From A/HRC/6/22, Report of the Human Rights Council on its Sixth Session
Adopted September 28, 2007

6/22.	From rhetoric to reality: a global call for concrete action against racism, 
	racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance
	The Human Rights Council,
	Recalling its decision 3/103 of 8 December 2006,
	Recalling also its resolution 3/2 of 8 December 2006,
	Welcoming General Assembly resolution 61/149 of 19 December 2006 in which the Assembly decided to convene the Durban Review Conference in 2009,
	Deploring the surge and sharp increases in xenophobic and racial tendencies in certain regions of the world, particularly towards those categories of victims already identified in the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action such as migrants, refugees, asylum-seekers, people of African descent, people of Asian descent and national and ethnic minorities,
	Regretting the lack of political will to take decisive steps to combat racism in all its forms and manifestations and to concretely move away from denials about the persistence of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance,
	Underlining, in the above context, the imperative need to end posturing about racism and calling on all States to resolutely end impunity for acts of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance, and to face the everyday realities and challenges of these scourges,
	Absolutely convinced that the failure by States to translate the Durban commitments into concrete action and tangible results is attributable to a lack of political will, in particular with respect to honouring the memory of the victims of historical injustices and past tragedies caused by slavery, the slave trade, the transatlantic slave trade, apartheid, colonialism and genocide, and also underlining that Africans and people of African descent, Asians and people of Asian descent and indigenous peoples were victims of these injustices and tragedies and continue to be victims of their consequences,
	Underlining in the above context, the importance of closing these dark chapters in history through reconciliation and healing, and calling on all concerned States to assume their moral obligation to halt and reverse the lasting and cascading consequences of these practices prior to the convening of the 2009 Durban Review Conference,
	Noting the efforts of the Intergovernmental Working Group on the Effective Implementation of the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action since its inception in 2002, by upholding and promoting the spirit of Durban, and registering some progress in spite of the obvious challenges,
	1.	Decides to realign the work and name of the Anti-Discrimination Unit in the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights consistent with its mandate and that henceforth, this Unit shall be known as “The Anti-Racial Discrimination Unit”, and that its operational activities shall focus exclusively on racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance, as defined in paragraphs 1 and 2 of the Durban Declaration;
	2.	Encourages closer collaboration between the Intergovernmental Working Group and the Independent Eminent Experts on ways and means of achieving enhanced political will and commitment to combating all the contemporary manifestations of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance;
	3.	Emphasizes the importance of demonstrating goodwill to humanity and the primacy of reconciliation, by taking concrete steps towards the implementation of key issues of concern to the victims of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance, which relate to the restoration of their dignity and equality as envisaged in paragraphs 98 to 106 of the Durban Declaration;
	4.	Regrets that the commitments made in paragraphs 157 and 158 of the Durban Programme of Action remain unfulfilled;
	5.	Decides to remain seized of this important issue.
22nd meeting
28 September 2007
[Adopted by a recorded vote of 28 to 13,
with 5 abstentions.
In favour:	Angola, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Bolivia, Cameroon, China, Cuba, Djibouti, Egypt, Ghana, India, Indonesia, Jordan, Madagascar, Malaysia, Mali, Mauritius, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Pakistan, Philippines, Qatar, Russian Federation, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Zambia.
Against:	Bosnia and Herzegovina, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, Republic of Korea, Romania, Slovenia, Switzerland, Ukraine, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
Abstaining:	Brazil, Guatemala, Mexico, Peru, Uruguay.
See chap. IX.]