The International Convention on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (ICERD)

The International Convention on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (ICERD) commits all State parties to eliminate all forms of racial discrimination and to promote understanding amongst all races.

ICERD was adopted in 1965 and entered into force in 1969. The UK ratified ICERD in March1969.

Article 1 of the Convention states that racial discrimination is “any distinction, exclusion, restriction or preference based on race, colour, descent, or national or ethnic origin which has the purpose or effect of nullifying or impairing the recognition, enjoyment or exercise, on an equal footing, of human rights and fundamental freedoms in the political, economic, social, cultural or any other field of public life.”

The full text of the convention is available on the UN webpage.

There are currently 36 General Recommendations which clarify the scope and content of ICERD’s provisions.

State parties are obliged to produce reports to the Committee which outline progress and legislative, judicial and policy measures taken to fulfil their obligations under the Convention. Each State is meant to submit a report one year after consenting to the Convention and then every two years thereafter.

The last UK State report (24th-26th combined periodic reports) was submitted in March 2023. 

The review of the UK took place in August 2024 at the Committee's 113th session. The Concluding Observations were published on 23rd August 2024.

More information on the reporting status and access to all relevant documentation including: State reports, Civil society & NHRI submissions; Concluding Observations and follow-up State reports can be accessed here.

NHRI Engagement

In order to support the UK review of ICERD, the Commission undertook a number of activities, including:

  1. Submission of a letter to the Committee in May 2024 to inform the List of Themes for the session.
  2. Submission of a parallel report in July 2024.
  3. Commissioning two of Scotland’s national intermediatory organisations to bring together groups of people affected by racial discrimination in Scotland to produce Lived Experiences Report.
  4. Providing oral evidence during an NHRI session and making a statement at the UK State Review in Geneva, August 2024.

Civil Society Engagement

Civil society has the potential to engage with this treaty in a number of ways:

  1. Submitting written information to the Committee
  2. Submitting an alternative report
  3. Providing information for the list of issues
  4. Attending Sessions and Making Oral Submissions to the Committee

A helpful guide for civil society on how to engage with this mechanism can be accessed here. 

Links

The ratification of international Human Rights treaties; the reporting cycles and all the documents related to a reporting cycle can be accessed via the UN Treaty Body Database.

The Committee’s webpage contains lots of useful information, including Committee membership, Rules of Procedures and Ways of Working and Reporting Guidelines.

The UN has produced a Handbook for Civil Society on Working with the UN Human Rights Programme. A helpful Guide for Civil Society on engaging with ICERD is also available.

The Commission has a mailing list for people who want to know more about our work on CERD. If you would like to be added to this please email hello@scottishhumanrights.com with “ICERD mailing list” in the subject line.