Celebrating the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action in combating global racism over the past 20 years (2001-2021) and reflecting on Malaysia’s role and foreign policy obligations

YB Dato Saifuddin Abdullah, Minister of Foreign Affairs

Dato Sri Muhammad Shahrul Ikram Yaakob, Secretary General, Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Mr Herlzal Hazri, Chief Executive Officer, Institute of Strategic and International Studies (ISIS Malaysia)

Mr Jerald Joseph, Commissioner at SUHAKAM

YBhg Professor Datuk Dr Denison Jayasooria, Senior Fellow, ISIS Malaysia

Honorable officials, representatives of academia and civil society

Distinguished speakers, moderators

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Please allow me to start by expressing my pleasure and pride to have recently been appointed as the United Nations Resident Coordinator in Malaysia. The warmth I have been welcomed with is truly humbling and I have no doubt that this will be a rewarding journey.

I also thank the organizers for inviting me to speak in this forum, convened just as the UN General Assembly prepares to hold a high-level meeting, at the level of Heads of States and Governments, to commemorate the 20th Anniversary of the World Conference against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance and the adoption of the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action (DDPA).

Thank you also for keeping the promise of engagement and advocacy, the promise of remembering the commitments made in 2001, and those in previous and subsequent global venues that condemned racism in all its types, manifestations, and pervasive negative effects.

In my address to this honorable audience today, I will focus on the context to help set the stage for the discussion, and also to provide an update on where we stand globally on delivering on the DDPA, and how we can sustain the momentum of this important commemoration as we move forward.

The Durban Declaration

In 2001, the World Conference against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance held in Durban, South Africa, adopted the historic Durban Declaration and Programme of Action (DDPA). It was the result of a global effort to tackle racism and establish a comprehensive international framework for fighting racial discrimination and intolerance. 

The world came together in Durban, South Africa to say no to racism and this was seen as a historic breakthrough to tackle racism as a scourge of humankind, which stigmatizes the most vulnerable and poses a serious threat to democratic values, social stability, development and peace.

The succession of tragic events from before September 11th, just a few days after the Durban conference, and until today, in every part of the world, has emphasized the criticality and continuing relevance of the Durban Declaration to fight racial injustice and inequality.

The past years have seen a rise of xenophobia, racism and intolerance, fed increasingly by nationalist and populist ideologies. Like this virus which has brought the world to its knees, racism has known no borders and has entered the mainstream and spread like wildfire through social media.

The global pandemic has laid bare and exacerbated systemic inequities and further fueled discrimination and hate speech. We have witnessed a rise in misinformation and numerous attacks on people on the basis of their race or religion. In times when the virus has triggered fear and uncertainly, intolerance seems to be thriving, while we know that solidarity, respect, tolerance, and multiculturalism must be our guiding values as the world recovers from this global crisis.

So we look at the 20th anniversary of the declaration as an opportunity to take stock of where we are now and a venue to correct course and redouble efforts to address racism and discrimination and build just societies.

Wednesday’s meeting will adopt a short and concise political declaration aimed at mobilizing political will at the international, regional and national levels for the full and effective implementation of the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action and its follow-up processes.

Some progress, but much yet to be realized

Undeniably, there has been significant progress over the last 20 years. Many national action plans and anti-discrimination laws have been adopted or amended to comply with the DDAP recommendations.

International frameworks have incentivized many governments to tackle discrimination at the national level and have provided an invaluable basis for people to advocate for equality.

Since the global community adopted the DDPA in 2001: 

• 42 member States have adopted or amended legislation prohibiting racial discrimination,
• 35 member States have established equality bodies for combating racial discrimination and promoting equality,
• 23 member States and regional institutions have adopted national and regional policies against racism,
• 26 additional member States have ratified the International Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Racial Discrimination, bringing the total to 182 States that are now party to the ICERD,
• The International Decade for People of African Descent was pronounced for the period 2015-2024,
• and the year 2021 has witnessed,
• The first International Day for People of African Descent celebrated this past August 31st, and
• The Permanent Forum for people of African Descent established.

But more is needed to roll out the clear and practical measures that the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action lay out in unambiguous terms; because 20 years later, we still have not ended racism or racial discrimination, and countless people continue to suffer.

Addressing the Challenges: DDPA as a roadmap

Several challenges stand in the way, and key among them is political will. Political push is needed to combat denial and acknowledge racism as an enemy we need to eliminate.

Political will can unlock a myriad of actions needed to eradicate racism and address its impact on people of African descent, migrants, undocumented persons, refugees, asylum seekers, but also women, members of the LGBTQ community, and others.

The DDPA is not only a global voicing of grave concerns, but a comprehensive and multidimensional roadmap. Both a call and a blueprint for national governments to tackle this shameful evil with robust legal measures and policy responses, including programmes to repair past racial injustices and empower the victims of racial discrimination.

In order to do that, we need to acknowledge racism. Victims of human rights violations resulting from racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance, should be assured of having access to justice, including the right to seek justice and reparation for any damage suffered, in line with regional and global human rights norms.

Embedding human rights in education across all ages, including portraying an accurate rendition of history from a victim-oriented approach is critical to setting solid values for future generations.

The Durban Declaration is a global call to guide domestic legislation that promotes inclusion, justice, equality, human dignity, mutual understanding and promotion of and respect for cultural diversity and universal human rights, and to reject all doctrines of exclusion based on racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance.

DDAP is also about preventing the emergence of ideas and movements that counter its spirit and values and brew violence and instability.

The Declaration reiterated the call for the ratification of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination and its effective implementation and for States to sign on to the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, as well as the Optional Protocols.

These instruments are critical, and so is resource mobilization and the reviving of the dedicated trust fund. Charting a path to eradicate racism, and walking that path, is everyone’s responsibility.  

As Malaysia, a nation that values diversity and unity, joins the global community to celebrate the Durban conference and outcome declaration, we commend its determination to ensure that its foreign policy is further in line with its international commitments, including to human rights. We see in its candidacy for the membership of the United Nations Human Rights Council for the term 2022-2024 a strong sign of leadership and political will, and the UN stands ready to support the government and all stakeholders as they work to remove barriers to equality and justice.

Conclusion

Let me close by quoting UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres in a recent statement: “Wherever we see racism, we must condemn it without reservation, without hesitation, without qualification.”

Racism breeds inequality and hampers all efforts to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals and to ensure a life of dignity and prosperity for all. As we build forward better, we must remember that all humans are born equal, that as humans we are connected by our humanity, and should therefore be looking out for each other in solidarity.

DDPA and related conventions should inspire our efforts to honor the commitment to combat racism globally, regionally, nationally and locally. Recalling the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights report, let’s STEP UP, PURSUE JUSTICE, LISTEN UP, and REDRESS.

Thank you.