Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination
106th session
Summary record ( p artial )* of the 2866th meeting
Held at the Palais Wilson, Geneva, on Monday, 11 April 2022, at 10 a.m.
Temporary Chair : Ms. Lee (Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights)
Chair: Ms. Shepherd
Contents
Opening of the session
Solemn declaration by the newly elected members of the Committee under rule 14 of the rules of procedure
Election of officers, in accordance with rule 15 of the rules of procedure
Adoption of the agenda
The meeting was called to order at 10.05 a.m.
Opening of the session
1.The Temporary Chair declared open the one hundred and sixth session of the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination.
2.Mr. Cissé-Gouro (Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR)), congratulating the newly elected Committee members, said that their expertise would be of great benefit to the Committee and to the broader fight against racial discrimination. He noted that following the elections, the Committee’s membership had reached gender parity.
3.The Committee had demonstrated its commitment to fulfilling its mandate during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, in particular by adapting to remote working, and OHCHR and the United Nations Office at Geneva had made significant investments in digital technology to facilitate remote and hybrid meetings. Although the COVID-19 pandemic had begun to ease slowly, it continued to affect the human rights of populations around the world, both directly and indirectly, and had deepened long-standing inequalities.
4.To mark the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, the Human Rights Council had held a panel discussion entitled “Voices for Action against Racism”. The discussion had addressed, inter alia, the importance of respect for the freedoms of association and peaceful assembly as a means to counter racism and racial discrimination and the need for meaningful participation by victims of racial discrimination in all areas of decision-making. The Committee’s work to address inequality, racial discrimination, intolerance and racist prejudice as drivers of conflict was of the utmost importance.
5.The Committee had responded to a proposal relating to the treaty body system strengthening process that had been submitted by the Chair of the Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. Its response had been analysed and discussed, including during informal consultations with the Chairs of the treaty bodies and other experts, in March 2022. The strengthening of the treaty body system would also be discussed at a number of other meetings, including the Annual Meeting of Chairpersons of the Human Rights Treaty Bodies, in May and June 2022. That would hopefully help to reach an agreed position on treaty body strengthening and to contribute to the Secretary-General’s biennial report on the status of the human rights treaty body system.
6.The General Assembly had adopted a resolution establishing the Permanent Forum of People of African Descent, whose work would include consideration of the elaboration of a United Nations declaration on the rights of persons of African descent and the monitoring of the progress made in the implementation of the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action. To that end, the Permanent Forum would engage with other mechanisms. The Committee could perhaps request a meeting with it to discuss matters of common interest and possibilities for cooperation.
7.Ms. Shepherd said that a meeting with the Permanent Forum would be of great importance to the Committee’s future work.
Solemn declaration by the newly elected members of the Committee under rule 14 of the rules of procedure
8.In accordance with rule 14 of the rules of procedure, Mr. Balcerzak, Ms. Esseneme and Ms. McDougall made the following solemn declaration:
“I solemnly declare that I will perform my duties and exercise my powers as a member of the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination honourably, faithfully, impartially and conscientiously.”
Election of officers, in accordance with rule 15 of the rules of procedure
9.Ms. McDougall, seconded by Ms. Ali Al-Misnad, Mr. Amir and Mr. Balcerzak,nominated Ms. Shepherd for the office of Chair.
10. Ms. Shepherd was elected Chair by acclamation and took the Chair.
11.Ms. Ali Al-Misnad nominated Ms. Chung and Mr. Balcerzak for the office of Vice-Chair.
The meeting was suspended at 10.35 a.m. and resumed at 10.40 a.m.
12.Ms. McDougall nominated Ms. Stavrinakifor the office of Vice-Chair.
13. Ms. Chung, Mr. Balcerzak and Ms. Stavrinaki were elected Vice-Chairs by acclamation.
14.Mr. Yeung Sik Yuen nominated Mr. Amir for the office of Rapporteur.
15. Mr. Amir was elected Rapporteur by acclamation.
16.The Chair, thanking the Committee for placing its trust in her and welcoming the newly elected members,said that although the events of the previous two years might have led members to doubt the impact of the Committee’s work, marginalized and vulnerable persons and groups depended on it.
17.Mr. Amir nominated Mr. Diaby for membership of the Working Group on Communications.
18.Ms. Ali Al-Misnad nominated Mr. Balcerzak and herself for membership of the Working Group on Communications.
19.Ms. McDougall nominated Mr. Payandeh for membership of the Working Group on Communications.
20.Mr. Diaby, Mr. Balcerzak, Ms. Ali Al-Misnad and Mr. Payandeh were elected to the Working Group on Communications by acclamation.
21.Mr. Amir nominated Mr. Guissé for membership of the Working Group on Early Warning and Urgent Action Procedures.
22.Ms. Ali Al-Misnad nominated Mr. Balcerzak and Ms. Li formembership of the Working Group on Early Warning and Urgent Action Procedures.
23.Ms. Stavrinaki nominated Ms. McDougall formembership of the Working Group on Early Warning and Urgent Action Procedures.
24.The Chair nominated Mr. Vega Luna formembership of the Working Group on Early Warning and Urgent Action Procedures.
25. Mr. Guissé, Mr. Balcerzak, Ms. Li, Ms. McDougall and Mr. Vega Luna were elected to the Working Group on Early Warning and Urgent Action Procedures by acclamation.
Adoption of the agenda ( CERD/C/106/1 )
26.The Chair suggestedthat, given the postponement of the Committee’s consideration of the periodic report of the Plurinational State of Bolivia, the annotation relating to item 6 of the annotated provisional agenda (CERD/C/106/1) should be amended to remove that country from the list of the States parties whose periodic reports were to be considered during the session. She took it that the Committee wished to adopt the agenda as thus amended.
27.The agenda, as amended, was adopted.
The discussion covered in the summary record ended at 11 a.m.