Objectives of IDPAD
The objectives of the Decade as defined by the General Assembly Resolution are to:
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Promote respect, protection, and fulfillment of all human rights and fundamental freedoms by people of African Descent, as recognized in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights;
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Promote a greater knowledge of and respect for the diverse heritage, culture, and contribution of people of African descent to the development of societies;
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Adopt and strengthen national, regional and international legal frameworks according to the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action and the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination and to ensure their full and effective implementation.
History
The Decade was proclaimed by the United Nations General Assembly resolution 68/237. It was a result of the Durban Review Conference (2009) and its subsequent Durban Declaration and Programme of Action. The resolution emphasized that “millions of human beings continue to be victims of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance, including their contemporary manifestations, some of which take violent forms,” and launched the Decade as a tool for the international community to propose concrete measures to combat racism.
The Durban Review Conference (2009) evaluated progress towards the goals set by the World Conference against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance in Durban, South Africa, in 2001.
The Review Conference served as a catalyst to fulfilling the promises of the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action agreed at the 2001 World Conference through reinvigorated actions, initiatives and practical solutions.
The Durban Declaration and Programme of Action acknowledged that people of African descent were victims of slavery, the slave trade and colonialism, and continue to be victims of their consequences. Furthermore, it called for states to adopt specific steps to help combat racism and xenophobia and to protect its victims.