UN Human Rights Council. Combating Racial Discrimination in the Age of New Technologies Women
Sarah Hamoud, Representative of the UN Secretary-General and Chief of the Racial Discrimination Section of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), opened the 114th session of the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination in Geneva. In her statement, she stressed the importance of uniting the efforts of the international community to eliminate discrimination in all its forms.
Challenges of Our Time
The speech began with a reminder of the global challenges voiced by the High Commissioner for Human Rights at the 79th session of the UN General Assembly. These include the growth of conflicts, the increase in hatred based on race, gender, religion and other characteristics, as well as climate change. Sarah Hamoud emphasized that in times of crisis, human rights offer effective solutions to overcome these problems.
Special attention was paid to the interrelationship of violence, discrimination and racial bias in the context of armed conflict. Women and girls in conflict zones face multifaceted forms of discrimination, which are often linked to racial and ethnic aspects.
Achievements and priorities
Ahead of the 60th anniversary of the adoption of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (ICERD), Sarah Hamoud noted the importance of strengthening political will to combat racism and taking stock of the progress made. Key UN initiatives included:
• Racial Justice Reports: Presents research on racial discrimination, including systemic racism and its roots in colonialism and slavery.
• Education Measures: The Human Rights Council adopted a resolution on using education to prevent racism, emphasizing the need to integrate anti-discrimination measures into curricula.
• Global Justice and Reparations: The Permanent Forum on People of African Descent recommended the creation of independent committees and working groups to study and promote reparations justice.
Technology and Racism
Particular attention was paid to the role of digital technologies. Experts stressed the importance of preventing discrimination in the era of artificial intelligence and digitalization, as new technologies can contribute to and exacerbate racial injustice.
International Decade for People of African Descent
2024 was the final year for the International Decade for People of African Descent. The results of the decade showed that, despite the progress, many problems remain unresolved. In particular, the possibility of declaring a Second International Decade to continue work in this direction is being discussed.
Problems and Challenges
Sarah Hamoud also pointed out the difficulties associated with a lack of resources and financial constraints that hinder the implementation of programs. Despite this, OHCHR continues to work to strengthen the treaty bodies, introducing new approaches, including the use of videoconferencing.
In conclusion, Hamoud thanked the Committee’s experts for their contribution to the fight against racial discrimination and called on the international community to take active action. The Committee has a busy program ahead, including an analysis of the reports of seven States parties and the preparation of recommendations to improve the situation with racial justice.
This session will be an important step towards achieving global goals – creating a world free of racism and discrimination.