News

- Racism and UN
Durban Declaration and Programme of Action 20th Anniversary (HRC45, 2020, OS)

IMADR delivered the oral statement on “Durban Declaration and Programme of Action 20th Anniversary” at the 45th session of the Human Rights Council. Whole text can be read below or download here. . ——— Oral Statement: 45th session of the Human Rights Council Item 9: General Debate 1 October 2020 Madam President, We thank the High Commissioner for her oral update. We are alarmed by the scale of discriminatory law enforcement against Africans and people of African descent around the world including in the United States. The COVID-19 pandemic has made it undisputable that racial discrimination is not an issue of the past, but it is an ongoing human rights […]
October 1, 2020
- Racism and UN
CERD 102nd session (online): Cuba, Guatemala, Kyrgyzstan, Montenegro and the Republic of Korea (November 2020)

The UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD) will hold its 102nd session online from 16th to 24th November 2020. Consideration of States parties’ reports is postponed to future sessions. During the 102nd session, the Committee will consider the follow-up reports of Cuba, Guatemala, Kyrgyzstan, Montenegro and the Republic of Korea. The Committee will adopt a list of issues prior to reporting (LOIPR) on Guyana, Tunisia and Monaco. The Committee will also consider information submitted under the Early Warning Urgent Action Procedures (EWUAP). Practical information Information Note for NGOs for the submission of information and the Programme of Work are available at the 102nd session page. Deadline for information from civil society for […]
September 24, 2020
- Minorities & Indigenous
Reprisals against indigenous human rights defenders (HRC45, 2020, OS)

IMADR delivered the oral statement on “Reprisals against indigenous human rights defenders” at the 45th session of the Human Rights Council. Whole text can be read below or download here. . ——— Oral Statement: 45th session of the Human Rights Council Annual half-day panel discussion on the rights of indigenous peoples 23 September 2020 Thank you Madame President, We welcome the decision of the Human Rights Council to dedicate the issue of indigenous human rights defenders to this annual panel. We share concerns with the panellists about the prevalence of intimidation, harassment and violence against indigenous human rights defenders. Indigenous human rights defenders’ engagement with the UN human rights mechanisms […]
September 23, 2020
- Minorities & Indigenous
Truth, justice, reparation and guarantees of non-recurrence in Sri Lanka (HRC45, 2020, WS)

IMADR submitted a written statement on “Truth, justice, reparation and guarantees of non-recurrence in Sri Lanka” at the 45th session of the Human Rights Council. Whole text can be read below or downloaded here. ——— Truth, justice, reparation and guarantees of non-recurrence in Sri Lanka Introduction In 2009, the 26-year civil war in Sri Lanka between the Government of Sri Lanka (GoSL) and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) ended. The war was characterised with arbitrary arrests, the killing of civilians, enforced disappearances, torture and abductions.[1] Women, especially Tamil women, suffered sexual and gender-based violence by the security forces including rape, sexual slavery and home invasions as highlighted by the […]
September 18, 2020
- Racism and UN
Webinar on Racism in East Asia “The Impact of COVID-19 on Migrant Workers” (29 September 2020)

Organising Committee for East Asia regional consultation invites you to the 2nd webinar of the online series on Racism in East Asia – “The Impact of COVID-19 on Migrant Workers” on 29 September 2020 at 14h00 – 15h30 (ROK/JPN)/ 13h00 – 14h30 (HK). The Organising Committee comprises of: International Movement Against All Forms of Discrimination and Racism (IMADR); Japan NGO Network for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (ERD Net); South Korean NGO Coalition for Monitoring the Domestic Implementation of the CERD; and Justice Centre Hong Kong. Panelists Japan – David McIntosh, Center for Minority Issues and Mission Republic of Korea – Youngsup Jung, Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU) Hong […]
September 18, 2020
- Minorities & Indigenous
Transitional justice in Sri Lanka (HRC45, 2020, Joint-OS)

IMADR delivered the joint oral statement on “Transitional justice in Sri Lanka” at the 45th session of the Human Rights Council. Whole text can be read below or download here. Co-sponsors of the statement are: Amnesty International; Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA); Franciscans International; and Human Rights Watch. ——— Joint oral statement: 45th session of the Human Rights Council Item 3: Interactive dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on the promotion of truth, justice, reparation and guarantees of non-recurrence 17 September 2020 Thank you, Madam President. We thank the Special Rapporteur for presenting the much-awaited report on Sri Lanka. To supplement the information in the report, we wish […]
September 17, 2020
- Dalit / Buraku
Human rights to water and sanitation for Dalits in India (HRC45, 2020, OS)

IMADR delivered the oral statement on “Human rights to water and sanitation for Dalits in India” at the 45th session of the Human Rights Council. Whole text can be read below or download here. ——— Oral Statement: 45th session of the Human Rights Council Item 3: Interactive Dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on the human rights to safe drinking water and sanitation 16 September 2020 Mr. Heller, We thank you for your follow-up report on India, by which you offer your assistance to strengthen the enjoyment of the rights to water and sanitation in the country. We agree with your recommendation that the Clean India Mission should comprise contextual information […]
September 16, 2020
- Racism and UN
High Commissioner’s update on country situations and the UN financial crisis (HRC45, 2020, OS)

IMADR delivered the oral statement on “High Commissioner’s update on country situations and the UN financial crisis” at the 45th session of the Human Rights Council. Whole text can be read below or download here. . ——— Oral Statement: 45th session of the Human Rights Council Item 2: General Debate – Oral update by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights 15 September 2020 Thank you Madam President, We thank the High Commissioner for highlighting situations of migrants and minorities in her oral update such as the recent destruction of the Lesbos migrant camp in Greece and the EU Member States’ responses to migration, the excessive use of force by […]
September 15, 2020
- Racism and UN
TB-Net Statements: Informal consultation on the state of the UN human rights treaty body system

The NGO Network on UN Treaty Bodies (TB-Net), which IMADR is a founding member of, issued joint statements at the informal consultation on the state of the UN human rights treaty body system held in Geneva on 28 August 2020. The statements focused on: Five overarching principles of the treaty body strengthening process; Civil Society Proposals; and Treaty body membership. Statement – Five overarching principles of the treaty body strengthening process Statement – Civil Society Proposals Statement – Treaty body membership
August 28, 2020
- Racism and UN
Joint civil society submissions – Co-facilitation process on treaty body review 2020

The co-facilitators of the 2020 UN Human Rights Treaty Body Review Process, the Permanent Missions of Switzerland and Morocco, called for written contributions from States and stakeholders including civil society organisations and national human rights institutions. TB-Net, which IMADR is a member, sent a Joint Civil Society Submission with ISHR. The joint submission was signed by over 80 civil society organisations. TB-Net signed a Joint NGO Submission with 22 other organisations that regularly engage with the UN human rights treaty body system.
August 28, 2020
- Racism and UN
Joint Statement: 101st session of the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination

Joint Statement: 101st session of the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination 5 August 2020 Thank you, Madam Chair, We thank the Committee for providing us with an opportunity to speak at this historic online session today. We hope that this practice will be strengthened to have broader civil society participation in future sessions, especially from the national level. The COVID-19 pandemic has had a disproportionate impact on people belonging to racialised communities such as people of African-descent, minorities, people discriminated on the basis of caste or descent, indigenous peoples, stateless persons, migrants including refugees and asylum-seekers. Decades, if not centuries, of structural racial discrimination has made them particularly […]
August 5, 2020
- Racism and UN
Webinar “Race matters: Examining the workings of race and gender in the UN human rights system” (13 August 2020)

International Movement Against All Forms of Discrimination and Racism (IMADR) and the Sexual Rights Initiative (SRI) invite you to the webinar “Race matters: Examining the workings of race and gender in the UN human rights system” on 13th August at 16h00 – 17h30 (CEST). The webinar will examine the widespread and yet generally unremarked workings of dominant ideologies of race and gender in the UN human rights system. We are interested in examining how the UN can address its own complicity in systemic racism. The webinar will also address the ways in which race is obscured from discussions around gender, including when appropriating concepts that originated in the fight for racial and […]
August 5, 2020
- Racism and UN
Racial discrimination and digital technologies (HRC44, 2020, Joint-OS)

Joint oral statement with Minority Rights Group International on “Racial discrimination and digital technologies” was delivered at the 44th session of the Human Rights Council. Whole text can be read below or download here. ——— Joint Oral Statement: 44th session of the Human Rights Council Item 9 – ID with the Special Rapporteur on racism 15 July 2020 Madam Special Rapporteur, MRG and IMADR warmly welcome your comprehensive report on racial discrimination and digital technologies. We wholeheartedly agree with the Special Rapporteur that technology is neither neutral nor objective, but rather that digital technologies reflect, reproduce and reinforce racial inequalities. We are concerned that, under the COVID-19 pandemic, digital divides […]
July 16, 2020
- Minorities & Indigenous
Freedom of peaceful assembly and of association in Sri Lanka (HRC44, 2020, Joint-OS)

IMADR delivered the joint oral statement on “Freedom of peaceful assembly and of association in Sri Lanka” at the 44th session of the Human Rights Council. Whole text can be read below or download here. Co-sponsors of the statement are: Amnesty International; Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA); Franciscans International; Human Rights Watch; International Service for Human Rights (ISHR); and Minority Rights Group International. ——— Joint Oral Statement[1]: 44th session of the Human Rights Council Item 3: Interactive dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association 10 July 2020 Thank you, Madam President. As the Special Rapporteur’s report demonstrates,[2] the […]
July 10, 2020
- Racism and UN
CERD 101st session (online): Bosnia and Herzegovina, Japan, Latvia, Mauritania, Mauritius, China, Honduras, Norway, Qatar and Saudi Arabia (August 2020)

The UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD) will hold its 101st session online from 4th to 7th August 2020. Consideration of States parties’ reports is postponed to future sessions. During the 101st session, the Committee will consider the follow-up reports of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Japan, Latvia, Mauritania, Mauritius, China, Honduras, Norway, Qatar and Saudi Arabia. The Committee will also consider information submitted under the Early Warning Urgent Action Procedures (EWUAP). Practical information Information Note for NGOs for the submission of information and the Programme of Work are available at the 101st session page. Deadline for information for the Early Warning Urgent Action Procedures (EWUAP): 14 July 2020 […]
July 3, 2020
Newsletter E-CONNECT No.32 is out

On the 24th of June, we released our new issue of E-CONNECT. If you have not subscribed to our newsletter, you can do it from here! Back number is also available. Feature story UN Human Rights Council addressed systemic racism and police brutality against people of African descent The Human Rights Council held the urgent debate in response to the police killing of George Floyd in the United States and protests around the world. Prior to the debate, a joint statement by 47 UN experts and a statement by the UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD) were issued concerning the situation of the United States. Following the […]
June 25, 2020