Today is the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination!

Today (Friday 21 March) is the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, and marks the 60th anniversary of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination, a powerful, global commitment to eradicate racial discrimination in all its forms.

Forged amidst the civil rights, anti-apartheid and decolonization movements of the 1960s, the Convention set out concrete steps countries must take to:

• combat racist doctrines;
• promote understanding; and
• build a world free from racial discrimination.

The United Nations (UN) Secretary-General, António Guterres, discussing the 60th anniversary of the Convention, said: "Today, it remains a beacon of hope to guide us in dark times; times of rising hate and discord, stoked by growing inequalities, algorithms that monetize hostility, and those who seek to divide for their own gain".

60th anniversary of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination

On 21 December 1965, the UN adopted the Convention through Resolution 2106 (XX), marking a groundbreaking step in the global effort to eradicate racism.

The Convention defines racial discrimination as: "any distinction, exclusion, restriction or preference based on race, colour, descent, or national or ethnic origin which has the purpose or effect of nullifying or impairing the recognition, enjoyment or exercise, on an equal footing, of human rights and fundamental freedoms in the political, economic, social, cultural or any other field of public life (Article 1)".

It condemns:

• discriminatory propaganda;
• racial discrimination;
• racial segregation and apartheid;
• organisations based on ideas of racial superiority;
• justification or promotion of racial hatred.

As the first of the UN's core international human rights treaties, the Convention set the stage for future human rights advancements. Its commitment to eliminating racial discrimination and promoting equality underpins the ongoing fight against racist idea and practices, aiming to foster global understanding and unity free from racial segregation.

The Convention requires from countries:

• not to sponsor, defend or support racial discrimination by any persons or organisations;
• to prohibit and bring to an end, including by adopting laws, racial discrimination by any persons, group or organisation;
• to review governmental, national and local policies, and to amend, rescind or nullify any laws and regulates which create or perpetuate racial discrimination;
• to combat prejudices which lead to racial discrimination in the fields of education, culture and information;
• to encourage multi-racial organisations and movements and other means of eliminating barriers between races;
• to ensure the special protection of certain racial groups or individuals belonging to them to guarantee them the full and equal enjoyment of human rights.

The 60th anniversary calls for reflection on progress made against racial discrimination, while highlighting ongoing challenges. It is a time to reaffirm our commitment to equality and continue efforts to eliminate racism, ensuring equal treatment for all individuals.

History of the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination

The International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination is observed annually on the day the police in Sharpeville, South Africa, opened fire and killed 69 people at a peaceful demonstration against apartheid "pass laws" in 1960.

In 1979, the General Assembly adopted a programme of activities to be undertaken during the second half of the Decade for Action to Combat Racism and Racial Discrimination. On that occasion, the General Assembly decided that a week of solidarity with the people struggling against racism and racial discrimination, beginning on 21 March, would be organised annually in all States.

Since then:

• the apartheid system in South Africa has been dismantled;
• racist laws and practices have been abolished in many countries; and
• an international framework for fighting racism has been built, guided by the Convention.

The Convention is now nearing universal ratification, yet still, in all regions, too many individuals, communities and societies suffer from the injustice and stigma that racism brings.

Principle of equality

The UN General Assembly reiterates that human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights, and have the potential to contribute constructively to the development and well-being of their societies.

In its most recent resolution, the General Assembly also emphasised that any doctrine of racial superiority is scientifically false, morally condemnable, socially unjust and dangerous, and must be rejected, together with theories that attempt to determine the existence of separate human races.

The UN has been concerned with this issue since its foundation and the prohibition of racial discrimination is enshrined in all core international human rights instruments. It places obligations on States and tasks them with eradicating discrimination in the public and private spheres.

The principle of equality also requires States to adopt special measures to eliminate conditions that or help to perpetuate racial discrimination.

How to get involved this International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination

Individuals and workplaces can get involved in the Day, by:

• organising or attending training and webinars about racial equity, unconscious bias, anti-racism and allyship;
• learning from communities who experience racism;
• committing to understanding more about intersectionality and how that contributes to one's experience;
• show support by being an active ally;
• share official racial elimination day on social media and other communication channels.

In his statement on the Day, Guterres said: "On this International Day, I call for universal ratification of the Convention, and for States to implement it in full. And I urge business leadership, civil society, and everyday people to take a stand against racism in all its forms, and to take action to make the spirit of the Convention a reality. This is our shared responsibility".

"The United Nations is a proud ally in the fight for the dignity and equal rights of each member of our human family. We will not rest until a world free of racial discrimination becomes reality".