First part of the fifth session of the Intergovernmental Working Group on the effective implementation of the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action 5-9 March 2007

The Intergovernmental Working Group on the effective implementation of the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action will hold the first part of its fifth session from 5 to 9 March 2007 at the Palais des Nations, Geneva, Conference Room XXI.

The first part of the fifth session of the Working Group will be devoted to:

(a) a thematic analysis on the role of national plans of action in combating racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance; and

(b) a preliminary exchange of views on complementary international standards with the five experts selected by the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights to produce a base document outlining the substantive gaps in the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination and to make concrete recommendations on the means and avenues to bridge these gaps.

Background information on the Working Group

The Intergovernmental Working Group on the Effective Implementation of the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action is one of the three mechanisms established to follow up the Declaration and Programme of Action of the World Conference against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance, held in Durban, South Africa, in 2001. The Intergovernmental Working Group was established by Commission on Human Rights resolution 2002/68 and approved by the Economic and Social Council in its decision 2002/270 of 25 July 2002.

Its mandate, as spelled out in operative paragraph 7 of the Commission resolution 2002/68 is to:

(a) Make recommendations with a view to the effective implementation of the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action;

(b) Prepare complementary international standards to strengthen and update international instruments against racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance in all their aspects.

Participants

The Intergovernmental Working Group is an open-ended working group, and as such, all United Nations Member and Observer States, inter-governmental organizations, non-governmental organizations with ECOSOC consultative status and non-governmental organizations that were accredited for the World Conference against Racism may attend public meetings of the Working Group.

Dates and venue

The Working Group will meet from 5 to 9 March 2007, daily from 10:00 to 13:00 and from 15:00 to 18:00, at the Palais des Nations, Geneva, room XXI.

Accreditation

States, organizations and NGOs wishing to accredit representatives to the fifth session of the Intergovernmental Working Group on the effective implementation of the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action are invited to complete the registration form and send it together with their signed request for accreditation to the Secretariat: Ms. Marie-Dominique Perret; Tel: +41 (0)22 917 9221; Fax: +41 (0)22 917 9050; E-mail: mperret@ohchr.org as soon as possible.

Registration prior to the session will ensure that a badge will be available at the Security Identification Section located at main entrance to the Palais des Nations, Gate Pregny (opposite the building of the International Committee of the Red Cross - ICRC), Avenue de la Paix, 1211, Geneva. The accreditation office will remain open from 8:00 to 17:00 during the session.