PART I – WHAT IS ICERD? • • • • promoting respect for human rights and the exercise thereof, free from any discrimination, as expressly stated in Article 5 of ICERD; examining official policies towards the protection against racial discrimination; monitoring laws so that they comply with the provisions of ICERD; educating the public as to the obligations which the States parties assume under ICERD. Furthermore, CERD pays close attention to the question of whether States inform the public about human rights in general, in particular ICERD and CERD, and whether ICERD has been translated into and published in the local languages.48 48 Recommendations adopted at the 6th meeting of the Persons Chairing the Human Rights Treaty Bodies, in September 1995, UN doc. A/50/505, para. 20 11 ICERD & CERD: A GUIDE FOR CIVIL SOCIETY ACTORS