Versión en Español: http://www.rfkmemorial.org/legacyinaction/ConferenciaRegional

In 2001 the United Nations held the first World Conference against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance in Durban, South Africa. The Durban Declaration and Programme of Action is widely regarded as a landmark in the struggle to eradicate all forms of racism. The Durban Conference developed a strong mechanism to follow-up with member states and to examine their progress on promises made to end discrimination in their countries.

From June 17-19, 2008, the Durban Regional Review Conference of Latin America and Caribbean took place in Brasilia, Brazil, in preparation for the Durban Review Conference that will take place in Geneva in April 2009. Representatives from 24 countries were present however the governments of the United States and Canada were noticeably absent, having not yet committed to the review process. Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Center for Human Rights staff traveled to Brasilia to observe the Conference and to advocate for greater protections for the rights of migrants and their descendants in the Regional Review’s final document.

In order to develop a joint message for civil society at the Regional Review, hundreds of civil society organizations from over 33 countries in the Americas met in Brasilia in a parallel Civil Society Preparatory Conference of the Americas from June 13-15. The Civil Society Preparatory Conference aimed to evaluate the post-Durban process at the national, regional and international levels, to examine contemporary forms and manifestations of racism, racial discriminations, xenophobia and related intolerance and to come up with recommendations to the governments of the Americas. Various communities and causes were represented at the conference including Afro-descendants, indigenous, gypsy/Roma peoples, migrants, persons with disabilities, religious, LGTB groups, persons in detention, and persons living with HIV/AIDS. Despite the absence of the United States and Canada in the official process, Canadian and American civil society organizations were present, including RFK Center.

The issues discussed most included:
• The resurgence of the denial of racism by several governments and consequent lack of public policies and affirmative action programs as well as the failure to properly implement such programs to address racism, discrimination and xenophobia;

• The increasing criminalization of young black males, indigenous communities, social movements and human rights defenders and the importance of the implementation of effective affirmative action policies addressing structural discrimination and the social-economic gap of Afro-descendant and indigenous peoples in the Americas; and

• The need for transnational business to respect and promote affirmative action programs in their subsidiaries as they are mandated to do so in their headquarters.

RFK Center staff actively participated in drafting recommendations in working groups on migrants and the right to education. This included submitting its report on the Right to Education for Afro-descendant and Indigenous Communities in the Americas to the Preparatory Conference Committee and distributing copies to audiences at both conferences. Read the report here,
http://www.rfkmemorial.org/human_rights/CompleteReport031108FINAL.pdf

The Civil Society Preparatory Conference issued a final declaration urging governments to implement the Durban Programme of Action and reiterating its commitment to participating in the Durban Review Process. Read a copy of the final document here, http://www.rfkmemorial.org/human_rights/DurbanReviewBrazilCivilSociety.pdf

RFK Center Engagement:
RFK Center will be working closely with its laureates to contribute to the Durban Review Process.

The RFK Center is working with 2007 RFK Laureate Dr. Mohammed Ahmed from Sudan to address issues of peace and reconciliation when the genocide in Darfur ends as well as striving for the fundamental human rights of civilians in Darfur. This involves addressing issues of discrimination between Arabs and Africans, justice for victims of violence, compensation and land reform.

2006 RFK Laureate Sonia Pierre, from the Dominican Republic, executive director of the Movement of Dominican Women of Haitian Descent (MUDHA), advocates for the human rights of Dominicans of Haitian descent and Haitian immigrants in the Dominican Republic. Dominicans of Haitian descent have suffered institutional discrimination in the Dominican Republic for more than a century. One of the most egregious present-day manifestations of this discrimination is the denial of nationality to Dominicans of Haitian descent, in violation of both international law and the Dominican constitution. The RFK Center continues to advocate at the US government and the Inter-American system for the rights of all Dominicans to Dominican nationality and its associated rights.

RFK Center collaborates with 2005 RFK Laureate Stephen Bradberry to ensure the rights of survivors of hurricanes Katrina and Rita to return with dignity and safety and participate in rebuilding their communities, without discrimination.

To address a lack of legal infrastructure and the inability of many in Chad to access the legal system, the RFK Center collaborated with 2004 RFK Laureate Delphine Djiraibe to establish the first Public Interest Law Center (PILC) in Chad. PILC focuses on providing access to justice for people who could not otherwise afford to go to the Chadian courts when their rights are violated as well as communities who do not know what their rights are.

The RFK Center collaborates with 2003 RFK Laureate the Coalition of Immokalee Workers (CIW), in its fight to end modern-day slavery and promote a livable wage for farm-workers in US agricultural fields. Much of this fight includes advocating that the fast-food industry ensure a living wage for tomato pickers and to ensure that there is no slave labor in their supply chain. Many of these workers face extreme discrimination and exploitation in the US agricultural fields.

The RFK Center partners with 2002 RFK Laureate Loune Viaud, to ensure the human right to health for all Haitians. RFK Center and Ms.Viaud have worked in partnership over the last six years to transform the international community’s interventions in Haiti, many of which undermine human rights, including the right to health. They have launched aggressive advocacy plans for government accountability in international financial institutions and to ensure that funds entering Haiti are implemented within a human rights framework.

In collaboration with its laureates from different countries, the RFK Center set forth the Right to Education project, which examined the education systems in Colombia, Guatemala and the Dominican Republic, with a special focus on minorities’ access to education. Minority populations face particular obstacles in attaining quality education due to institutionalized discrimination, language and cultural barriers, and geographic isolation. Colombia, Guatemala and the Dominican Republic were used as representative of an Americas-wide problem of a lack of access to education.

Recommendations

RFK Center calls upon the governments of the Americas to:

1- Uphold their commitment to the Durban Conference and work toward fully implementing the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action by implementing public policies to combat structural racial discrimination which continues to impact the lives of numerous vulnerable groups across the Americas;

2- Commit to the ratification of the Inter-American Convention for the Elimination of Racism and all Forms of Discrimination and Intolerance; and

3- Commit human and financial resources to the Durban Review Process and Conference.

RFK Center joins other members of civil society in specifically urging the United States and Canadian governments to reconsider their decision not to engage in the Regional Review and to fully engage in the subsequent Durban Review Process and Conference.