A/63/339
“(d) To integrate a gender perspective throughout the work of his/her
mandate, highlighting women’s rights and reporting on women and racism;
“(e) To report regularly to the Council and the General Assembly.”
13. In the resolution, the Council requested all Governments to cooperate fully
with the Special Rapporteur in the discharge of his/her mandate, including by
responding promptly to the Special Rapporteur’s communications, including urgent
appeals, and by providing the information requested and urged all Governments to
seriously consider responding promptly and favourably to the requests of the
Special Rapporteur to visit their countries, including follow-up visits.
14. In addition to the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of
Racial Discrimination, the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action and other
relevant international instruments, which continue to provide the normative
framework for the mandate, the Special Rapporteur intends to pursue the provisions
of Human Rights Council resolution 7/14, on the right to food, as programmatic
priorities related to the discharge of his mandate.
III. Main observations
15. In the present report, the current mandate holder, who took up his functions on
1 August 2008, presents his main objectives and his vision for the future of the
mandate.
16. The Durban Declaration and Programme of Action, the International
Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination and other
relevant international instruments will remain the central normative and intellectual
framework for the implementation of the mandate. In this regard, the Special
Rapporteur would like to recall the strong emphasis in the Durban Declaration and
Programme of Action on victim-orientation in anti-racism policies. This approach
will be further strengthened in the discharge of the mandate, in particular in
cooperation with civil society organizations, including organizations representing
contemporary victims of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related
intolerance.
17. The Special Rapporteur further highlights the central importance he attaches to
cooperation and engagement with Member States in the implementation of his
mandate. Governments are uniquely placed to bring about the necessary changes
needed for the elimination of the scourge of racism, racial discrimination,
xenophobia and related intolerance. In this regard, the Special Rapporteur will
continuously engage with Governments in order to share expertise and advocate the
implementation of anti-racism policies while, at the same time, continuing to carry
out his key role of monitoring and reporting on human rights violations.
18. The Special Rapporteur also express his strong commitment to cooperate
closely with the United Nations agencies, funds and programmes as well as with the
different departments of the Secretariat in order to mainstream anti-racism policies
and explore common synergies that can be effectively used in the fight against
racism. In this regard, he expresses particular interest in cooperating with United
Nations peacekeeping operations deployed in contexts where racial or ethnic issues
are relevant, the Special Adviser of the Secretary-General on the prevention of
genocide, the Department of Political Affairs, the Peacebuilding Commission, the
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