Magenta bestrijdt racisme en discriminatie

Core Principles for WCAR follow-up

Statement of Core Principles for WCAR Follow-up

Language versions (PDF): English - Francais - Espagnol

Sign the statement - Core principles statement read out at the UN - Publicity

In 2001, more than three thousand people participated in the Non-Governmental Forum of the United Nations third World Conference against Racism, Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance (WCAR) to chart a course for future generations to eradicate racism, discrimination and intolerance. Participants pledged to adhere to established international human rights standards and operate with transparency and respect for democratic discourse.

Many civil society representatives were disappointed, when the NGO process, which raised the profile of important contemporary racism problems and the historic wounds of slavery and discrimination, was discredited. UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Mary Robinson spoke out against what she called the "hateful, even racist" antisemitic atmosphere that plagued the NGO forum. She refused to commend it to governments for their consideration. Leading international human rights organizations called some of the human rights language in the declaration inaccurate, inappropriate and even counterproductive. They regretted that progress on vital issues such as discrimination against Roma and caste discrimination was thereby diminished. Observers were shocked by violations of procedure in the preparatory and drafting processes, the racist treatment including violence, exclusion, and intimidation against Jewish participants, and the misuse of human rights terminology in the document related to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

With a few notable exceptions, the vast majority of groups was silent or refused to speak out. In the years since, many have reflected that the result was a regrettable vacuum of moral leadership.

The organizations below pledge to reject hatred and incitement in all its forms, including antisemitism, to learn from the shortcomings of the 2001 WCAR, and to work together in a spirit of mutual respect.

  1. We are united in our deep commitment to the goals of the WCAR to chart a course for future generations to eradicate racism, discrimination and intolerance in all its forms.
  2. Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance afflict peoples in many Member States. We are committed to the important mission of NGOs to monitor and hold accountable those responsible for policy failures and for lack of implementation of measures to prevent and punish such acts.
  3. However, the global effort to eradicate racism cannot be advanced by branding whole peoples with a stigma of ultimate evil, fomenting hateful stereotyping in the name of human rights.
  4. The UN and its human rights fora must not serve as a vehicle for any form of racism, including antisemitism, and must bar incitement to hatred against any group in the guise of criticism of a particular government. We pledge to prevent this from happening again.
  5. We pledge to uphold language and behavior that unites rather than divides. As NGOs we commit to use language in accordance with international human rights standards and conduct ourselves with civility and with respect for human rights standards.

Signed by (updated signatories list per April 30, 2008.)

  1. Magenta Foundation
  2. Jacob Blaustein Institute for the Advancement of Human Rights
  3. International League for Human Rights
  4. Human Rights First
  5. ENAR - European Network Against Racism
  6. UNITED for Intercultural Action - European network against nationalism, racism, fascism and in support of migrants and refugees
  7. Anti-Defamation League
  8. ACP - "Culture of peace" Association (Romania)
  9. The Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law (USA)
  10. SOVA Center for Information and Analysis (Russian Federation)
  11. Leadership Conference on Civil Rights (USA)
  12. European Jewish Congress
  13. ILGA-Europe, International Lesbian and Gay Association
  14. LICRA - Ligue Internationale Contre le Racisme et l'Antisemitisme
  15. B'nai B'rith International
  16. Simon Wiesenthal Centre
  17. Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative
  18. CCDN - Celebrating Cultural Diversity Network (UK)
  19. CRARR - Center for Research-Action on Race Relations (Canada)
  20. Observatorio sobre Conflictos Etnicos en la Argentina - OSCEA
  21. CAERS - The Canadian Anti-racism Education and Research Society
  22. Citizens' Watch (Russia)
  23. AFRICAN UNION Social organization of St.Petersburg (Russia)
  24. NEVER AGAIN Association (Poland)
  25. Asian American Justice Center
  26. CIDI (Netherlands)
  27. European Council of WIZO Federations
  28. GRA Foundation against racism and antisemitism (Switzerland)
  29. Dženo Association (Czech Republic)
  30. AJC - American Jewish Committee
  31. Hadassah
  32. Freedom House (USA)
  33. Human Rights Without Frontiers International
  34. World Jewish Congress
  35. Athinganoi, the Romani Student Association (Czech Republic)
  36. Jewish Labor Committee (USA)
  37. DACoRD - Documentation and Advisory Center on Racial Discrimination (Denmark)
  38. Movimiento contra la Intolerancia (Spain)
  39. Civitas Bosnia and Herzegovina
  40. ZARA - Zivilcourage und Anti-Rassismus-Arbeit (Austria)
  41. United Nations Association of the USA (UNA-USA)
  42. Roma Virtual Network (RVN)
  43. International Institute for Education and Research of Antisemitism (Germany/UK)
  44. Amadeu Antonio Stiftung (Germany)
  45. RADAR (Netherlands)
  46. CEJI - A Jewish Contribution to an Inclusive Europe
  47. B'nai B'rith Europe
  48. NIK - Organization of Jewish Communities in the Netherlands
  49. United Nations Watch (Switzerland)
  50. International Council of Jewish Women
  51. Rabbis for Human Rights (Israel)
  52. MAPP (France)
  53. Association ESTER (Slovakia)
  54. Na'amat (Belgium)
  55. The Kyrgyz Committee for Human Rights (Kyrgyz Republic)
  56. Le Conseil des Femmes Juives de Belgique - CFJB (Belgium)
  57. Bund Schweizerischer Jüdischer Frauenorganisationen - BSJF (Switzerland)
  58. The Citizens Accord Forum between Jews and Arabs in Israel - CAF
  59. Consultative Council of Jewish Organisations (EU)
  60. Roma National Congress (RNC)
  61. Israeli Association for Immigrant Children
  62. National Roma Centrum (Macedonia)
  63. New Israel Fund - NIF
  64. Union of Balkans Egyptians (Macedonia)
  65. Roma National Centre (Moldova)
  66. National Campaign for Nomadic Tribes Human Rights - NCNTHR (India)
  67. Association of citizens Sumnal (Macedonia)
  68. Tribuna Israelita (Mexico)
  69. Helsinki Citizens' Assembly of Moldova
  70. Defence for Children International (Czech section)
  71. Sisters of Mercy, Mercy Justice Office - SCP (Ireland)
  72. Centro de Cultura e Pesquisas Axé - CCPA (Brazil)
  73. Yad Sarah (Israel)
  74. International Women's Rights Action Watch (USA)
  75. Swiss Federation of Jewish Communities
  76. The International Council of Christians and Jews - ICCJ
  77. The American association of Jewish Lawyers and Jurists
  78. ORT America/World ORT
  79. Canadian Ethnocultural Council
  80. Comite Central de la Comunidad Judia de Mexico -JCCM
  81. Physicians for Human Rights
  82. The Advocates for Human Rights - formerly Minnesota Advocates for Human Rights (USA)
  83. Antinazi Initiative (Greece)
  84. World Council of Conservative/Masorti Synagogues
  85. Jewish Council for Public Affairs (USA)
  86. Helsinki Committee for Human Rights (Sweden)
  87. The Bahá'í International Community
  88. United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism (USA)
  89. The Canadian Helsinki Watch Group
  90. Moscow Helsinki Group
  91. Roma Democratic Development Association SUN (Macedonia)
  92. INACH - International Network Against Cyber Hate
  93. European Union of Jewish Students - EUJS
  94. The Tandem Project, international HR NGO promoting tolerance and preventing discrimination based on religion or belief (USA)
  95. DAIA, The Delegation of Argentinian Jewish Organizations
  96. American Jewish Congress
  97. European Roma Rights Centre
  98. American Psychological Association

Sign!

NGOs that want to support and endorse this statement, please send your endorsement to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Statement read out at the UN

On Monday, April 28, 2008 during the first substantive Preparatory Committee meeting for the UN Durban Review Conference 2009 at the Palais des Nations in Genva, Mr. Ted Stahnke of Human Rights First read the Statement of Core Principles for WCAR follow-up in the plenary. Click here to watch it on video (RealVideo).

Publicity

Groups Hope to Avoid 'Moral Leadership Vacuum' at UN Racism Meeting (CSNEWS.COM)
U.N. Anti-Racism Conference Won’t Be in Durban This Time Around (Forward)
Editorial - 'Well, that's a real strong statement!' ICARE News.
NGOs Call for Civility at 2009 Conference Against Racism. UNA-USA E-Newsletter.
Pro-divestment group gains access to U.N. parley JTA.