO
noted <br>
above, and to submit an application as rapidly as possible.<br>
V. Regional Expert Seminars<br>
Two expert seminars have already taken place.<br>
The first was on =93Remedies Available to Victims of Acts of Racism, Racial
<br>
Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance and Good National
Practices <br>
in this Field,=94 which took place in Geneva, 16-18 February 2000. The
second was <br>
an Expert Seminar for Europe, which took place in Warsaw from 5-7 July
2000 on <br>
the theme: =93Protection of Minorities and Other Vulnerable Groups and
<br>
Strengthening Human Rights Capacity at the National Level=94. Three others
are <br>
scheduled as follows.<br>
Expert Seminar for Asia (Bangkok), 5-7 September 2000. Theme: =93Migrant
<br>
Workers and Trafficking of Persons, with Particular Reference to Women
and <br>
Children=94 (Point Person: Gloria Nwabuogu. Email: gnwabuogu.hchr@xxxxxxxx
<br>
Tel. 41-22 917-9394.) <br>
Expert Seminar for Africa (Addis Ababa), 4-6 October 2000. Theme: <br>
=93Preventing Ethnic and Racial Conflict=94 (Point Person: Aziz Ndiaye.
Email: <br>
andiaye.hchr@xxxxxxxx Tel. 41-22 917-9826.) <br>
Expert Seminar for Latin America (Santiago de Chile), 25-27 October 2000.
<br>
Theme: Economic, Social and Legal Measures to Combat Racial
Discrimination, <br>
with Particular Reference to Vulnerable Groups (Point Person: Robert
<br>
Husbands. Email: rhusbands.hchr@xxxxxxxx Tel. 41-22 917-9290.)<br>
Note: NGOs with ECOSOC consultative status or which are accredited to the
WCAR <br>
may participate in these experts seminars as observers: i.e., they may
ask <br>
questions, make comments, or suggest recommendations. Others who wish to
<br>
participate may do so as a member of the public gallery, but with no
rights to <br>
speak or submit documentation. All NGOs wishing to attend an expert
seminar, <br>
both those which have and those which do not have consultative status or
<br>
accreditation to the World Conference, should write a letter to the
member of <br>
the WCAR Secretariat responsible for the meeting (as noted above),
indicating <br>
the name of the NGO representative(s) who will attend. The point person
will <br>
provide details about time and venue.<br>
VI. Other Regional NGO Meetings<br>
The Secretariat of the OHCHR is also planning to support four regional
NGO <br>
meetings intended to feed into the NGO Forum. While the dates and venues
have <br>
not yet been confirmed, the plans at present are for meetings: <br>
for Africa, in Botswana: contact Ms. Chantal Kisoon at the Centre for
<br>
Human Rights, University of Pretoria <ckisoon@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx <br>
for Asia, in Amman, Jordan: contact Arab Organization for Human Rights
<br>
(AOHR), Mr. Nizam Assaf, <achrs@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx> or
<aohr_jo@xxxxxxxxx> <br>
for the Americas, in Quito, Ecuador: contact Ms. Irene Leon at Agencia
<br>
Latinoamerican de Informacion (ALAI) at
<mujeres@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> <br>
or contact Mr. Mark Hecht at Human Rights Internet (HRI) at <br>
<hechtma@xxxxxx> <br>
for Eastern and Central Europe, in Warsaw: contact, Mr. Marek Nowicki,
<br>
Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights, at <jacquel@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
<br>
Further information will be provided as soon as it is available.<br>
VII. Decisions of the First Session of the PrepCom regarding the
structure of <br>
the conference<br>
The First Session of the PrepCom elected Ambassador (Mme) Absa Claude
<br>
Diallo of Senegal as its Chairperson. Ambassador Diallo chaired the=20
<br>
sessional working group of the 55th Session of the Commission on Human
<br>
Rights (1999) on the preparation of the World Conference.<br>
Other members of the Bureau are the following: Tunisia, Islamic Republic
of <br>
Iran, Malaysia, FYR of Macedonia, Georgia, Brazil, Mexico (Rapporteur),
<br>
France, USA and South Africa as ex-officio.<br>
In the Rules of Procedures adopted at the First Session of the PrepCom,
it <br>
was decided that the Conference would establish one Main Committee and
one <br>
Drafting Committee, and these Committees may set up their own
subcommittees <br>
or working groups. NGOs will be permitted to participate in the work of
<br>
both of these Committees (and any subcommittees or working groups they
<br>
establish) on questions within the scope of their activities.<br>
This means that NGOs will be able to make oral statements as well as to
<br>
submit written statements to the Conference. (See details about written
<br>
statement below.)<br>
VIII. Slogan and Themes of the Conference<br>
The First Session of the PrepCom adopted the following World Conference
<br>
Slogan: <br>
=93United to combat racism: Equality, Justice, Dignity=94<br>
It also adopted the following 5 broad themes of the Provisional Agenda.
<br>
(1) Sources, causes, forms and contemporary manifestations of racism,
<br>
racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance; <br>
(2) Victims of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related
<br>
intolerance; <br>
(3) Measures of prevention, education and protection aimed at the <br>
eradication of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related
<br>
intolerance, at the national, regional and international levels; <br>
(4) Provision of effective remedies, recourse, redress, [compensatory]
and <br>
other measures at the national, regional and international levels; <br>
(5) Strategies to achieve full and effective equality, including <br>
international cooperation and enhancement of the United Nations and other
<br>
international mechanisms in combatting racism, racial discrimination,
<br>
xenbophobia and related intolerance, and follow-up.<br>
Note that the word =93compensatory=94 in theme 4 is in square brackets
because <br>
there was no general agreement for including this term.<br>
<br>
IX. Accreditation of NGOs<br>
1. NGOs which have Consultative Status with ECOSOC may participate in the
<br>
World Conference and its Preparatory processes. As well, representatives
of <br>
Indigenous Peoples or Indigenous Organizations which have been accredited
<br>
to participate in the Working Group of the Commission on Human Rights on
<br>
the draft declaration on the rights of indigenous peoples, under ECOSOC
<br>
Resolution 1995/32, may participate in the World Conference. <br>
NGOs/Indigenous Peoples or Indigenous Organizations wishing to accredit
<br>
representatives to any of the meetings are invited to send their request
<br>
(s) (one letter of accreditation per meeting) to the secretariat of the
<br>
Preparatory Committee, for the attention of:<br>
Ms. Catherine Br=E9mont, <br>
OHCHR, Room PW 1-051, <br>
Palais des Nations, 8-14 <br>
Avenue de la Paix, <br>
CH - 1211 Geneva 10 <br>
Tel: : 00 41 22 917 92 62, <br>
Fax: 00 41 22 917 90 11, <br>
e-mail: cbremont.hchr@xxxxxxx<br>
2. NGOs which do not have Consultative Status can be accredited to the
<br>
World Conference under Resolution 1996/31, and Decision PC 1/5 of the
First <br>
Session of the PrepCom as follows:<br>
(a) An NGO applies to the Conference Secretariat with required <br>
documentation (see information note for NGOs not having Consultative
<br>
Status, on the website of the OHCHR and/or questionnaire on the web).
<br>
(b) This documentation is reviewed by the Secretariat to ensure that it
is <br>
complete and that the NGO meets the criteria for accreditation. <br>
(c) When 10 applications have been received, the Secretariat sends a note
<br>
verbale to all governments with a list of the NGOs applying and its=20
<br>
recommendation. Governments have 14 days to raise any concerns they=20
<br>
have. <br>
(d) Where no concerns have been raised, the Secretariat will forward the
<br>
name of the applying NGOs to the Bureau of the PrepCom for <br>
accreditation. <br>
(e) If concerns are raised about an NGO, the Secretariat will inform the
<br>
NGO about the government=94s comments and give the NGO the opportunity
<br>
to reply. It will then forward the government=94s concerns, the NGOs <br>
comments and its own recommendation to the Bureau for action. The <br>
Bureau, in consultation with the regions, will decide whether or not
<br>
to accredit the NGO. <br>
(f) If the Bureau decides not to accredit, the matter will go to the
<br>
Second Session of the PrepCom (in May 2000) for final decision. <br>
3. Additionally, representative of Indigenous peoples or organizations
<br>
may apply for accreditation under ECOSOC Resolution 1995/32, in which
case <br>
the decision is taken by ECOSOC=94s Committee on NGOs, not the Bureau of
the <br>
PrepCom.<br>
4. NGOs must be also be accredited to the World Conference if they wish
to <br>
participate in the Regional Preparatory Meetings. However, once they have
<br>
been accredited to participate in a regional Preparatory Meeting, they
will <br>
automatically be accredited to participate in the World Conference itself
<br>
and any other preparatory meeting.<br>
5. Since accreditation is a complicated/lengthy process please note and
<br>
respect the following deadlines. To be accredited, a complete application
<br>
must be received by:<br>
20 August 2000 for, African Preparatory meeting in Dakar <br>
4 October 2000 for South American/Caribbean Preparatory meeting in <br>
Santiago <br>
15 November 2000 for accreditation to Inter-Sessional Working Group=20
<br>
meeting in Geneva <br>
19 December 2001 for Asian Preparatory meeting in Teheran <br>
28 March 2001 for accreditation to Second Session of the PrepCom<br>
As a precaution, if you want to participate, apply NOW or as early as
<br>
possible. You should send your applications to: Ms. Sandra
Aragon-Parriaux, <br>
OHCHR, Palais des Nations, Room PW-RS181, 1211 Geneva 10, Switzerland.
Tel. <br>
(41-22) 917-9129. Fax. (41-22) 917-9050. Email:=20
saragon.hchr@xxxxxxx<br>
X. Written Statements<br>
If written statements of NGOs are to be circulated at the Inter-sessional
<br>
Working Group meeting or during the Second Session of the PrepCom, they
<br>
must be submitted 10 weeks prior to the respective meeting. It helps if
the <br>
statements are submitted electronically, and especially if text can be
<br>
provided in English, French and Spanish. Length is restricted to 1,500
<br>
words, except that NGOs which have =93general=94 consultative status may
<br>
submitted up to 2,000 words.<br>
XI. Substantive Contributions to the Declaration and Programme of
Action<br>
As the Secretariat of the WCAR is currently beginning to prepare the
draft <br>
Declaration and Programme of Action for the World Conference, which will
<br>
initially be considered during the Inter-Sessional Working Group Meeting
<br>
(January 15-19, 2000), NGOs in consultative status or those accredited to
the <br>
WCAR are invited to submit contributions (i.e., text and other
suggestions). <br>
Contributions should be post-marked by August 15 to ensure their
inclusion and <br>
should be sent to the Secretariat of the World Conference Against Racism,
Office <br>
of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, Rm RS 181 Palais Wilson, 52
rue des <br>
Paquis, 1201 Geneva, Switzerland.<br>
XII. Websites<br>
Website of the High Commissioner for Human Rights for general information
<br>
on the WCR:
</font><a href=3D"http://www.unhchr.ch/"; eudora=3D"autourl"><font=
face=3D"Arial, Helvetica"=
color=3D"#0000FF"><u>http://www.unhchr.ch</a></u></font><font face=3D"Arial=
, Helvetica">.
Click on World Conference Against Racism <br>
at the top of the Home Page.<br>
NGO Website for the World Conference:
</font><a href=3D"http://www.hri.ca/racism"; eudora=3D"autourl"><font=
face=3D"Arial, Helvetica"=
color=3D"#0000FF"><u>http://www.hri.ca/racism</a></u></font><font=
face=3D"Arial, Helvetica">
<br>
(with links to many other sites dealing with racism)<br>
NGO Website with a specific European focus:
</font><a href=3D"http://www.icare.to/"; eudora=3D"autourl"><font=
face=3D"Arial, Helvetica" color=3D"#0000FF"><u>http://www.icare.to<br>
</a></u></font><font face=3D"Arial, Helvetica">XIII. Guide to Participating
in World Conference<br>
The International Human Rights Law Group has produced an excellent Guide
to <br>
Participating in the UN World Conference Against Racism, which is
available <br>
in English, Spanish, Portuguese and French, in hard copy. It will shortly
<br>
also be available on the web. The Law Group plans to periodically updated
<br>
this manual throughout the preparatory process. For copies, contact Ms.
<br>
Alison N. Stewart, Special Projects Coordinator, IHRLG, 1200 18th St.,
<br>
N.W., Suite 602, Washington, DC 20009, USA. Tel. (1-202) 822-4600; Fax.
<br>
(1-202) 822-4606. Email: HumanRights@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx<br>
XIV. Other Meetings to Note<br>
A large number of other meetings are taking place as part of the <br>
preparatory process for the World Conference. To the extent that we
receive <br>
information about these meetings, we will redisseminate that information
through <br>
this ListServ.<br>
South African National Conference on Racism 2000 will be taking place in
<br>
Johannesburg from 30 August to 2 September. For further information,
visit the <br>
website of the South African Human Rights Commission,
</font><a href=3D"http://www.sahrc.org.za/"; eudora=3D"autourl"><font=
face=3D"Arial, Helvetica" color=3D"#0000FF"><u>http://www.sahrc.org.</a><a=
href=3D"http://www.sahrc.org.za/"; eudora=3D"autourl">za</a></u></font><font=
face=3D"Arial, Helvetica">
or <br>
contact Ms. B. Tselapedi, SACHR, Private Bag 2700, Houghton 2041, South
Africa. <br>
Tel. (27-11) 484-8300. Fax. (27-11) 484-7146.
sahrcinfo@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx<br>
Minority Rights Group Roundtable on Strengthening the Implementation of
<br>
International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial <br>
Discrimination, 5 August 2000, in Geneva. This 10th annual roundtable of
the MRG <br>
will focus on strengthening the implementation of the Convention. For
details, <br>
contact: Mr. Paul Gaskell: Minority Rights Group, 379 Brixton Rd. London
SW9 <br>
7DE, UK. Tel: 44-20-7878-9498. Fax: 44-20-7738- 6265. E-mail: <br>
paul.gaskell@xxxxxxxxxxx<br>
Conferencia Nacional de Honduras contra el Racismo, 15 August 2000, in
<br>
Hotel Honduras Maya, Tegacigalpa. For further information, contact: Mr.
Celeo <br>
Alvarez Casildo, e-mail: calvarez@xxxxxxxxx<br>
<br>
XV. For further information on how NGOs can participate in the WCAR,
contact:<br>
Laurie S. Wiseberg <br>
NGO Liaison for the WCAR <br>
Room 4-025 Palais Wilson <br>
Tel. (41-22) 917-9393 <br>
Fax. (41-22) 917-9050 <br>
lwiseberg.hchr@xxxxxxx<br>
<br>
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