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World Conference Against Racism: Br
- Subject: World Conference Against Racism: Br
- From: darnott@xxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Sun, 18 Mar 2001 06:05:00
N.B Asian regional NGO meeting for the WCAR:
Kathmandu, 27-29 April 2001. Contact: IMADR at
<imadr@xxxxxx>. (see below, "forthcoming meetings")
>Briefing Note No. 4 - Revised - 12 March 2001
>
>Background Information on the World Conference Against Racism,
>Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance
> From the NGO Liaison Unit,WCAR
>
>Introduction:
>
> These briefing notes are prepared to assist NGO representatives who
>wish to participate in the World Conference process. Please, feel free to
>circulate as widely as possible. For further information or for
>clarifications, feel free to contact the staff at the NGO Liaison Unit of
>the WCAR using the following coordinates:
>
> Laurie S. Wiseberg, NGO Liaison WCAR
> Room 4-025 OHCHR, Palais Wilson, Geneva
> Mailing address: OHCHR, Palais Wilson, CH 1211 Geneva 10, Switzerland
> Tel. (41-22) 917-9393
> Fax. (41-22) 917-9050
> E-mail: lwiseberg.hchr@xxxxxxx
>
> Frej Fenniche, Senior Human Rights Officer
> Room 2-025 OHCHR, Palais Wilson, Geneva
> Mailing address: OHCHR, Palais Wilson, CH 1211 Geneva 10, Switzerland
> Tel. (41-22) 917-9229
> Fax. (41-22) 917-9050
> E-mail: ffenniche.hchr@xxxxxxx
>
> Sandra Aragon, Associate Human Rights Officer
> Room 4-040 OHCHR, Palais Wilson, Geneva
> Mailing address: OHCHR, Palais Wilson, CH 1211 Geneva 10, Switzerland
> Tel. (41-22) 917-9129
> Fax. (41-22) 917-9050
> E-mail: saragon.hchr@xxxxxxx
>
> Birgit Van Hout, Associate Human Rights Officer
> Room 4-021 OHCHR, Palais Wilson, Geneva
> Mailing address: OHCHR, Palais Wilson, CH 1211 Geneva 10, Switzerland
> Tel. (41-22) 917- 9381
> Fax. (41-22) 917-9050
> E-mail: bvanhout.hchr@xxxxxxx
>
> Anthony Chartier, Intern (end of internship: 28 September 2001)
> E-mail: chartieranthony@xxxxxxxxxxx
>
>The NGO Liaison Unit maintains a ListServe to distribute these briefing
>notes and other important information or documentation. To be added to this
>mailing list, just send a message to: lwiseberg.hchr@xxxxxxx
>
>If you want to be removed from this ListServe, send the following message
>to <listserv@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>: SIGNOFF OHCHR-NGO. Put this in the text field
>and leave the subject blank.
>
>
>I. Dates and Venue for the World Conference and NGO Forum.
>
> The WCAR will take place in South Africa from 31 August to 7 September
>2001. The venue is the International Convention Centre (ICC) in Durban. The
>NGO Forum will take place from 28 August-1 September 2001. The venue is the
>Kingsmead Cricket Stadium, next to the ICC, in Durban. Open-air tents will
>be set up for specific issues.
>
>
>II. Organizing Committee for the NGO Forum
>
> The Organizing Committee for the NGO Forum is being led by the South
>African National NGO Coalition, SANGOCO. The Committee offices are located
>on the 4th Floor, Sable Centre, 41 De Korte Street, Braamfontein, Gauteng,
>South Africa. Tel. (27-11) 403?7270; Fax. (27-11) 403-5531. E-mail, as
>follows:
> Moshe More, Program Director: <moshe@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> Major Kobese, Program Officer: <major@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> David Madurai, Project co-ordinator: <david@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> Fumane Diseko, Media Coordinator: <fumane@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> Charl Durand, Coordinator for Forum Exhibition:
><festival@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
>For registration and basic information on the NGO Forum, go to the NGO
>Forum Website at:
> www.racism.org.za
>
>Note: NGOs and individuals who wish to attend the NGO Forum only do not
>need to be "accredited" to the World Conference to participate.
>(Accreditation to the WCAR is discussed under XII below.) However, they do
>need to register with the NGO Forum. To organize panels, workshops,
>roundtables, or other events, it is necessary to do so by sending an
>application form (available on their website) to SANGOCO organizing
>committee. Propositions may be grouped to adequately represent the
>different issues and regions. This Committee will also be responsible for
>hotels or other accommodations, for providing space or booths for exhibits,
>and for any special events in connection with the NGO Forum.
>
>
>III. Secretariat for the World Conference
>
> The High Commissioner for Human Rights Mrs. Mary Robinson is
>Secretary-General of the World Conference. A Secretariat for the World
>Conference has been set up at the Office of the High Commissioner (OHCHR),
>headed by Executive Coordinator Mr. Jyoti Shankar Singh. Included in this
>Secretariat is the NGO Liaison unit.
>
>
>IV. How to find documentation for the Conference and the Preparatory
>Process
>
> Relevant reports and documents for the World Conference are available
>on the website of the High Commissioner for Human Rights.
> <http://www.unhchr.ch>
>Click on World Conference Against Racism on the left side of the Home Page.
>
> The website for the NGO Forum is: <www.racism.org.za>.
>
> A great deal of additional information for NGOs has been posted on an
>NGO Website for the World Conference:
> < http://www.hri.ca/racism>
>This has links to many other sites dealing with racism. NGOs wishing to
>post their documentation on this site should send an electronic version
>toHuman Rights Internet.
>
>The Office of the High Commissioner is also distributing information via a
>newsletter, being published in hard copy as well as on the website. If you
>would like to be on the mailing list to receive the newsletter, contact:
><gnwabuogu.hchr@xxxxxxx> or write to Gloria Nwabuogu, OHCHR, Palais Wilson,
>1211 Geneva 10, Switzerland. Tel. (41-22) 917-9394, Fax. (41-22) 917-9050.
>
>
>V. Slogan and Themes of the Conference
>
> The First Session of the PrepCom (Geneva, 1-5 may 2000) adopted the
>following World Conference Slogan:
> "United to combat racism: Equality, Justice, Dignity"
>
> 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,
>xenophobia and related intolerance, and follow-up.
>
>Note that the word "compensatory" in theme 4 is in square brackets because
>there was no general agreement for including this term.The agenda will be
>finalized at the second session of the PrepCom.
>
>
>VI. 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.
>
> If written statements of NGOs are to be circulated at the
>Inter-sessional Working Group meeting or during the Second Session of the
>PrepCom (21 may -1 june 2001), 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 "general" consultative status may submitted up to 2,000 words.
>
>
>VII. Preparatory Process
>
> The report of the first session of the Preparatory Committee (PrepCom)
>, which took place in Geneva from 1-5 May 2000, is available as
>A/CONF.189/PC.1/21 (in English, French, Spanish, Arabic, Russian and
>Chinese) at http://www.unhchr.ch (the website of the High Commissioner).
> There was a two day Informal Meeting which took place in Geneva from
>15-16 January 2001, where States, UN bodies and specialized agencies,
>national institutions and NGOs made suggestions regarding the content of
>the draft Declaration and Programme of Action. Those are available at
>http://www.unhchr.ch
> The second session of the PrepCom will take place in Geneva from 21
>May - 1 June 2001. In addition, there was an Open-Ended Inter-Sessional
>Working Group Meeting in Geneva, 6-9March 2001. The next Inter-Sessional
>Working Group Meeting should be held in Geneva, 7 - 11 May 2001 (tentative
>dates).
>
> NGOs with Consultative Status with ECOSOC or those accredited to the
>World Conference, can attend these meetings as observers.
>
>
>VIII. Regional Expert Seminars
>
> A number of expert regional seminars have been organized in the
>context of the World Conference to spur consideration of important issues,
>culminate in effective suggestions to the second Preparatory Committee and
>the World Conference itself, commence a distillation of the issues and
>suggest practical strategies, and create a groundswell of governmental,
>institutional and public support for the World Conference and its
>objectives. The following seminars have already taken place:
>
> Expert Seminar for Western Europe, Geneva, 6-8 December 1999 on:
>"Racism, Refugees & Multiethnic States."
> Expert Seminar for Western Europe, Geneva, 16-18 February 2000 on:
>"Remedies Available to Victims of Acts of Racism, Racial Discrimination,
>Xenophobia and Related Intolerance and Good National Practices in this
>Field."
> Expert Seminar for Eastern Europe, 5-7 July 2000, Warsaw on:
>"Protection of Minorities and Other Vulnerable Groups and Strengthening
>Human Rights Capacity at the National Level".
> Expert Seminar for Asia, 5-7 September 2000, Bangkok on: "Migrant
>Workers and Trafficking of Persons, with Particular Reference to Women and
>Children."
> Expert Seminar for Africa, 4-6 October 2000, Addis Ababa on:
>"Preventing Ethnic and Racial Conflict"
> Expert Seminar for Latin America, 25-27 October 2000, Santiago, on:
>"Economic, Social and Legal Measures to Combat Racial Discrimination, with
>Particular Reference to Vulnerable Groups".
>
>The recommendations of these expert seminars are available at
>http://www.unhchr.ch
>
>
>IX. Regional Preparatory Meetings
>
> Four Regional Preparatory meetings, and associated NGO meetings, were
>scheduled as part of the preparatory process as follows:
>
> Regional Preparatory Meeting for Europe (in Strasbourg, France),
>organized by the Council of Europe, 11-13 October 2000. On 10-11 October,
> there was 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>.
>
> Regional Preparatory Meeting for the Americas (in Santiago, Chile),
>5-7 December 2000. An NGO Forum, organized by the IDEAS Foundation and an
>NGO steering committee for the Americas, was held 3-4 December, just prior
>to this meeting.
>
> Regional Preparatory Meeting for Africa (in Dakar, Senegal) took place
>22-24 January 2001. An NGO Forum, organized by Rencontre africaine pour la
>défense des droits de l'homme (RADDHO) and an African NGO steering
>committee, was held on 20-21 January 2001.
>
> Regional Preparatory Meeting for Asia (in Tehran, Iran) took place
>19-21 February 2001. An NGO Forum was held 17-18 February, organized by the
>International Movement Against All Forms of Discrimination and Racism
>(IMADR) and an Asian NGO steering committee, with the assistance of the
>Tehran-based Organization for the Defense of Victims of Violence (ODVV).
>
> All NGO documents which emerged from these meetings are posted on the
>website <www.hri.ca/racism> under the section headed NGO Meetings.
>
>
>X. NGO Participation in the formal Preparatory Process
>
> NGOs wishing to participate in the formal preparatory meetings must
>either have Consultative Status with ECOSOC or be accredited to the World
>Conference. The procedure for getting accreditation to the WCAR is noted
>below. In response to frequently asked questions, please take note of the
>following:
>
> (a) NGOs which have Consultative Status with ECOSOC, indigenous
>peoples or organizations accredited to ECOSOC under Resolution 1995/32, or
>NGOs which have been specifically accredited to the WCAR may participate
>in any of the preparatory meetings. For each meeting at which the
>organization will be represented, the NGO must send a separate letter on
>letterhead, signed by the person authorized to do so, stating which persons
>will be attending and requesting that credentials be prepared for them.
>This letter should be addressed to Sandra Aragon, OHCHR, Palais Wilson,
>CH-1211 Geneva 10, Switzerland. It can be sent by fax to: (41-22) 917-9050.
>E-mail communications are not acceptable for this purpose.
>
> (b) A list of NGO which have been specifically accredited to the World
>Conference is posted at www.unhchr.ch and on the NGO website
><www.hri.ca/racism> (under section on accreditation).
>
>
>XI. Other Regional NGO Meetings
>
> The Secretariat of the OHCHR has also been supporting regional NGO
>meetings intended to feed into the NGO Forum. To date, three meetings have
>taken place and two additional one are scheduled, as follows:
>
> For Eastern and Central Europe, in Warsaw, organized by Helsinki
>Foundation for Human Rights in Poland, 15-18 November 2000.
> For Africa, in Gabarone, Botswana, organized by the Centre for Human
>Rights, University of Pretoria, 8-12 January 2001.
> For Asian Arab NGOs, in Amman, Jordan, organized by the Arab
>Organization for Human Rights in Jordan (AOHRJ), 5-8 February 2001.
>
>
>Forthcoming meetings:
> For the Americas, in Quito, Ecuador, 13-16 March 2001
>: contact Irene Leon or Sally Burch at Agencia Latinoamerican de
>Informacion (ALAI) at <ddhh@xxxxxxxxxxx> or contact Mark Hecht at Human
>Rights Internet (HRI) at <hechtma@xxxxxx>. Application forms are available
>at <www.hri.ca/racism> (under section entitled NGO Meetings).
> For Asia, in Kathmandu, 27-29 April 2001. Contact: IMADR at
><imadr@xxxxxx>.
>
>
>XII. Accreditation of NGOs
> NGOs which have Consultative Status with ECOSOC may participate in the
>World Conference and its preparatory processes.
>
> Representatives of Indigenous Peoples or Indigenous Peoples
>Organizations which have been accredited under Resolution 1995/32 to
>participate in the Working Group of the Commission on Human Rights on the
>draft declaration on the rights of indigenous peoples, may participate in
>the World Conference and its preparatory processes.
>
> NGOs which have been accredited to any of the Regional Meetings for
>the World Conference (i.e., Strasbourg, Dakar, Santiago, Tehran) will be
>considered accredited to the World Conference and its preparatory processes
>unless such accreditation was specifically given only for that meeting.
>This pertains to many NGOs accredited through a "fast-track" for Santiago
>and those similarly approved only for Dakar or Tehran. Such NGOs must
>complete the application process and be accepted by the Bureau of the World
>Conference in order to be eligible to attend the inter-governmental WCAR in
>Durban, as set out below.
>
>
> 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, at http://www.unhchr.ch 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.
> 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's comments and give the NGO the
> opportunity to reply. It will then forward the government's
> 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 2001) for final decision.
>
> Since accreditation is a complicated/lengthy process please apply for
>accreditation as early as possible. A minimum of a 6 weeks is generally
>required by the Secretariat to process an application. You should send your
>applications to: Ms. Sandra Aragon, OHCHR, Palais Wilson, 1211 Geneva 10,
>Switzerland. Tel. (41-22) 917-9129. Fax. (41-22) 917-9050.
>
>
>XIII. Funding NGO Participation in the World Conference Process
>
> The Office of the High Commissioner secured funding to subsidize the
>participation of NGOs in the Regional Preparatory meetings for Africa, Asia
>and the Americas and in five NGO networking meetings (see XI above). The
>OHCHR also hopes to raise funds to assist NGOs in getting to the NGO Forum
>in South Africa and to the World Conference.
>
> To ensure that these funds support a broad range of NGO input into the
>World Conference and its preparatory processes, and are distributed in a
>transparent and fair manner, the following procedure has been established.
>
> While for each meeting, one NGO was asked to take charge of the
>logistical arrangements, for each region in which meetings are being
>organized (Africa, Asia, Americas, Eastern and Central Europe) a steering
>committee of approximately 8-10 organizations was established, with
>representation from geographic sub-regions and relevant social sectors
>(e.g., minorities, indigenous, women, youth). These regional steering
>committees established criteria for selecting the NGOs to be subsidized in
>their region, prepared appropriate application forms, and selected (or will
>select) participants from amongst those which apply on the basis of the
>criteria established. Normally, funding for a meeting in a specific region
>has been restricted to NGOs from that region, or which focus their work on
>that region.
>
> The criteria for selecting NGOs to subsidize to attend the NGO Forum
>and World Conference will be established at a later date by SANGOCO (the
>NGO coordinating the NGO Forum) together with an international steering
>committee whose composition and rules of procedure still need to be
>determined.
>
> Note: At this time, there are no funds to assist NGOs which want to
>attend the Inter-sessional Working Group meeting or the Second Session of
>the Preparatory Committee meeting in Geneva. NGOs must find their own
>resources to attend these meetings.
>
>
>XV. Youth Participation
>
> A Youth Forum will be organised in Durban by the South African
>Association for Youth Clubs, starting August 27. It is foreseen that some
>50 representatives from each region will attend. The Forum aims at bringing
>together representatives of youth groups from the different regions, NGO
>youth representatives and youth delegates on the official government
>delegations. Specific information on the duration, venue, programme and
>sponsoring of this Youth Forum will be provided at a later stage.
>
>There will also be youth participation in the NGO Forum and the World
>Conference itself. Therefore, youth groups interested in participating in
>the World Conference process are strongly encouraged to seek accreditation
>from the WCAR Secretariat in Geneva. Please refer to the paragraph on
>accreditation for further information hereon. The WCAR Secretariat
>realizes that youth groups without NGO status may not be in possession of
>all the documents required for accreditation, like, for example, by-laws.
>This, however, may be compensated by a detailed written statement on the
>objectives and working procedures of the youth group seeking accreditation.
>
>Youth networks have already been set up in the Americas, as well as in
>Europe. Yet, different paths are still being explored to build bridges to
>other continents and thus come to a truely international youth network to
>prepare the programme and agenda for the Youth Forum and the
>"after-Durban". Please send all ideas to this effect to:
>
> Bomani Johnson at <bomanij@xxxxxxxxx>
> Saeed Fotouhinia <youthagainstracism@xxxxxxxxxxx>
> Mohamed Haji-Kella <mhkella@xxxxxxx>
> with copy to Birgit Van Hout <bvanhout.hchr@xxxxxxx>
>
>
>XVI. Discontinuance of Practice of Designating Certain Meetings as
>Satellite Meeting
>
>The OHCHR has decided that it will no longer apply "satellite" status to
>meetings organized by NGOs in the framework of the WCAR. The reason for
>this decision is that there has been a multiplication of activities at the
>national, regional and international level and a correspondingly large
>increase in requests for the secretariat to grant satellite status to such
>events. OHCHR is not in a position to take part in all of these activities
>nor can it evaluate every request and apply a uniform criteria for granting
>satellite status.
>
>The existing rules of procedure of the Preparatory Committee, i.e. the
>function commissions of the Economic and Social Council, will be the sole
>basis for NGO submissions to the Preparatory Committee. Therefore, if a NGO
>decides to organize a meeting at the national, regional or international
>level, it can submit a pre-sessional executive summary of the results of
>that meeting within the existing word limitations for pre-sessional
>documents (2000 words for NGOs having general status with ECOSOC, 1500
>words for NGOs having special or roster status with ECOSOC or having been
>specially accredited by the Preparatory Committee in accordance with ECOSOC
>resolution 1996/31). Alternatively, NGOs can make an oral statement
>concerning a national, regional or international activity they have
>organized to the Preparatory Committee under the appropriate agenda item.
>
>
>XVII. Information about the Inter-sessional Working Group (Geneva, 6-9
>March 2001)
>
>A first draft of a global Declaration and Programme of Action to be adopted
>by the World Conference prepared by the High Commissioner for Human Rights
>in her capacity as Secretary General of the World Conference was presented
>to an inter-sessional open-ended working group of the Preparatory Committee
>held in Geneva from 6 to 9 march 2001. The Draft Declaration and Programme
>of Action was released in all six United Nations languages on 26 february
>2001. The draft Programme of Action comprises the following major
>sub-headings: measures at the national level; education; training and
>public information; prevention; the internet; the media; racism and
>poverty; NGO and youth activities; women; children; disadvantaged groups-
>general; migration and trafficking; asylum seekers; refugees and internally
>displaced persons; minorities; Romas; indigenous issues; remedies;
>impunity; regional activities; and measures at the international level. The
>open-ended working group consulted the secretarial draft as well as the
>final documents of the four regional meetings. The working group is now to
>be followed by an informal working group in Geneva from 7 to 11 May.