G
ender and all forms of
discrimination, in particular
racism, racial discrimination,
xenophobia and related
intolerance
by the special session were several directed at the
elimination of racially motivated violence against
women and girls.
4. The efforts of the international community in com-
bating racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia
and related intolerance are recalled.
5. There has been growing recognition that various types of discrimination do not always affect
women and men in the same way. Moreover,
gender discrimination may be intensified and facilitated by all other forms of discrimination. It has
been increasingly recognized that without gender
analysis of all forms of discrimination, including
multiple forms of discrimination and, in particular,
in this context, racial discrimination, xenophobia
and related intolerance, violations of the human
rights of women might escape detection and remedies to address racism may also fail to meet the
needs of women and girls. It is also important that
efforts to address gender discrimination incorporate approaches to the elimination of all forms of
discrimination, including racial discrimination.
1. The Charter of the United Nations, the Universal
Declaration of Human Rights, the International
Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial
Discrimination, the Convention on the Elimination
of All Forms of Discrimination against Women and
other international instruments reaffirm the principles of equality and non-discrimination.
2. The consistent efforts of the international community
in promoting gender equality through the convening of world conferences on women are recalled. It
should also be recalled that the Vienna Declaration
and Programme of Action adopted by the World
Conference on Human Rights, the Beijing Declaration
and Platform for Action adopted at the Fourth World
Conference on Women and the outcome document
of the twenty-third special session of the General
Assembly entitled “Women 2000: gender equality,
development and peace for the twenty-first century”,
emphasize that all human rights of women and of
the girl child are an inalienable, integral and indivisible part of universal human rights. The Platform for
Action reaffirms that all human rights — civil, cultural,
economic, political and social, including the right to
development, are universal, indivisible, interdependent and interrelated.
6. By its resolution 52/111 the General Assembly
decided to convene a World Conference against
Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and
Related Intolerance to be held at Durban, South
Africa, from 31 August to 7 September 2001. In its
resolution 53/132 the Assembly proclaimed 2001
as the International Year of Mobilization against
Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and
Related Intolerance. It is therefore timely that the
gender dimensions of racism, racial discrimination,
xenophobia and related intolerance are addressed
by the Commission on the Status of Women.
3. The Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action
indicate that many women face additional barriers
to the enjoyment of their human rights because
of such factors as their race, language, ethnicity,
culture, religion, disability or socio-economic class
or because they are indigenous people, migrants,
including women migrant workers, displaced
women or refugees. Also the outcome documents
of the special session of the General Assembly indicate that in situations of armed conflict and foreign
occupation, human rights of women have been
extensively violated. Among the further actions
and initiatives to implement the platform adopted
7. The increasing gravity of different manifestations
of racism, racial discrimination and xenophobia in
various parts of the world requires a more integrated
and effective approach on the part of relevant mechanisms of the United Nations human rights machinery. These trends affect the implementation of the
outcome documents of the special session of the
General Assembly entitled “Women 2000: gender
equality, development and peace for the twenty-first
century” as well as to the relevant international
instruments against discrimination.
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