International Action against Racial Discrimination

Abstract
The International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (ICERD) was, in 1969, the first of the UN human rights treaties to come into force. Many of the 143 states that by 1995 had become parties to it did not initially appreciate how extensive were the obligations they had assumed. They undertook to submit periodic reports; these have to be examined by the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD), which in turn reports to the UN General Assembly. During the years 1970–1995, CERD has greatly improved international oversight of governmental action in this field, but understanding of what is entailed in the prohibition of this form of discrimination is still limited. Further progress depends upon a triangular relationship between states parties, the treaty monitoring body, and members of the public within states parties.