The United Nations General Assembly will hold a high-level meeting on Monday to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the Durban Declaration – one of the most comprehensive frameworks to combat racial discrimination and inequality globally. The declaration, which is not legally binding for member states, was adopted at the 2001 World Conference Against Racism in the South African city of Durban. The 153-page document tackles racism, xenophobia, and the oppression of Indigenous people around the world.
A political declaration is expected to be adopted at Monday’s meeting, according to the UN. The Durban Declaration and Programme of Action (DDPA), as the document is officially known, urged member states to adopt measures aimed at eradicating various forms of oppression, including racism and gender-based discrimination. The landmark conference recognised historical injustices, acknowledging that slavery and the slave trade are crimes against humanity and are linked to modern poverty and disparities.
Apartheid and genocide were described as “sources and manifestations of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia, and related intolerance”. The document also called on participants to condemn and work to prevent the recurrence of such crimes. The declaration said that policies on migration should not be based on racism and intolerance in efforts to protect migrants.
It also recognised the rights of Indigenous peoples. Expressing concerns about “the plight of the Palestinian people under foreign occupation”, Clause 63 of the declaration recognises “the inalienable right of the Palestinian people to self-determination and to the establishment of an independent State”. It also recognises “the right to security for all States in the region, including Israel”.
An early draft of the declaration had equated Zionism with racism, but it was removed following opposition from Israel and its Western allies. Zionism is a Jewish nationalist and political movement that originated in Europe in the late 19th century with the goal of creating a Jewish homeland in Palestine. Multiple rights groups and scholars say that Israeli policies against Palestinians amount to apartheid.
Israel’s war on Gaza has been dubbed genocide by experts, as well as a UN commission of inquiry. In April 2009, the Durban Review Conference was held in Geneva to assess progress made since 2001 and address the new challenges. A meeting was also held in 2011, marking the 10th anniversary, when world leaders reaffirmed their commitments to fight against racism.
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