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Ad Hoc Committee on Complementary Standards Compilation of Our Suggested Action Points
During the 2nd session of the Ad Hoc Committee on Complementary Standards, the Cross Regional Group (Delegations of Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Japan, Mexico, the Republic of Korea, Switzerland and Uruguay) raised the following action points. The following countries also joined this statement:
Colombia, Dominican Republic and Guatemala.
1. The Ad Hoc Committee should decide the following:
Advocacy and incitement to racial, ethnic, national and religious hatred
The Human Rights Committee and the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination could consult with States and stakeholders and possibly consider elaborating a joint General Comment on the issue of advocacy and incitement to hatred, as enshrined in Article 20 of the ICCPR and Art 4 of the ICERD, in the framework of their respective competences and bearing in mind Article 19 of the ICCPR.
Discrimination based on religion or belief
Since the Human Rights Committee has examined cases of discrimination on religious grounds affecting the enjoyment of human rights enshrined in the ICCPR, a digest of case studies could be published in order to shed light on existing practices in this field and regionally developed jurisprudence could also be included therein.
Hate Crimes
The Ad Hoc Committee on Complementary Standards should consider compiling national legislation in the field of hate crime and, if deemed appropriate, consider preparing guidelines or model provisions.
Monitoring procedures of CERD and of other mechanisms
The Ad Hoc Committee could address the implementation and procedural gaps with regard to ICERD by considering the concrete proposals put forward by the CERD, namely a follow-up procedure to recommendations, an inquiry procedure and country visits in the framework of these procedures. Therefore, the Ad Hoc Committee invite members of the CERD to exchange views on these recommendations. States could then carefully study these recommendations and present their views on the best ways to deal with these recommendations.
2 Multiple forms of discrimination
As we recognize the need to further explore the intersectionality of racial discrimination and multiple and aggravated forms of discrimination as set out in the DDPA, the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination could consult with States and stakeholders and possibly consider elaborating a General Comment on the issue.
2. The Ad Hoc Committee will benefit from exchanging of best practices on the following issues:
Human Rights Education
States should support the ongoing efforts of the World Programme of Human Rights Education and the drafting of the United Nations Declaration on Education and Training.
Intercultural and inter-religious dialogue
States should support initiatives that aim at promoting mutual understanding different cultures and religions such as those of the Alliance of Civilizations.
Racial, ethnic and religious profiling and measures to combat terrorism
Effective law enforcement of existing legislation is needed. Furthermore, improvements in police officers and other relevant state agents training programs as well as in human rights education curricula should be carried out.
