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Inside Japan: A Snapshot of Racial Discrimination and Human Rights Challenges
Human rights are under threat all over the world, and Japan is no exception. The following panels offer a glimpse into the realities of racial discrimination and the ongoing struggle for justice in Japanese society. (*For more details, please click each panel.) *Sayama Case refers to the false conviction of Kazuo Ishikawa, then 24 years old, for the murder of a high school girl in 1963. It was fabricated by the police believing that Burak people can do it. Further information about the rally in the centre of Tokyo in May 2025 can be found here. * One of the key factors behind this impunity is the Status of Forces […]December 3, 2025 -
Statement on the Current Situation in Nepal
The International Movement Against All Forms of Discrimination and Racism (IMADR) expresses its deep concern regarding the tragic killing of students and the increasing use of violence in response to public dissent in Nepal. We are particularly troubled by the failure of the authorities to engage in constructive dialogue with the younger generation before taking drastic measures, such as shutting down social media platforms. The reported use of live bullets against unarmed civilians is especially alarming and cannot be justified. We are also deeply concerned by the present situation in Nepal, which has brought uncertainty and difficulty to the lives of many people. At this challenging time, we stand in […]September 12, 2025 -
Joint NGO Statement: URGENT SUPPORT NEEDED FOR THE UN TREATY BODIES
Public Statement by Civil Society Organisations on the Occasion of the 37th Annual Meeting of the Chairpersons of the UN Human Rights Treaty Bodies 12 June 2025 The undersigned civil society organisations issue this statement at a time of profound crisis of the UN, and the human rights mechanisms in particular. The international human rights treaties are an essential part of the UN’s human rights ecosystem and form the legal backbone of the international human rights system. The work of the Treaty Bodies is crucial in monitoring States parties’ implementation of international human rights treaties and in providing authoritative guidance on the fulfilment of obligations. Treaty Bodies deliver justice to individual victims, […]June 16, 2025 -
Justice for Kazuo Ishikawa, Sayama Case
A rally calling for a retrial of the Sayama Case was held in Tokyo on May 23, the day Kazuo Ishikawa, then 24 years old, was falsely convicted of the murder of a high school girl in 1963. This Case underscores fundamental flaws in the Japanese criminal justice system and the discriminatory stereotyping against Buraku people. At the rally, many people, including his wife, defence team, lawyers, supporters and other victims of false accusations, gathered to call for the realisation of retrial and revision of retrial law as well as to express their condolences for Kazuo Ishikawa, who passed away on the 11th March 2025. With his death, the third […]May 27, 2025 -
CERD 115th session summary: Gabon, Kyrgyzstan, Mauritius, the Republic of Korea and Ukraine
From 22 April to 9 May 2025, the UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD) held its 115th session. During the session, CERD reviewed and adopted concluding observations on the reports of Gabon, Kyrgyzstan, Mauritius, the Republic of Korea and Ukraine. Highlights of the session included: Follow-up reports for Croatia, Germany, Morocco, Uruguay and Tajikistan were reviewed. Work was done to develop a joint general comment/recommendation on addressing and eradicating xenophobia and its impact on the rights of migrants, their families and other non-citizens affected by racial discrimination. A half-day general discussion to develop its general recommendation on reparations for the injustices of the transatlantic trade in enslaved […]May 14, 2025
Who we are
The International Movement Against All Forms of Discrimination and Racism (IMADR) is an international non-profit, non-governmental human rights organization devoted to eliminating discrimination and racism, forging international solidarity among discriminated minorities and advancing the international human rights system.
CERD
Useful Links
CERD session summary
- CERD 115th session summary: Gabon, Kyrgyzstan, Mauritius, the Republic of Korea and Ukraine
- CERD 114th session summary:Armenia, Ecuador, Greece, Kenya, Monaco and Saudi Arabia
- CERD 113th session summary: Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Iran, Iraq, Pakistan, the United Kingdom, and Venezuela
- CERD 112th session summary: Albania, Mexico, Qatar, the Republic of Moldova and San Marino
CERD-related publications
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Child-friendly ICERD and its standardsIMADR and Child Rights Connect published the child-friendly version of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (ICERD) and its standards. It explains Articles of the Convention and key General Recommendations on specific groups, in English, French and Spanish, in a child-friendly language.Learn more -
ICERD and CERD: A Guide for Civil Society ActorsWe published ICERD and CERD: A Guide for Civil Society Actors, consisting of three substantial parts: the first part on the Convention, the second one on the Committee and its work, and the third part on how civil society actors can or should engage with them.Learn more