Racial discrimination based on descent is a challenge for all human beings. Two and a half million people throughout the world continually suffer from this form of discrimination. This is a compilation of reports and theses contributed by those working towards the elimination of discrimination based on descent at different levels, including at the UN, and as individual experts or civil society activists. Though published in 2004, almost nothing has changed regarding the facts and data contained in this book.

Contents

Editorial Introduction

• Racial Discrimination Based on Descent : A Challenge for All Human Beings (Mario Jorge Yutzis)

Part One: Regional or/and National Dimensions

South Asia

• Discrimination on the Basis of Race, Color and Religion (Bhagwan Das)
• Dalit Women (Burnad Fathima Natesan)
• The Jogini System (Mallela Grace Nirmala)

East Asia

• ICERD and Buraku Discrimination (Kenzo Tomonaga)
• Buraku Discrimination and I (Shigeyuki Kumisaka)

African Region

• The Existence and Implications of Discrimination Based on Descent in Africa (Alexander Stevens)
• My Testimonial on the Watta Community of Northern Kenya (Ibrahim Kosi Galgalo)

Part Two: Initiatives at the UN

• CERD General Recommendation on Discrimination based on Descent: Contribution and Empowerment of Affected Communities (Atsuko Tanaka)
• Race, Descent and Caste under the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (Patrick Thornberry)
• Eliminating discrimination based on descent: The role of the UN Sub-Commission on the Protection and Promotion of Human Rights (Asbjorn Eide)
• Caste Wars at the Sub-Commission on the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights: A commentary on the Sub-Commission’s on-going examination of discrimination based on work and descent (Peter N. Prove)

Appendix

• Sub-Commission on Human Rights Resolution 2000/4 “Discrimination based on work and descent” (Fifty-second session, 2000)
• CERD General recommendation XXIX on article 1, paragraph 1, of the Convention (Descent) (Sixty-first session, 2002)