Meeting of States parties to the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination

Twenty-ninth meeting

New York, 24 June 2021

Item 5 of the provisional agenda

Election, in accordance with article 8 (1)–(5) of the Convention, of nine members of the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination to replace those whose terms of office will expire on 19 January 2022

Election of nine members of the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination to replace thosewhose terms of office will expire on 19 January 2022

Note by the Secretary-General

1.In accordance with article 8 of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination, the twenty-ninth meeting of the States parties to the Convention is to be held at United Nations Headquarters on 24 June 2021 for the purpose of electing nine members of the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination from a list of candidates nominated by States parties (sect. II), to replace those whose terms will expire on 19 January 2022 (sect. I). Nine members will continue to serve on the Committee until 19 January 2024 (sect. III).

I.Members of the Committee whose terms expire on19 January 2022

Name of member	Country of nationality
Mr. Silvio José Albuquerque e Silva	Brazil
Mr. Noureddine Amir	Algeria
Mr. Marc Bossuyt	Belgium
Ms. Chinsung Chung	Republic of Korea
Mr. Bakari Sidiki Diaby	Côte d’Ivoire
Ms. Rita Izsák-Ndiaye	Hungary
Ms. Ko Keiko	Japan
Mr. Gun Kut	Turkey
Mr. Yeung Kam John Yeung Sik Yuen	Mauritius

II.Candidates nominated by States parties

2.In accordance with article 8 (3) of the Convention, the Secretary-General, in a note verbale dated 21 December 2020, invited States parties to submit, within two months, their nominations for the election of nine members to the Committee. All curricula vitae received by 21 February 2021 are included in the present document (see annex).

3.Listed below are the names of the persons nominated for election to the Committee, in the order in which their nominations were received, and the States parties that nominated them.

Name of candidate	Nominated by
Mr. Bakari Sidiki Diaby	Côte d’Ivoire
Mr. Michał Balcerzak	Poland
Mr. Gun Kut	Turkey
Ms. Chinsung Chung	Republic of Korea
Mr. Yeung Kam John Yeung Sik Yuen	Mauritius
Ms. Rita Izsák-Ndiaye	Hungary
Ms. Gay McDougall	United States of America
Mr. Noureddine Amir	Algeria

III.Members of the Committee whose terms expire on19 January 2024

Name of member	Country of nationality
Ms. Sheikha Abdulla Ali Al-Misnad	Qatar
Mr. Ibrahima Guissé	Senegal
Ms. Li Yanduan	China
Ms. Yemhelhe Mint Mohameda	Mauritania
Mr. Mehrdad Payandeh	Germany
Ms. Verene Albertha Shepherd	Jamaica
Ms. Stamatia Stavrinaki	Greece
Ms. Faith Dikeledi Pansy Tlakula	South Africa
Mr. Eduardo Ernesto Vega Luna	Peru

a Ms. Mohamed passed away in November 2020. Mauritania has designated one of its nationals to serve the remainder of her term. The designation is being submitted to the Committee for consideration at its 103rd session (19–30 April 2021).

Annex

Curricula vitae *

Bakari Sidiki Diaby (Côte d’Ivoire)

Date and place of birth: 28 December 1976, Zahia S/P DALOA (Côte d ’ Ivoire)

Working languages: English, French and Spanish

Current position/function: Track-record as a member of the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (since 2018)

Has participated actively in the examination of reports from 36 States Parties.

Rapporteur for the following countries: Andorra, Cambodia.

Member of the Early-Warning Measures and Urgent Action Procedures Working Group.

Encourages States Parties to be up to date in the presentation of their reports.

Supports the strengthening of the interaction between National Human Rights Institutions and the CERD.

Works towards greater participation of civil society in the work of the CERD.

Works to improve knowledge on the CERD as a guest lecturer at the University of Angers, France and at the University of John Jay College of Criminal Justice, New York, USA.

Main professional activities:

Since October 2016

Permanent Secretary, Network of National Human Rights Institutions of the Member States of the West African Economic and Monetary Union

Responsible for the coordination of actions for the promotion and protection of NHRIs.

Strengthens the capacities of NHRIs and harmonizes texts and practices in the sub region.

Since November 2011

General Coordinator (and founding member), African Coordination of Human Rights for the Armed Forces (CADHA)

Defines the strategy and oversees the activities of CADHA.

Represents CADHA at high-level meetings with state authorities, the diplomatic community, civil society organizations and the United Nations.

June 2013 – December 2018

Deputy Executive Secretary, National Human Rights Commission of Côte d’Ivoire

Responsible for leading and supervising the Project Cooperation sub-committee.

Deputy Coordinator of the 31 Regional Human Rights Commissions of Côte d’Ivoire and National Coordinator of the Mechanism for Monitoring Cases of Human Rights Violations by the Armed Forces of Côte d’Ivoire.

April 2017–April 2019 & March 2014–June 2019

Associate Professor, National School of Administration (ENA) of Côte d ’ Ivoire

Associate Professor in the Department of Legal Sciences, North-South University, Abidjan, Côte d ’ Ivoire

Lectures on national systems of human rights protection, the African system and the universal system of human rights protection.

January 2013–June 2016

Consultant on albinism, Well-being of albinos in Côte d ’ Ivoire: BEDACI

In charge of the promotion and protection of people living with albinism, support to the main organization defending the rights of people with albinism in Côte d’Ivoire.

October 2002–July 2012

Lawyer, Freelance Consultant

The African Commission on Human Rights, on the law on human rights defenders in Côte d’Ivoire (Gambia); the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees on statelessness in Côte d’Ivoire and West Africa; the Peace Missions in Africa with the Raoul-Dandurand Chair of Strategic and Diplomatic Studies, of the University of Quebec in Montreal – UQAM (Canada).

Educational background:

2019–2020: 4th year of Doctorate in Law, Catholic University of West Africa, Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire

2018: 2nd year of Doctorate in Law, International University of Catalonia, Spain

2012: Masters’ Degree in Human Resources Management, Maghreb University in Côte d’Ivoire, Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire

2008: Diploma of Specialized Studies in Human Rights, Institute for Dignity and Human Rights, CERAP, Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire

2007: Diploma of Advanced Studies in Fundamental Public Law, Catholic University of West Africa, Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire

2005: Bachelor’s Degree in Public Health, Faculty of Pharmaceutical and Biological Sciences, Félix Houphouët-Boigny University, Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire

2002: Bachelor’s degree in Public Law, University of Bouaké, Côte d’Ivoire

Other main activities in the field relevant to the mandate of the treaty body concerned:

Member of the jury of the national competition in International Humanitarian Law organized by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC)

Focal Point for Francophone West Africa of the Africa Working Group of the Global Action Against Mass Atrocity Crimes (GAAMAC)

Guest lecturer at the R2P Course of the UNITAR Global Diplomacy Initiative

Michał Balcerzak (Poland)

Date and place of birth: 5 September 1979, Sieradz, Poland

Working languages: English, French and Polish (native)

Current position/function:

Professor of Nicolaus Copernicus University, Toruń (Poland), Faculty of Law, Department of Human Rights.

Main professional activities:

University teaching and research on international protection on human rights and public international law

Law practice as advocate in the area of human rights and freedoms

Educational background:

Habilitation (post-doctoral degree) in public international law, Nicolaus Copernicus University, Toruń, Poland (2014)

Doctor of law, Faculty of Law, Nicolaus Copernicus University, Toruń, Poland (2007)

Diploma of the Academy of European Law (human rights session), European University Institute, Florence (2007)

Diploma of the International Institute of Human Rights (Strasbourg, 2004)

Master of Law, Nicolaus Copernicus University, Toruń, Poland (2003)

Other main activities in the field relevant to the mandate of the treaty body concerned:

Member (2014–2021) and chairperson (2018–2019) of the Working Group of Experts on People of African Descent (special procedure of the Human Rights Council)

Member of the Advisory Legal Committee at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (2017–)

Regular Member, International Law Association, member of the ILA Committee on Human Rights in Times of Emergency (2017–)

List of most recent publications in the field:

Uses and Underuses of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination at the International Court of Justice, “Polish Yearbook of International Law” 2018, vol. XXXVIII, pp. 11–27.

Preserving the effectiveness of UNCLOS despite a party ’ s non-appearance? Some remarks on the Arctic Sunrise Arbitration (Netherlands v. Russia) in the context of human rights protection, “Wroclaw Review of Law, Administration and Economics” 2018, vol. 8, no. 2, pp. 172–187.

Responsibility of State Parties to the European Convention on the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms. An International Law Perspective. [in Polish] Toruń 2013, p. 345.

Gun Kut (Turkey)

Date and place of birth: 4 March 1957, Istanbul

Working languages: English, French, Turkish (mother tongue)

Current position/function:

1996–present: Associate Professor, Department of Political Science and International Relations, Bogazici University, Istanbul

1996–2017: Member in respect of Turkey, the European Commission Against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI) of the Council of Europe

2010–2021: Member of CERD

Main professional activities:

Teaching courses on International Relations, including international mechanisms of human rights protection,

Directing research and theses, and related academic activities at the University,

University administrative duties

Educational background:

Lycée de Galatasaray 1976 (baccalaureate)

Bogazici University 1981 (BA, Political Science)

State University of New York at Binghamton 1985 (MA, Political Science)

State University of New York at Binghamton 1985 (Ph.D., Political Science)

Other main activities in the field relevant to the mandate of the treaty body concerned:

Rapporteur for several country-by-country reports as part of the monitoring activities of ECRI.

Member of a number of permanent or ad hoc working groups dealing with ECRI’s relations with the civil society in Europe, and preparing draft General Policy recommendations on specific issues of racism, xenophobia, anti-Semitism, and related intolerance in member states of the Council for Europe.

Preparation of and/or contribution to various public events (conferences, symposia, round table meetings, media events) on the fight against racism, xenophobia, anti Semitism, and related intolerance in Turkey and other member states of the Council of Europe, CERD activities and functions.

List of most recent publications in the field:

Contribution to the drafting and finalization of a number of reports, recommendations, declarations published by ECRI (cf. ECRI web site www.coe.int/ecrit for a list) and CERD.

Academic seminars and conferences on international institutional efforts to combat discrimination in support of civil society activities.

Chinsung Chung (Republic of Korea)

Date and place of birth: 28 July 1953 , Seoul, Korea

Working languages: English, Korean and Japanese

Current position/function:

Member, UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (2018–22)

Professor Emeritus, Department of Sociology, Seoul National University (2018–present)

Member, Advisory Committee, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Republic of Korea (2018–present)

Member, Advisory Committee, National Human Rights Commission of Korea (2014–present)

President, Korea Center for United Nations Human Rights Policy (NGO)(2005–present)

Main professional activities:

President, Korean Association for Human Rights Studies (2017–2018)

President, Korean Sociological Association (2013)

President, Korean Association of Women’s Studies (2012)

Member of Boards of Trustees, Seoul National University (2018–2020)

Member, Presidential Committee for National Cohesion (2013–2014)

Member, Presidential Committee on Social Cohesion (2009–2010)

President, Advisory Committee for Foundation of Gender, Human Rights and Peace, Ministry of Gender Equality (2019–2020)

President, Advisory Committee for Women and Children Policies, Ministry of Justice (2010–2011)

Member, Korea-Japan Joint History Research Committee, Ministry of Education (2007–2010)

Advisor, Nokeunri Victims During Korean War Organization, Prime Minister’s Office (1999–2000)

Educational background:

Visiting Scholar, Weatherhead Center for International Affairs, Harvard University (2002–2003)

Professor, Seoul National University (1996–2018)

The University of Chicago, USA (Ph.D. in Sociology) (1978–1984)

Graduate School of Sociology, Seoul National University (MA) (1976–1978)

Department of Sociology, Seoul National University (BA) (1972–1976)

Other main activities in the field relevant to the mandate of the treaty body concerned:

Activities at CERD:CountryRapporteur on Montenegro and Palestine

Activities at CERD: Facilitator of the Working Group on Early Warning and Urgent Action Procedure

Activities at CERD: Focal point for 2020 Review

Activities at CERD: Member of the Working Group on COVID-19

Activities at CERD: Member of ad hoc Conciliation Commission between Qatar and Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

Director, Human Rights Center, Seoul National University (2012–2015)

Member, UN Working Group on Communication (2012–2013)

Vice President, UN Human Rights Council Advisory Committee (2009–2010)

Member, UN Human Rights Council Advisory Committee (2008–2013)

Special Rapporteur on “Discrimination based on Work and Descent” at the UN Sub-Commission on the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights (2005–2007)

List of most recent publications in the field:

“Study of the Human Rights Council Advisory Committee on promoting human rights and fundamental freedoms through a better understanding of traditional values of humankind” (A/HRC/22/71) (writing as a Rapporteur) (2012)

“Social Attitudes to Cross-Border Marriages in Korea and Taiwan” Development and Society 45(2), 327-352 (Chinsung Chung & Keuntae Kim) (2016)

“The necessity of a human rights approach and effective United Nations mechanism for the human rights of the older persons”(A/HRC/AC/4/CRP.1) UN Human Rights Council Advisory Committee Working Paper. (2010)

“Marriage migration in Southeast and East Asia revisited through a migration-development nexus lens” Critical Asian Studies. Vol.48-Issue 4: Rethinking Marriage Migration in Asia: Development, Gender and Transnationalism, Part I: Pages 463–472 (Chinsung Chung, Keuntae Kim & Nicola Piper) (2016)

UN and the Formation of International Human Rights Norms (2019)

Yeung Kam John Yeung Sik Yuen (Mauritius)

Date of birth: 1 January 1947

Working languages: English and French

Current position/function:

Vice-Chair of CERD,

Chair of Working Group on Communications of CERD,

Commissioner of Conciliation Commission Qatar v UAE,

Head of BYSY Chambers, 9, Dauphine Street, Port Louis, Mauritius,

Legal Consultant, Arbitrator and Mediator.

Main professional activities:

Former Chief Justice of Mauritius with 41 years of legal and judicial service. Held all judicial posts in Mauritius and served as Chief Justice [2007 to 2013]. Carried in depth reform in the Mauritian judiciary reducing hearing time of the most serious criminal cases (Assizes). Introduced mediation within the Court system at no extra cost for civil litigants. Recipient of many awards, namely: (i) G.O.S.K (Grand Order of the Star and Key by the State of Mauritius); (ii) Freedom of the City of Port Louis; (iii) Freedom of the City of Curepipe; (iv) Honorary Bencher of the Honourable Society of the Middle Temple; (v) Honorary Bencher of the Honourable Society of Lincoln’s Inn; (vi) Distinguished Lawyer Award by the World Jurist (USA); (vii) Gusi Peace Prize Award 2012 (Philippines); (viii) the International Jurists Award 2013 (India).

Deep interest in all Human Rights issues and have served on (i) the Sub-Commission for the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights (OHCHR) [1998–2002]; (ii)The African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights [2007 to May 2020]; (iii) Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD) from 2013 until now.

Educational background:

St Joseph’s College, Mauritius, run by the Lasallian brothers. 3 A levels in English, French and Latin.

Leeds University (1966–69) LLB (Hons).

Bar Finals of the Council of Legal Education and called to the Bar at Lincoln’s Inn, London (1970).

Universite de Paris II (Pantheon) reading French Civil Law (1970–1972).

Other main activities in the field relevant to the mandate of the treaty body concerned:

Author of the Working Paper “The Human Rights problems and Protections of the Roma” E/CN.4/Sub.2/2000/28.

Author of Working Paper on “Human Rights and Weapons of Mass Destruction, or With Indiscriminate Effect, or of a Nature to Cause Superfluous Injury or Unnecessary Suffering. E/CN.4/Sub.2/2002/38 and follow up on that paper in 2003.

Former Chair of the Working Group on Rights of Older Persons and People with Disabilities of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR) which produced 2 Draft Protocols on their rights during my mandate. The two Protocols now awaiting ratification of 15 State Parties to the African Charter to come into force.

Rapporteur of State Reports on numerous occasions at the CERD.

Have been an assiduous member of WG on Communications of the CERD since my election and am presently its Chair.

List of most recent publications in the field:

See authorship of Working Papers on The Roma and on Weapons of Mass Destruction above.

Inaugural Public Talk to celebrate Law Day on 4 March 2013 on the subject “Democracy and the Rule of Law.”

Talk to NGOs and officials of Mauritian civil service on “Human Rights Considerations in the Administration of Justice” at Seminar organised by Ministry of Human Rights on 29 October 2020.

Rita Izsák-Ndiaye (Hungary)

Date and place of birth: 7 August 1980, Szekszárd, Hungary

Working languages: English, French, Hungarian (mother tongue)

Current position/function:

Member/Rapporteur of the UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (2018–2022)

Consultant, Senior Human Rights Advisor at the Office of the UN Secretary-General’s Envoy on Youth

Main professional activities:

Participation, lectures and keynote speeches at international webinars, symposiums, conferences.

(Global Sites of Conscience: Transformative Documentation, New Approaches to Community-Driven Documentation Initiatives (keynote speaker), Amnesty International: Decoding Racial Discrimination Based on Work and Descent (speaker), CEU/Harvard University: Romani People during Pandemics (chair), International Coalition of Sites of Conscience: Women and COVID-19 (speaker), Global Action Against Mass Atrocity Prevention: regular meetings by the African Working Group (member), Amnesty International: #NextStrategy (speaker), etc.)

Consultancy on the protection of young people in the civic space: research and comprehensive report with guidelines and recommendations for more systematic, sustainable, age and gender–sensitive protection mechanisms.

Mentorship: mentoring young Nepalese women in public leadership positions.

Writing articles, media appearances, interviews.

Educational background:

Masters in Law degree: Péter Pázmány Catholic University, Hungary (1999–2004)

Robert Schuman Internship: European Parliament, Brussels, 2008

Minority Fellowship Program: OHCHR, Geneva, 2006

Internship: European Commission, DG of Employment, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities, Brussels, 2006

International Human Rights Training Program by Equitas, Montreal, 2003

Other main activities in the field relevant to the mandate of the treaty body concerned:

Advising and guiding various organizations:

International Coalition of Sites of Conscience, Women Leadership Council (New York): Member

International Dalit Solidarity Network (Copenhagen): Ambassador

Global Centre for the Responsibility to Protect (New York): Advisory Board member

Kona Connect (Bern): Advisor

List of most recent publications in the field:

Article in the book “A day in a Life of Women Peacebuilders in the Time of COVID”, published by Democracy Today (2020)

“Expert Voices on Atrocity Prevention”, podcasts series by the Global Centre for the Responsibility to Protect, interview in its first episode (available on Spotify, SoundCloud, YouTube, Apple Podcast), 2020

“The Struggle to Eliminate Racial Discrimination”, essay in magazine “The Colour Line” by UNA-UK (2018)

Gay McDougall (United States of America)

Date and place of birth: 13 August 1947, Atlanta, GA

Working language: English

Current position/function:

Distinguished Scholar-in-Residence at Leitner Center on International Law and Justice, Fordham University Law School

Main professional activities:

United Nations Independent Expert on Minority Issues (2005–2011).

Expert Member, United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (1998–2001) (2015–2019, Vice-Chairperson)

Executive Director, Global Rights (1994–2006).

Director, South Africa Project of the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights under Law (1980–1994).

Educational background:

L.L.M., London School of Economics and Political Science; London, England. Focus: Public International Law (1978)

J.D., Yale Law School; New Haven, Connecticut (1972)

B.A., Bennington College; Bennington, Vermont (1969)

Other main activities in the field relevant to the mandate of the treaty body concerned:

Distinguished Visiting Professor of International Law, Fordham Law School (2013).

Visiting Professor in Human Rights, Georgetown University Law Center (2011–2012).

Convener, United Nations Forum on Minority Issues (2007–2011).

Distinguished Scholar in Residence, American University Washington College of Law (2006–2008).

Member, Independent Electoral Commission of South Africa (1994).

Expert Member (Alternate), UN Sub-Commission on The Promotion And Protection of Human Rights (1997–2000).

Special Rapporteur on systematic rape and sexual slavery practices in armed conflict (1995–1999).

List of most recent publications in the field:

Roma in Europe: Racism is Alive and Well, EDINBURGH JOURNAL, November 22, 2008.

Minorities, Poverty and the Millennium Development Goals: Assessing Global Issues, 14 International Journal on Minority and Group Rights 333 (2007).

Decade of Human Rights Struggles, 11 Human Rights Brief 12 (Spring 2004).

Noureddine Amir (Algeria)

[Original: French]

Date and place of birth: 5 December 1940, Tunis

Working languages: Arabic, English, French and Spanish

Current position/function:

Member of the National Human Rights Council of Algeria

Member of the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination

Main professional activities:

Diplomat.

Professor of international law.

I was responsible for setting up Conciliation Commissions between Saudi Arabia and Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates and the State of Palestine and Israel. I have attended all sessions of the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, participated in the work of the General Assembly of the United Nations by chairing the annual meeting of the Chairs of the human rights treaty bodies, and met with the Secretary-General of the United Nations.

Educational background:

Licence (university degree) in Sociology (1980, Algiers).

Certificate (preparatory course) in General Literature, University of Algiers.

Certificate in Hispano-American Studies (cultural minorities), University of Algiers.

Licence (university degree) in Sociology, covering critical analysis of contemporary theories and social change.

Two diplômes d ’ études approfondies (Diploma of Advanced Studies) – one in International Relations and the other in Defence Policies – followed by a doctorate in Political Science at the University of Paris I Sorbonne (thesis supervisor: Ms. Hélène Carrère d’Encausse, Sovietologist and member of the French Academy).

Other main activities in the field relevant to the mandate of the treaty body concerned:

As a member of the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination since 2002, I have participated in many meetings, conferences and symposiums on the fight against racial discrimination.

List of most recent publications in the field:

Workshop on decision-making processes in relation to international treaties, Max Planck Institute, Luxembourg, 2017.

Paper on the international treaties of the League of Arab States, Cairo, 2017.

Paper presented to the Council of Europe on the state of human rights in the world, 2017.