Beyond Tolerance: a national conference on racism
Message from
the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Mary Robinson
I am very pleased to be able to contribute to this important meeting organised by the Australian Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission to follow-up on the World Conference against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance held in Durban, South Africa, last year.
The World Conference was a remarkable coming together of governments and NGOs, national institutions and ordinary people. It was a difficult meeting. Given the range and sensitivity of the issues discussed, it could hardly have been otherwise. Australia played an important role at the Conference. Your civil society was very well represented, as was the Commission. The Australian Government delegation stayed the course through to the end and made a valuable contribution as the Vice Chair/Rapporteur of the Drafting Committee.
What emerged from the World Conference was an historic document of enormous importance. The Durban Declaration and Programme of Action represents a global consensus on the core values and standards associated with non-discrimination, as well as providing a road map for their realisation. The Conference broke new ground in almost every important area: from agreeing on a victim-oriented approach in addressing the problems of racism and racial discrimination to confronting the appalling tragedies of the past, some for the very first time. It dealt with the gender dimension of racial discrimination and those who suffer from multiple forms of discrimination due to language, religion or social status. It focused on the situation of Africans and people of African descent, as well as the problems faced by indigenous peoples. It addressed racism against migrants, refugees and members of minorities. It looked at the implications of globalisation, disparities in health status and the need for better human rights education. It urged states to ensure that all persons have access to effective and adequate remedies from competent national tribunals and reviewed the role and responsibilities of the principal international mechanisms for dealing with discrimination.
In Durban, we drew inspiration from the heroic struggle of people of South Africa against apartheid. But each nation and every people must address its own struggle
against racism and discrimination. One of the clearest messages from Durban is that no nation is free of racism. This is no less true of Australia. Despite your great achievements in terms of constructing a modern, democratic, multicultural society - a society largely built by and of migrants - there is still much to be done.
Australians already know this. That is why, not far from where you now sit, over a quarter of a million of you crossed the Sydney Harbour Bridge to support reconciliation between the indigenous and non-indigenous peoples of this land. But the bridge between peoples is still to be crossed.
And there are other challenges to be addressed. Australia, along with many other countries including my own, is grappling with difficult policy issues concerning migration, refugees, cultural diversity, and the role that governments, national institutions and civil society can play in addressing these matters.
How Australia handles these issues is important - not for fear of how you may be judged from outside, but from the point of view of how future generations of Australians will judge the society you bequeath them. The decisions Australians make now will help define the values that will characterise your nation in the twenty-first century and beyond.
During this national conference I understand that you will focus on issues of practical implementation. Durban has given us a comprehensive anti-discrimination agenda for action. But it is worthless unless it is put into practice. In this regard, I am particularly pleased to note that you will give consideration to launching a process to develop a national action plan on racism.
Finally, I would like to congratulate the organisers of this important conference for their leadership, and to express the hope that your deliberations and conclusions may be characterised by the openness, generosity of spirit, and egalitarianism for which Australia is known throughout the world.
Geneva
12 March 2001