3226th Meeting, 118th Session, Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD)

Thank you.
I would like to warmly welcome Mr.
Mahmani, Cisguru representative of the Secretary-General, Director of the Human Rights Council and Treaty Mechanisms Division in the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights.
I On behalf of the members of the committee on the elimination of racial discrimination, I have the honor to welcome you to this 3226th meeting, and I officially declare our 118th session open.
It is my pleasure now to invite Mr.
Cisgoro to officially also open our 118th session.
You have the floor, sir.
Thank you.
Bonjour Rut.
Mr.
Chair, distinguished members of the committee, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen, it is an honor to welcome you on behalf of the Secretary-General to the 180th session of the committee on the elimination of racial discrimination.
Mr.
Chafferson, distinguished expert, we meet at a critical moment.
The past year has brought accelerating global crisis, serious human rights challenges and growing threats to the international human rights system.
As the High Commissioner for Human Rights stated in his global update at the 62nd session of the Human Rights Council in June this year, and I quote, we face very serious human rights challenges.
An unprecedented, shameless onslaught against international law is causing appalling human suffering.
He also reminded us that the Universal Declaration and the Core treaties are ever more important and called on everyone to forge on with our work to promote and protect human rights and to do everything possible to strengthen the legal foundations.
These words speak directly to the importance of your work.
I therefore wish to pay tribute to this committee for its steadfast effort to monitor the implementation of the International Convention on the elimination of all form of racial discrimination and for its significant contribution to advancing the human rights of all people without discrimination.
Distinguished members, This year offers several important occasions to reaffirm our commitment to International Human Rights Framework and to the elimination of racial discrimination.
We mark the 60th anniversaries of the International Convention on Civil and Political Rights and the International Convenant on Economic, Social, and Cultural Right, as well as the 20th anniversary of the International Convention on the Protection of all persons from enforced disappearances and the tenth anniversary of the Convention on the Right of Persons with Disabilities.
We also mark the 25th anniversary of the Durban Declaration and Program of action.
This anniversary is an opportunity not only to look back but to renew our commitment to action.
A high level meeting on the mobilizing global public support for the full and effective implementation of the Durban Declaration and P of action will be held on the 20th of September during the 81st session of the General Assembly.
OECHR looks forward to closely working with this committee and the other treaty bodies to advance the recommendation contained in the report on the contribution of the treaty bodies to the implementation of the Durban Declaration and program of action.
Distinguished members, at a time of profound uncertainty, we must also strengthen cooperation for human rights.
The High Commissioner has launched in June this year the Global Alliance for Human Rights, a multi stakeholder initiative bringing together people across sector and generations.
Anchored in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and building towards its Ath anniversary in 2028, the Alliance six to broaden support, strengthen collaboration, and mobilize collective action for human rights.
This is particularly important when racial discrimination continues to affect people and communities across all regions of the world.
As you know, combating racial discrimination remains a core mandate of the United Nations.
Let me just highlight several recent development in this area.
At its 63rd session in September, the Human Rights Council will consider two important report by the High Commissioner.
The first addresses racism, racial discrimination, and law enforcement and provides an update five years after its launch on the implementation of the High Commissioner's agenda towards transformative change.
The second, examine education related measures and practices to prevent racism, racial discrimination, and intolerance.
OECHR has also continued its work on reparatory justice for people of African descent, including through a series of practical explainers on reparatory justice, environmental justice, gender transformative approaches, and memorialization.
Further, explainers will be issued in due course and in several languages.
Also, UN mechanisms dedicated to combating racial discrimination continue to bring important issues to the attention of the Human Rights Council.
For instance, the Special Rapporteur on racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance devoted her annual report to this Council 62nd session on the contemporary manifestation of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance in sport.
The report examine the applicable International Human Rights framework and the responsibility of states and other actors to prevent and address discrimination in sport.
The Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Indigenous people in her report to the Council's 63rd session, examine how states have addressed violations of the sexual and reproductive health and rights of Indigenous women and girls in almost two decades since the adoption of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People.
These efforts matter because racial discrimination does not take place on one form.
It can be found in institutions.
It can be found in laws and policies.
It can be found in access to education and justice, in law enforcement, and in the daily life of individuals and communities.
This is why the work of this committee remains so important.
Distinguished members, as the High Commissioner stated in his annual report to the Human Rights Council, at the time of intersecting and accelerating crisis, human rights provide the legal, the moral, and practical foundation for preventing harm, strengthening resilience and sustaining international cooperation.
Their effective implementation is not optional, it's indispensable.
OECHR remains committed to safeguarding and advancing international human rights norms, supporting their developments, interpretation and implementation, and ensuring that human right mechanisms remain accessible, responsive, and able to address emerging challenges.
As an essential part of the United Nations Human Rights S, OECHR supports the Human Rights Council, the treaty bodies, the special procedures, and the Universal periodic review in carrying out their mandates effectively, independently, and credibly.
At the heart of this system are people, survivors and victims who must be heard, civil society that must be able to participate, and state that must be held accountable for their commitment.
Your committee play a vital role in this architecture by monitoring the implementation of the convention and helping states to translate its commitment into meaningful positive changes.
Monsieur Le President Chairs and distinguished members of the committee.
The treaty bodies continue to face unprecedented restrictions.
The very difficult financial situation of the United Nations organizations had a sizable impact on the human rights system and in particular on the treaty bodies.
This year, the substantial drop in both human and financial resources of the high commissioners led to a substantial reduction in the time devoted to both visits and meetings.
The two or rather the second sessions of the committees, and let's not forget the length of those committees were already reduced were only confirmed very late in the day, whereas the third sessions were simply canceled.
We are well aware of the difficulties created by this and for the committee experts, the difficulties created for states parties, civil society, national human rights institutions, and all partners.
These constraints continue to weigh heavy on the capacity of your committee and indeed other treaty bodies to equip themselves of their mandate effectively.
That is the context and within that context, in Geneva in June 2026, in other words, this year, we had the 38th annual meeting of the treaty body chairpersons that was created.
Presidents and chairpersons there looked at the proposals that appeared in the working paper of the Office of the High Commissioner to strengthen both the effectiveness and the efficiency of the UN treaty bodies.
OHCHR is currently working on reviewing this and looking at the operational implications of these different proposals.
Distinguished members of the committee, I would like at this stage to restate our firm commitment to support the treaty body system so that they can carry out their essential mandates.
I'd also like to thank you for your cooperation and for your constant support.
Given this particularly difficult context that we're in, your commitment, your dedication is more precious than ever.
Indeed, they are essential to preserve the integrity, the credibility, and the effectiveness of the international human rights system.
Distinguished members, you have a heavy program of work ahead of you over the next two weeks.
The committee will conduct four major review of states, namely Kuwait, India, Honduras, and Finland.
It will also consider the follow up report of seven state parties.
They are Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Ecuador, Kenya, Monaco, Saudi Arabia, and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
It will prepare a list of issues prior to reporting for Eritrea.
The committee will also continue to work on draft General recommendation number 40 on reparations.
Consider cases under its early warning and urgent action procedure and examine individual communications.
This is an ambitious agenda, but it's an agenda of real importance.
At a time when racial discrimination continues to threaten equality, dignity, and social cohesion, the committee's work is not only relevant, it is essential.
On this note, I wish you a fruitful, focused, and productive session, and I thank you for your attention.
Thank you very much.
Thank you, Mr.
Mamani Cisguru for these insightful remarks and obviously your office's continued interest and support to our work.
We always appreciate that tremendously.
However, although I'm going to thank you again for your encouragement, we are also aware that the OHCHR and also every individual treaty body, I don't mind saying that under assault.
Our work is considerably weakened.
We are losing authority and power all the time.
This is generally represented under the umbrella of financial crisis experienced by the United Nations system.
But that's a misnomer.
The financial crisis is not something that has happened unexpectedly.
It is the result of the conduct of a number of states parties, members of the United Nations who did not pay their dues or who were late until the last moment in paying their dues.
We have to name things as they are.
The financial crisis of the United Nations that it experiences today did not fall from the sky.
It is the result of a certain kind of foreign policy decision made by the member states.
So it is up to the member states to redress the situation.
It's the member states who have signed and ratified human rights treaties.
When we talk to their representatives, they always tell us that they fully support the work of treaty bodies, but supporting requires action, not words.
We need deeds.
Not rhetoric.
With that, I will open the floor for a general discussion if distinguished members would like to ask questions for Mr.
Cisgoro or have comments, the floor is open.
Yes.
Madam Shepherd, you have the floor.
Thank you very much Chair and may I add my own welcome to Mr.
Cisguru for his remarks, for his presence.
Thank you for recognizing the work that we do and its importance despite the challenges, and the chair, I think has outlined some of those, but also welcome the intention to mark the important anniversary of the Durban Declaration and Program of action, and thank you for those explainers because they really support the work that we're doing on reparations.
As you have mentioned.
We will be hoping to adopt R 40 in this session, and the interests of the high commissioner and his office and you guru in the issue of reparations is very welcomed because Isa I would dare say that it's no longer a word that people refer to as the R word.
It really is now almost like a global movement.
We have seen the support of 123 countries to Ghana's resolution passing the GA to declare the trafficking in enslaved Africans and racialized African chattel enslavement as the grieves crime against humanity.
So thank you for your support on that and despite the challenges, the chair has already outlined some of them, and it's obvious that the S itself is under some attack.
I think we will just recommit ourselves to continue to do what we do because as we look around the world, we see the erosion of some of what we have been fighting for.
So I know that we here will commit ourselves to continue to do what we're doing.
There are people who are depending on our voice.
Thank you.
Thank you, Madam Chapin.
Any other member who would like to take the floor? Mercy, I think we have said it all.
I think we all have the same reading of the situation.
Actually, the pushback is not only on human rights, it's in the rule of law and later, we can see it.
And of course, the responsibility of the financial crisis or the liquidity crisis we are going to Can only be resolved if member states decided to pay their due, and we hope that they will lead by action, as you said.
Whenever you met with them, I know when the high commissioner met with them, raised the issue or when he's addressing the Unit council, there is a great support for increasing this office regular budget chair, but also commitment to pay their due.
But we have not seen that materialized yet.
I think one thing we all share is resilience and we don't take no for an answer.
We'll continue to fight, and it's encouraging to hear that we have your support because we need your support as well to continue pushing because it's noble what you're doing.
I think people sometimes just tend to forget from where we come from before reaching this level.
But I mean, the whole idea for the global alliance is actually to bring back human rights at the center of action.
So I hope that will also create a new momentum, and we'll see more and more engagement and commitment and support to the mechanisms and the treaty bodies in particular, which is the only binding legal instrument for one member state.
So thank you very much.
We are on this together, and I'm quite sure that we can make miracles if we all continue to work like this.
Thank you.
Thank you again, Mr.
Mahaney, Cis Guru, for your encouragement.
Yes, we will continue to work.
We will continue to work together.
The OHCHR is indispensable for our work.
We depend on you in the smooth functioning of our mandate.
So we will continue to cooperate in goodwill and with an eye to really strengthen the treaty body system.
Thank you.
This brings us to the end of the official opening.
I express my hope that we will have a fruitful interactive dialogue with the states parties in the coming days of Kuwait, India, Honduras, and Finland.
The committee will also have meetings with different stakeholders, including NGOs and HRIs.
I will now turn to the first item of our provisional agenda contained in document CRD slash C slash 118 slash one, which is available on the web page of our committee.
I now kindly call on the committee to adopt this provisional agenda.
No objection.
No comments.
The agenda is adopted.
We will now move to a private meeting.
And first, I thank again, Mr.
Cisguro and all the guests in the room and we will have a few minutes to vacate the room and restart our meeting in closed session.
Thank you.
Thank you, Anda Thank you.