August 11, 2010
Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination to Consider Reports from the Government, NGOs at France's Review Session
Since their creation, the eight United Nations human rights treaty bodies, including the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD), have evolved from organizations dedicated to monitoring governments' compliance with the spirit of the aspirational provisions contained in the treaties into ones that, with the help of international, non-governmental, and civil society organizations, attempt to enforce at the national level the human rights expressed in those treaties while sidestepping democratic processes. In short, the treaty bodies, their New York and Geneva-based staff housed in the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights ("UNOHCHR"), and the United Nations national offices are attempting to globally govern social and cultural rights. The 77th Session of CERD is taking place August 2-27 in Geneva.
On Wednesday, August 11 and Thursday, August 12, the Committee will review the report submitted by France detailing the extent to which the French government has implemented the provisions of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination at the national level. In addition to reviewing the governmental report, the Committee will consider “shadow reports” submitted by non-governmental organizations which criticize actions taken by France in regards to, among other things, racial profiling by the police (Open Society Justice Initiative) and discrimination against the Roma people in the country (European Roma Rights Centre). The shadow reports also offer recommendations for changes in France’s laws and public policies in the area of racial discrimination. To access the reports and other documents pertaining to France's review session, click here.
A JOINT PROGRAM OF
