CERD/C/GC/34
meaning and scope of special measures in the International Convention on the Elimination
of All Forms of Racial Discrimination.
8.
For the exercise of the rights of people of African descent, the Committee
recommends that States parties adopt the following measures:
III. Measures of a general nature
9.
Take steps to identify communities of people of African descent living in their
territories, especially through the collection of disaggregated data on the population,
bearing in mind the Committee’s general recommendations, particularly general
recommendations Nos. 4 (1973) on demographic composition of the population (art. 9); 8
(1990) on identification with a particular racial or ethnic group (art. 1, paras. 1 and 4), and
24 (1999) on reporting of persons belonging to different races, national/ethnic groups, or
indigenous peoples (art. 1).
10.
Review and enact or amend legislation, as appropriate, in order to eliminate, in line
with the Convention, all forms of racial discrimination against people of African descent.
11.
Review, adopt and implement national strategies and programmes with a view to
improving the situation of people of African descent and protecting them against
discrimination by State agencies and public officials, as well as by any persons, group or
organization.
12.
Fully implement legislation and other measures already in place to ensure that
people of African descent are not discriminated against.
13.
Encourage and develop appropriate modalities of communication and dialogue
between communities of people of African descent and/or their representatives and the
relevant authorities in the State.
14.
Take the necessary measures, in cooperation with civil society and members of
affected communities, to educate the population as a whole in a spirit of nondiscrimination, respect for others and tolerance, especially concerning people of African
descent.
15.
Strengthen existing institutions or create specialized institutions to promote respect
for the equal human rights of people of African descent.
16.
Conduct periodic surveys, in line with paragraph 1 above, on the reality of
discrimination against people of African descent and provide disaggregated data in their
reports to the Committee on, inter alia, the geographical distribution and the economic and
social conditions of people of African descent, including a gender perspective.
17.
Effectively acknowledge in their policies and actions the negative effects of the
wrongs occasioned on people of African descent in the past, chief among which are
colonialism and the transatlantic slave trade, the effects of which continue to disadvantage
people of African descent today.
IV. The place and role of special measures
18.
Adopt and implement special measures meant to eliminate all forms of racial
discrimination against people of African descent, taking into account the Committee’s
general recommendation No. 32 (2009).
19.
Formulate and put in place comprehensive national strategies with the participation
of people of African descent, including special measures in accordance with articles 1 and 2
3