Source: http://webcast.un.org/ramgen/conferences/hrc2006/four/hrc070315pm2-eng.rm?start=00:23:58&end=00:33:15

Human Rights Council, Fourth Session
March 15, 2007

Report of the Working Group on the effective implementation of the Durban Declaration
Mr. Juan Martabit

Thank you, Mr. President, Madam High Commissioner, distinguished colleagues, and friends.  I have the pleasure to take the floor in my capacity as the Chairman Rapporteur of Intergovernmental working group on the effective implementation of the Durban Declaration and program of action. To present you with the oral report on the first part of its fifth session, as the council is aware, the fifth session of the working group was divided into two parts.  The first was held from the 5th to the 9th of March.  The second will be held next September.  This, as you will recall, is in accordance with Human Rights Council decision 3/103 which in subparagraph d requests the working group to invite the five experts on complementary standards to the first part of its fifth session and in subparagraph F recommends that the working group hold the second part of its fifth session in September this year.  Accordingly, I shall be providing a preliminary report on the first part of this fifth session.  The working group studied the subject of national action plans to combat racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia, and related forms of intolerance.  Also, as requested by the council in its decision 3/103, the working group also held a preliminary exchange of views and ideas on complementary standards with the five experts appointed by the Office of the High Commissioner to prepare the study on complementary standards.  

Concerning national action plans, the working group enjoyed the contributions from selected panelists who presented various different national action plan experiences.  These were specific experiences in any particular country or region providing information on the process of consultations prior to the adoption of a national action plan.  The establishment of mechanisms for implementation of the plan and the process of follow-up to execution, implementation, and monitoring.  I would like to state that we received explanations on the experiences of various countries which were of great benefit for the group.  The working group also had a presentation by the Secretariat on the cooperation that the Office can provide for preparations of national action plans.  

On complementary standards, the working group enjoyed the contributions of the five highly qualified experts as selected by the Office of the High Commissioner to study the content and scope of the substantive shortcomings in international instruments and force to combat racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia, and related forms of intolerance.  This, as you all know, is in accordance with the recommendations adopted by the working group at its fourth session in January last year.  I must say that the exchange with the five experts was very fruitful.  The experts, I must say, made an excellent contribution, and informed the working group about their preliminary ideas as to how to address the subject as well as on the initial exchanges among them.  In the dialogue which took place various delegations took part dynamically and constructively, sharing their views on the subject with the experts.  The group congratulated the experts and encouraged them to continue their work, which the group considers very useful and necessary for full implementation of the Durban Declaration and program of action.  The group also adopted various preliminary conclusions and recommendations which it will review during the second part of its fifth session which as I’ve already said will take place next September.  In the course of the first part of the session, various delegations expressed interest in the support provided by the Office of the High Commissioner for follow-up to the Durban Declaration and Plan of Action and specifically referred to the human and financial resources of the Office’s Anti-Discrimination Unit.  The African Group presented a joint position on this and in my capacity as Chairman Rapporteur, I undertook personally to communicate this concern to the High Commissioner.

To conclude, I would like to note that the report of the fifth session will be adopted at the end of the second part of the session in September this year.  The report will consolidate the work done at the first part of the session, which we have just concluded, and the discussions of the second part which will be exclusively devoted to the report of the five experts on complementary standards. 

Before concluding this brief presentation, let me make a couple of comments on a strictly personal basis in my capacity as chairman of the group.  Of course, I’d like to express thanks for the considerable effort with limited resources done by the Anti-Discrimination Unit of the High Commissioner’s Office.  I think this is an effort which needs to be recognized and highlighted.  As I said in the group, the Anti-Discrimination Unit in the time that I have been chairman of the working group, has been headed by various different people and I think it is essential that it have staff who are there to ensure continuity and vision in this difficult subject.  Secondly, I also think it is essential in order for the work entrusted by the council to be efficient and productive that there be a rationalization and better order with regard to the different existing mechanisms responsible for the follow-up to Durban and implementation of the Durban recommendations.  I think that if we don’t manage to bring about genuine rationalize and optimization of resources then many of our efforts will not be productive.  And thirdly, let me repeat, as I have already said publicly before the council that I consider it fundamental for work on this subject to bring about agreements on a consensus basis.  We’re talking about a matter which is a long task- it requires international, regional, and national consent in each and every country.  Without a clear vision, and unity on objectives, then the path will be even more difficult.  There is a clear horizon- preparation for the second Durban session and I think a major effort needs to be made to ensure that the success we’ve had so far is made concrete.