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International Day for the Elimination of Racial

Discrimination (IDERD) 2014“No one is born hating another person because of the colour of his skin, or his background or his

religion. People learn to hate, and if they can learn to hate, they can learn to love, for love comes more

naturally to the human heart than its opposite”. Nelson Mandela.

“Racism is man’s gravest threat to man –  the maximum of hatred for a minimum of reasons”.

Abraham Joshua Heschel.

Today, 21 March, is the UN designated International Day for the Elimination of Racial

Discrimination (IDERD). It is a day to renew our commitment to building a world of justice,

equality and dignity, where racial discrimination has no place. Racism, xenophobia and

intolerance are problems prevalent in all societies. They occur on a daily basis, hindering

progress for millions of people around the world. Racism and intolerance can take various forms

– from denying individuals the basic principles of equality to fuelling ethnic hatred – all of which

destroys lives and fractures communities. Racial discrimination violates the inherent rights of

men and women, adults and children. It holds back entire societies from lasting peace, and sets

obstacles before development. At the heart of all forms of discrimination are ignorance and

prejudice.

On this day in 1960, police opened fire and killed 69 people at a peaceful demonstration in

Sharpeville, South Africa, against the apartheid “pass laws”. Proclaiming the Day in 1966, the

General Assembly called on the international community to redouble its efforts to eliminate all

forms of racial discrimination. Last year’s theme was “Racism and Sport”, chosen by the Office of

the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights to highlight the problem of racism in sports, which

remains a disturbing occurrence in many parts of the world, as well as to raise awareness of the

role sports can play in combating racism and racial discrimination. The theme for this year’s

IDERD is “The Role of Leaders in Combating Racism and Racial Discrimination”. The aim is to

highlight the key role that leaders play in mobilising political will to combat racism and racial

discrimination. The theme for this day is particularly poignant given the recent passing of NelsonMandela.

Article 1 of the International Convention on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination defines racial

discrimination as “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”. Additionally, the Convention on

the Rights of the Child Article 2 calls upon States Parties to respect and ensure that every child

within their jurisdiction has their rights fulfilled, without discrimination of any kind, irrespective

of their race, colour, sex, language, national, ethnic or social origin. The Convention has had asignificant impact on national legislation, with many states adopting legislation outlawing racial

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discrimination by the state, in the workplace, or in the provision of services such as housing and

education. For example, the Race Relations Act 1971 (New Zealand), the Racial Discrimination Act

1975 (Australia) and the Race Relations Act 1976 (UK).

While racist laws and practices have been abolished and criminalised in many countries, and the

International Convention is now nearing universal ratification, in all regions, too many

individuals, communities and societies suffer from the injustice and stigma that racism brings.

Across Europe the fascist and populist racist right are on the rise. From the violent Golden Dawn

in Greece, the anti-Roma Jobbik in Hungary, the Islamophobic Freedom Party of Geert Wilders in

the Netherlands to the success of the Front National in France, these currents are encouraging

hatred, fear and prejudice in a frightening wave across the continent. De facto segregation in

schools remains a challenge, particularly for Roma children. Widespread practice in Central and

Eastern Europe whereby students of Roma origin are channelled into special schools for children

with learning disabilities, regardless of their intellectual abilities. National or ethnic, religious and

linguistic minorities around the world face various impediments to accessing education, resulting

either from a policy of historical discrimination or injustice, or from poverty, poor health and lack

of adequate sanitation, and other structural factors.

What is Childreach International doing?

In order to combat racial discrimination, we work to ensure that children from all ethnic

backgrounds are included in our projects in Bangladesh, India, Morocco, Nepal, Tanzania and the

UK, irrespective of local customary or traditional attitudes which discriminate against certain

groups. Education that is sensitive to, and respects cultural diversity, plays an essential role in

the prevention and eradication of all forms of intolerance and discrimination. It remains the

most powerful way to prevent racism and uproot discrimination. This is why, while teaching

children about their rights, we also teach them about the importance of equality between all

individuals, irrespective of their ethnicity, race, gender or nationality. In our My School My Voice

project in the UK, we have found that children, when taught about equality and other cultures,

become far more open-minded and tolerant of children from other cultures.

Additionally, we are currently fundraising for an anti-trafficking project in Nepal. Children,

especially girls, from certain communities are at higher risk of exploitation because of the

group’s marginalisation from the majority, and they are therefore at greater risk of being

trafficked from Nepal to India where they are forced to work in brothels or as domestic

labourers. In order to combat child trafficking in Nepal, we will be teaching children the

importance of equality between all people, irrespective of their language, culture and religion.

Each and every one of us plays a role in either contributing to, or breaking down, racial prejudice and

intolerant attitudes. What will you be doing today to stop racism? Tweet us your thoughts

@ChildreachInt using the hashtag #IDERD.