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International human rights law
The principles of equality and non-discrimination are enshrined at the heart of modern international law, including in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and in the Charter of the United Nations. They also permeate the two key international human rights Covenants, on Economic Social and Cultural Rights, and on Civil and Political Rights, as well as dozens of conventions, treaties, declarations and other important international legal instruments.
The International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (ICERD) is the most comprehensive instrument concerned with combating racial discrimination. It was adopted by the UN General Assembly on 21 December 1965 and entered into force on 4 January 1969.
Other international instruments aim to protect vulnerable groups:
- International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families
- Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women
- Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples
- Declaration on the Rights of Persons Belonging to National or Ethnic, Religious and Linguistic Minorities
United Nations Celebrations
- International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (21 March)
- International Day for Tolerance (16 November)
- International Decade for People of African Descent (2015 -2024)
Conferences
- 10th Anniversary of the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action (General Assembly High-level Meeting, 22 September 2011)
- Durban Review Conference (Geneva, Switzerland, 20 - 24 April 2009)
- World Conference against racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance (Durban, South Africa, 31 August - 7 September 2001)