Events in the international community

United Nations General Assembly

57th Session, New York, 2002

Statement by Caroline Lewis, ILO Liaison Office, New York

Agenda Item 107: Elimination of racism and racial discrimination
(a) Elimination of racism and racial discrimination
(b) Comprehensive implementation of the follow-up to the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action

At the World Conference Against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance in Durban, the Director-General of the ILO highlighted the importance of shedding racist structures, racist conduct and racist attitudes, and the importance of developing pride in multicultural, multiracial, and multi-religious societies, where the rights and dignity of all human beings are respected and protected. As the UN Secretary-General pointed to the workplace as a frontline in the combat against racism, the ILO affirmed its strong commitment to build on the outcome of the Conference and to devise means to combat discrimination in the 21st century.

The ILO’s up-coming Global Report on the elimination of discrimination in employment and occupation under the follow-up to the ILO Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work, will be a major contribution to the follow-up on the Durban Conference, as it will provide a dynamic global picture of discrimination in the world of work.

The report will be presented to the 2003 Session of the International Labour Conference and lead to the adoption of a comprehensive plan of action for technical cooperation aimed at the elimination of discrimination at work. The plan of action is to consolidate and reinforce ILO action towards eliminating discrimination, in line with the World Conference’s call on the ILO to “to carry out activities and programmes to combat racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance in the world of work, and to support actions of States, employers’ organizations and trade unions in this field”. It is hoped that the Global Report will be instrumental in mobilizing political commitment and donors’ support for ILO action to combat racial discrimination at work.

In the run up to the Global Report on discrimination, a series of concrete activities is already under way or planned, including projects to promote equality and non-discrimination in employment and occupation of the Dalits and Roma. The ILO has also extended its research on the situation of migrant workers in Europe and has prepared a compendium of “good practice” on anti-discrimination remedies in this respect. As the protection of migrants is a major concern of the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action, the ILO has included the issue of migrant workers on the agenda of its 2004 Session of the International Labour Conference with a view to reinforcing the ILO’s response to the challenges of international labour migration in an era of globalization.

The ILO will continue to combat racism and xenophobia through its supervisory work. At its up-coming session in November-December 2002, the ILO Committee of Experts on the Application of Conventions and Recommendations will again examine the application of ILO Conventions on non-discrimination and equality in respect to a number of countries. As at this date, the Discrimination (Employment and Occupation) Convention, 1958 (No. 111) has been ratified by 157 member States.

The Committee of Experts has consistently emphasized that the principle of non-discrimination on the basis of race, colour, sex, religion, national extraction or social origin is fundamental to building multicultural societies on the foundations of respect and tolerance. It continues to call upon States not only to put in place an appropriate legislative anti-discrimination framework, but also to ensure non-discrimination and equality in practice. This appears crucial in post-conflict situations and, all the more, in the aftermath of the events of 11 September 2001. In order to address the employment and social consequences of these events, the ILO urges vigilance against any increase in religious, ethnic and racial discrimination that may occur as a result.

The ILO is looking forward to further cooperation on equality and non-discrimination with all relevant parts of the UN system, in particular with the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Right’s Anti-Discrimination Unit and the UN treaty bodies. We are convinced that combating discrimination is crucial to protecting all human rights, requiring prolonged, consistent and systematic efforts. The ILO stands ready to contribute to the design and implementation of innovative responses to this fundamental challenge.