Advocacy Packet on Global Racism

The United Nations World Conference Against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance
United To Combat Racism:
Equality, Justice, Dignity
Information and Advocacy Packet
compiled by Laura Mariko Cheifetz

This packet has been compiled to assist churches and concerned individuals in information-sharing and awareness-building about the World Conference, and to encourage advocacy around the sin of global racism in its various forms.

This packet is for all people, regardless of racial or ethnic background, since we are all deeply affected by racism in our church and society. We look forward to hearing from you about how you have used the packet, suggestions on how we can strengthen it (as it will be regularly updated on the web), and questions you may have about the material.

It is important for anti-racism work by the U.S. to extend beyond our national boundaries. Efforts to end racism in the United States can be further strengthened when anti-racism activists work as part of a global movement to end racism and racial discrimination worldwide. Domestic legal instruments can be further supported by turning to international policy and law. Many international treaties and other legal instruments provide for extensive human rights protection.

Often, racism and xenophobia in the United States have global ramifications that we need to address. Racism and xenophobia in the United States are related to U.S. sentiments about and feelings toward other countries. The belief in the inherent superiority of those peoples with lighter skin is a global phenomenon. Members of high-ranking castes in South Asia tend to have lighter skin than members of low-ranking castes. The belief in the moral and spiritual superiority of white Europeans certainly played a significant role in the invasion and colonization of various areas of the world, and the effects are still being felt today. Globalization is considered by many to be the "new colonialism." The interconnections of globalization and racism need to be explored.

The United Nations is in the midst of the Third Decade to Combat Racism and Racial Discrimination (1994-2003). Next year has been proclaimed the International Year of Mobilization against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance. From August 31 to September 7, 2001, the government meeting of the World Conference Against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance (WCAR) will take place in South Africa as part of the work to combat racism. It is the third World Conference on this issue to date. A non-governmental organization (NGO) forum for the WCAR will be held from August 28 to September 1, 2001 to enable activists to network and strategize.

• Educate your church
  
• Create a Sunday school lesson using the Bible study and the information in the packet
  
• Hold a church service dedicated to fighting racism on the Sunday of the week of March 21st (International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination), possibly with other local churches (see Worship Resources section)
  
• Hold a session before or after the service and share about the WCAR
  Organize an anti-racism training in your church (see below for resources)
  
• Encourage your church or presbytery to sponsor an event with local human rights organizations on racism
  
• Support local grassroots organizations dedicated to combating racism
  
• Use the conference as a springboard for continuing anti-racism work in your community
  
• Write editorials in your local newspaper expressing your perspectives on the WCAR
  
• Join the WCAR email updates list based at the Presbyterian UN Office (contact Laura Mariko Cheifetz at gjissues@presbyun.org)
  
• Related PC(USA) National Offices: Call these offices to be put on mailing lists and receive information about upcoming conferences.

Racial Ethnic Ministries
(888) 728-7228, ext. 5695
printed materials: Racial Justice resources bibliography

Racial Justice Policy Development
(888) 728-7228, ext. 5698

Anti-Racism Program
(888) 728-7228, ext. 5097

Presbyterian Washington Office
(202) 543-1126

Presbyterian Peacemaking Program
(888) 728-7228, ext. 5784

Presbyterian United Nations Office
(212) 697-4568

PC (USA) Printed Resources
The following may be ordered by calling Presbyterian Distribution Services at 800/524-2612 or ordering online at http://www.pcusa.org/marketplace

Facing Racism: In Search of the Beloved Community, $1.25 (1998 Peacemaking Offering Packet, 5-study session for youth #70-270-98-002)

Facing Racism: A Vision of the Beloved Community, $2 (policy statement OGA-99-033)

"Racism in the Global Village" Jan/Feb 2001 Church & Society, $2.50 (# 72-630-01-601)

Presbyterian Social Witness Policy Compilation, chapter 8 on "Race and the Rights of Minorities in America," $15 (#68-600-99-001, text also available free of charge on the web at PC(USA)'s homepage: http://www.pcusa.org)

[adopted at the first Preparatory Meeting in May (A/55/307 PC.1/13,GA resolution 52/111, paragraph 28) ]

Themes

1. Sources, causes, forms and contemporary manifestations of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance.
   
2. Victims of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance.
   
3. Measures of prevention, education and protection aimed at the eradication of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance at the national, regional and international levels.
   
4. Provision of effective remedies, recourse, redress, [compensatory]* and other measures at the national, regional and international levels.
   
5. Strategies to achieve full and effective equality, including international cooperation and enhancement of the United Nations and other international mechanisms in combating racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance, and follow-up.

Objectives

1. To review progress made in the fight against racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance, in particular since the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and to reappraise the obstacles to further progress in the field and ways to overcome them;
   
2. To consider ways and means to better ensure the application of existing standards and the implementation of the existing instruments to combat racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance;
   
3. To increase the level of awareness about the scourges of racism and racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance;
   
4. To formulate concrete recommendations on ways to increase the effectiveness of the activities and mechanisms of the United Nations through programmes aimed at combating racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance;
   
5. To review the political, historical, economic, social, cultural and other factors leading to racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance;
   
6. To formulate concrete recommendations to further action-oriented national, regional and international measures to combat all forms of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance;
   
7. To draw up concrete recommendations for ensuring that the United Nations has the financial and other necessary resources for its actions to combat racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance.

*This item is bracketed because its inclusion was not agreed upon at the meeting.

1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide adopted by UN General Assembly

1963 UN Declaration on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination adopted by UN General Assembly

1965 International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination adopted by UN General Assembly (Race Convention)

1966 March 21st designated the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination to commemorate the 69 people killed in Sharpeville, South Africa in 1960

1969 Race Convention entered into force

1971 International Year for Action to Combat Racism and Racial Discrimination

1972-1982 Decade for Action to Combat Racism and Racial Discrimination

1978 First World Conference to Combat Racism and Racial Discrimination, Geneva

1983 Second World Conference to Combat Racism and Racial Discrimination, Geneva

1983-1992 Second Decade for Action to Combat Racism and Racial Discrimination

1993 UN Commission on Human Rights appoints a Special Rapporteur on Contemporary Forms of Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance

1994 UN Race Convention ratified by US Senate

1994-2003 Third Decade to Combat Racism and Racial Discrimination (see "Glossary")

1995 U.S. State Department report on U.S. compliance with Race Convention due but not submitted to Committee on Elimination of Racial Discrimination

2000 (September) U.S. State Department issues report on U.S. compliance with Race Convention

2000 (October) World Organization Against Torture USA and other non-governmental organizations issue shadow report of U.S. compliance with Convention

2001 (August) U.S. State Department to report on U.S. compliance with Race Convention to the CERD Committee, Geneva

2001 (August - September) World Conference Against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance, Durban, South Africa and the NGO Forum

Article 1 of the Race Convention:

"Discrimination between human beings on the ground of race, colour, or ethnic origin is an offense to human dignity and shall be condemned as a denial of the principles of the Charter of the United Nations, as a violation of the human rights and fundamental freedoms proclaimed in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, as an obstacle to friendly and peaceful relations among nations and as a fact capable of disturbing peace and security among nations."

The UN World Conference on Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance (WCAR) work falls under the United Nations Human Rights Commission. The High Commissioner for Human Rights, Mary Robinson (former president of Ireland), was appointed the Secretary-General of the World Conference. The Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights is based in Geneva.

There are several meetings happening to prepare for the WCAR. These preparatory meetings are actually more vital to the process than is the final Conference in Durban, because NGOs (non-governmental organizations) have an opportunity to influence the documents that emerge from the preparatory meetings, which ultimately influence the Declaration and the Platform for Action that will be finalized at Durban.

You may monitor progress made at these meetings by checking the online websites listed on the page entitled "Websites." Meeting schedules are in a constant state of flux, therefore this list may not be complete nor accurate. Check the websites for updated information.

UN Preparatory Committee meetings: Countries will set the agenda for the World Conference, and draft the document that will emerge from the World Conference.

May 1-5, 2000, May 21-June 1, 2001 & July 30-August 10 in Geneva
Intersessional Open-Ended Working Groups: Countries will work on a draft of the Declaration and Program for Action that will emerge from the World Conference.

March 5-9 & May 7-11, 2001 in Geneva
Regional Expert Seminars: Experts will meet in specific regions to bring global attention to specific issues (documents available on the web - see Websites page).

February 16-18, 2000 in Geneva
Remedies Available to the Victims of Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance and on Good National Practices

The Protection of Minorities and Other Vulnerable Groups and Strengthening Human Rights Capacity at the National Level in Warsaw, Poland (July 5-7, 2000)

Migrants and Trafficking in Persons with Particular Reference to Women and Children in Bangkok, Thailand (September 5-7, 2000)

Prevention of Racial and Ethnic Conflicts in Africa in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (October 4-6, 2000)

Economic, Social and Legal Measures to Combat Racism, with Particular Reference to Vulnerable Groups in Santiago, Chile (October 25-27, 2000)

Gender and Racial Discrimination in Zagreb, Croatia (November 21-24, 2000)
Regional Preparatory Meetings: Governments from the region convene to prepare for the World Conference. The United States participated in the Preparatory Conference for the Americas.

October 11-13, 2000 in Strasbourg, France - Europe
December 5-7, 2000 in Santiago, Chile - the Americas
January 22-24, 2001 in Dakar, Senegal - Africa
February 19-21, 2001 in Teheran, Islamic Republic of Iran - Asia
Regional NGO meetings/forums: Regional NGOs will organize at those meetings to influence the World Conference.

Central and Eastern Europe: in Warsaw, Poland (November 15-18, 2000)
Africa: in Gaborone, Botswana (January 8-12, 2001)
Americas: in Quito, Ecuador (March 13-16, 2001)
Asia: in Kathmandu, Nepal (April 27-29, 2001)

Other NGO forums: NGOs gather formally or informally around many of the preparatory meetings and World Conference itself. For example, NGOs gathered December 3-4, 2000 in Santiago, Chile and will gather August 28-September 1, 2001 in Durban.

There are two separate UN processes happening now that are particularly pertinent to us in the United States: 1) the World Conference process; 2) the continuing work of the monitoring committee of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (CERD Committee).

The International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (Race Convention) was written in 1965 and came into force in the international community in 1969, when it was signed and ratified by ten countries. It was ratified by the U.S. Senate in 1994 (ratification requires two-thirds affirmative vote). There are 156 States parties to the Race Convention to date. States parties are those countries who have signed and ratified a UN convention or covenant. For the text of the Convention, go to: www.unhchr.ch

When countries ratify an international treaty, they are required to report to the monitoring committee of the convention the following year, and at least once every four years thereafter. In this case, the monitoring committee is the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination. In September 2000, the U.S. State Department released its first report on U.S. compliance with the Convention (note that it is five years late). This report will be brought to the CERD Committee in August 2001 in Geneva. Initially the report was to be presented in January of 2001, but was postponed. The report can be found here.

States-parties' reports tend to come under criticism from NGOs. When states (countries) report, they tend to emphasize the positive to avoid international embarrassment. The U.S. report is no exception. Monitoring committees accept what are called "shadow reports" from NGOs. This is an opportunity for critical voices to be heard. One major shadow report on U.S. compliance was compiled by the World Organization Against Torture (USA), on behalf of an informal working group of non-governmental organizations (NGOs). Most shadow reports are not as extensive as the WOAT report, and purport to give the committee a more realistic view of the country's situation. The WOAT (USA) report can be found here.

Under the Clinton administration, the White House Task Force on the World Conference was created in the fall of 1999 and continues to be chaired by Debra Carr under the Bush administration. The Task Force is coordinating U.S. participation in the WCAR process. The Task Force is in conversation with NGOs, as well. Recently, the Task Force convened a series of discussion sessions on the five themes of the WCAR. Visit the home page of the Interagency Task Force.

Human rights organizations point to the usefulness of international treaties for justice work. The more treaties and charters that are ratified by a country, the more human rights standards there are in place to which victims can appeal. The U.S. has not ratified the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) or the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW). Learn more about the CRC here. Learn more about CEDAW here. For advocacy packets on these conventions, contact the Presbyterian UN Office or go to http://www.ew2000plus.org .

CERD Committee Shorthand for Committee on the Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Racial Discrimination, the monitoring body of the Convention, meets twice a year to review compliance reports by countries
Minority groups "Communities lacking power whose status is socially constructed through historical relationships based on power that is justified through perceived differences due to race, ethnicity, colour, descent, national origin, religion, language, culture, caste, class, and other status" (source: UNIFEM background paper on the WCAR)

NGO Non-governmental organization (i.e. Presbyterian Church (USA)

OHCHR Shorthand for "the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights" based in Geneva

Race Convention International Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Racial Discrimination

Racial discrimination "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, or human rights and fundamental freedoms in the political, economic, social, cultural or any other field of public life" (from Race Convention)

Related intolerance Open for debate: may include anti-Muslim sentiment, anti-Semitism, and other forms of religious intolerance; multiple oppressions such as gender, class, sexual orientation, ability, or age; citizenship status

WCAR Shorthand for the World Conference Against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance (August 30-September 7, 2001)

Xenophobia Generally: fear/hatred of the "other," of what is "foreign;" often used to describe anti-migrant sentiment

Ecumenical Work

The World Council of Churches (WCC) created the Programme to Combat Racism (PCR) in 1968, which challenges the churches to "recognise, to understand and attempt to overcome racism wherever it exists in their midst. WCC continues the effort to combat racism as a central part of the churches' life rather than something marginal" (source: http://www.wcc-coe.org/wcc/what/jpc/echoes/echoes-17-12.html). The PCR operates as part of the arm of the Justice, Peace and Creation Team of the WCC.

The WCC Ecumenical Study Process is a response to the need "to understand and combat the old and new manifestations of racism in society and in the church...to identify oppressive, racist theologies. There is also an urgent need to understand the links, and distinctions, between racism, sexism, ethnocentrism, casteism and other ‘isms'" (source: ibid). The findings of this study process will be presented in September 2002 and will set out a focus and strategies for combating racism.

Dr. Pauline Muchina was brought on by the PCR as a consultant on the WCAR UN process. She is based at the WCC office in New York. Dr. Muchina has convened an ecumenical working group in New York to bring denominations and other church organizations together for information-sharing and to work together on this very important issue. This working group plans to help bring information about the World Conference and the planning process of the Conference to the New York-based NGO community. The UN Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) will had a session on racism in March; the working group combined its efforts with that of Ecumenical Women 2000 Plus, a coalition of religious offices working for gender justice in the UN community (www.ew2000plus.org). These two groups will sponsor an event in New York during the CSW session to bring the faith and gender perspective to the World Conference.

Dr. Muchina also will be facilitating WCC-organized regional preparatory activities, and will work closely with ecumenical organizations in the region and church related programmes against racism. The U.S./Canada regional consultation was held in Dearborn, Michigan, May 11-13, 2001. Participants examined the WCC submission to the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights and recommended additions or changes to the text. To read about this event, go to http://www.wcc-coe.org/wcc/news/press/01/13pu.html.

For more World Council of Churches information and to obtain their documents, go to the WCC website.

Presbyterian Church (USA)

The Presbyterian United Nations Office of the Presbyterian Peacemaking Program is participating in the ecumenical working group and other WCAR work in the UN community. The Advisory Committee on Social Witness Policy (ACSWP) brought a resolution (Recommendation E) to the 213th General Assembly in Louisville (June 2001). Entitled "Resolution on the International Year of Mobilization Against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance (2001) and the World Conference on Global Racism (2001)," the resolution passed on the consent docket. The Peacemaking Program, in partnership with Racial Ethnic Ministries, will encourage people to attend the NGO Forum at Durban, and provide information on request. The Peacemaking Program, in partnership with Racial Ethnic Ministries, will encourage people to attend the NGO Forum at Durban, and provide information on request.

The Presbyterian UN Office (PUNO) sponsored a seminar for Presbyterians regarding the WCAR and issues of global racism, entitled "The Challenge of Global Racism." The seminar took place May 16-18, 2001. Read the Presbyterian News Service article on this seminar. PUNO will sponsor a follow-up seminar November 14-16, entitled "Putting the Pieces Together: The World Conference Against Racism." For more information, contact the Seminar Program Coordinator at PUNO, or email at seminars@presbyun.org. More information is available on the Seminar Program.

The Presbyterian Church (USA) has long been a part of the struggle for racial justice (See the Presbyterian Social Witness Policy Compilation, Chapter 8 on "Race and the Rights of Minorities in America," available on the web at PC(USA)'s homepage). However, the proportion of racial ethnic membership of the PC (USA) is at 6 percent, and according to the most recent Presbyterian Panel survey, the racial ethnic make up of the PC (USA) has not changed significantly in the past two decades.

(compiled from review of UN and NGO documents)

Common Threads

One common thread throughout UN and NGO documents on the WCAR is the explicit clarification that the categories of race and ethnicity are socially constructed phenomena. That is, race and ethnicity are not "real" in a biological sense. Anthropologists and biologists find no significant genetic variation between racial and ethnic groups. In fact, there is more genetic variation within groups than between groups. Race and ethnicity are categories only because our cultures and societies have created them. Even if they are not genetic categories, they are categories that continue to have a great deal of importance in our world as we know it. They are part of what structures our reality, for better or for worse.

Another thread is the sense of urgency that the recent increase in racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia, and recent manifestations of racism must be addressed. The end of the de jure apartheid practiced in South Africa was an exciting landmark in the struggle to end injustice, but racism and racial discrimination persist and are of increasing concern in many areas.

Particular Issues of Concern

One embodiment of racism that has been observed in recent years is genocide, made vivid with the ethnic cleansing in Balkans, Chechnya and Rwanda, and in other areas of Africa. "Genocide" is used to refer to the destruction of groups based on racial, ethnic, national, or religious identity. Another form of genocide is "cultural genocide." This occurs when minority cultures come under attack and are eradicated systematically, thereby leaving members of racial and ethnic minority groups without a knowledge of their cultures. Divorcing people from their culture and history is an effective method of oppression.

The existence of racism is often denied, so hopefully the WCAR will validate the voices of peoples oppressed by racism and racial discrimination.

Religious bigotry and racism are often interrelated. Anti-Semitism continues to be a problem, and there has been increasing recognition of what has been termed by some as "Islamophobia." Anti-Arab and anti-Muslim sentiment are often bound together.

Ideologies of superiority are often based on race, ethnicity, gender, and religion. Appreciating and having respect for one's race, ethnicity, gender, and religion are not damaging unless that is coupled with the belief that other races, ethnicities, genders and religions are inferior.

Human rights organizations point out the difficulty in monitoring discrimination when people do not know their rights, nationally and internationally, and avenues for recourse available to them. It is important for people to know about the national and international human rights standards.

Internal and external migration is on the rise in part due to fears of ethnic persecution and ethnic conflict. Other factors include economic desperation and environmental destruction. There is a racial dimension to forced migration. Migrants, refugees, displaced persons, and stateless persons face increasing incidents of xenophobia world-wide. These incidents include hate crimes as well as systemic discrimination, culturally and in terms of migration and naturalization laws. Granting of asylum also has race and gender dimensions. "Fortress Europe" is the term used to describe the policies and attitudes of Europe towards migrants. What some call a "Wall of Death" is being erected along parts of the Mexico-U.S. border. Politically and culturally, migrants are often used as scapegoats when a nation is experiencing internal conflict. There is political exploitation of fears, prejudices, and ethnic tensions. Extreme nationalism can also result in extreme racial discrimination, especially in Europe.

Racial discrimination affects access to health care services, as well as access to resources such as energy, clean water, and land uncontaminated by toxic waste.

Increasingly, countries worldwide are enacting legislation to combat racism. The UN community recognizes that legislation is not adequate. Legislation is not enforced consistently, and there remains a gap between the law and what is implemented (de jure versus de facto). There is also a need for change in cultural attitudes.

Colonialism and the trans-Atlantic slave trade continue to have consequences, especially for the countries of Africa. There is a strong movement by some to hold nations such as the United Kingdom, France, and the United States accountable for these historic wrongs. Whether these were "crimes against humanity" has not been determined under international law.

Globalization, sometimes referred to as the "new colonialism," certainly has an impact on racial equality, and equality among nations in the global economy.

Intersectionality of Oppression

The intersectionality of oppression (or "multiple oppression") occurs when a person experiences more than one type of oppression at once. Many NGOs are struggling to end compartmentalization of oppression (and recent feminist theory, especially by women of color, in the United States has also been working to do the same). An indigenous woman from Latin America is indigenous, but is also a woman. She lives with at least two identities at once.

Some intersections are:

• Race and religion
  
• Race and gender (see sheet on Women and Racism)
  
• Race and class
  
• Race and ability (this is not an issue on the agendas of most countries)
  
• Race and sexual orientation (this is not an issue on the agendas of most countries)
  
• Recommendations and Suggestions for Action

Among the various recommendations for action to end racism is the emphasis on using education to reduce racism and combat stereotypes via school curricula, textbooks, etc. Also, promoting the ratification of all international instruments that include combating racism would be an important step in bolstering anti-racism work (i.e. International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families).

The WCAR is certainly not the end of the process, so using the conference to continue the dialogue and action is important, as is mainstreaming human rights discussion and discourse in all societies ("human rights" is stronger and has more international applicability than does "civil rights"). Collecting and disseminating good practices at all levels is a goal of the WCAR. Many people and NGOs, including some UN Special Rapporteurs (i.e. investigator of human rights abuses) recommend that types of affirmative action should be put in place world-wide.

Concerns About the WCAR Process

In this conference against racism, there is particular concern about the involvement of indigenous peoples' NGOs in the planning process and at the WCAR itself. The NGO Liaison Officer for the World Conference from OHCHR, Dr. Laurie Wiseberg, has designated certain limited funds to assist indigenous peoples' NGOs in attending the WCAR in Durban.

There has been an emphasis on the struggles of indigenous peoples and people of African descent during the process for this conference. However, some of the meetings have demonstrated that the concerns of Afro-Latino people in the WCAR process are not taken into consideration, which is being vocally protested.

Some have emphasized that certain age groups are affected differently by racism. There was a youth forum at the preparatory meeting in Santiago and there may be one in Durban. The effects and experiences of racism on youth and on older persons need to be explored.

Durban's facilities are quite limited, and this conference will be much smaller than the Fourth World Conference on Women in 1995 in Beijing. At Beijing, the NGO forum ran parallel to the governmental meeting, but was located some distance away in Huairou. At Durban, the NGO forum has only a two-day overlap with the governmental meeting.

The U.S. government plans to disseminate its "good practices." U.S. NGOs scoff at this presumption on the part of the government that the U.S. has made so much progress that it can teach other countries how to combat racial discrimination. It is arrogant to assume that the U.S. is doing well and can export practices to other contexts, which vary a great deal.

There is concern about the ability of African NGOs be involved in the World Conference process, since the lack of funding is a continuing reality. Also, the continually shifting meeting schedules are making deep levels of involvement difficult for many.

There is concern about the "loudest voices" at the WCAR process drowning out other equally important voices. The strength of U.S. NGOs and their ability to monopolize discourse is a continuing cause for concern among many.

Debated Issues
(although all the issues are debated, these are particularly contentious)

Factors that lead to racism
State regulation of hate internet-based/connected organizations
Some countries limit and regulate the presence of hate organizations to combat racism. In fact, hate speech is illegal in some countries. The U.S. is wary of regulating this because of the constitutional right to free speech (However, speech that constitutes a hate crime can be prosecuted.). Some say internet service providers should not allow such material to be posted, but service providers abroad are aware that if they refuse service to such groups, these groups will go to American providers.

Issue of remedies and reparations
This issue is highly controversial. Some groups are demanding financial and other compensation for such injustices as slavery and ethnic cleansing. Other remedies and reparations are also highly contested. Former colonies tend to support compensatory measures and former colonizers tend to oppose such measures.

Also, certain countries continue the practice of slavery and therefore are wary of requiring reparations for victims of the slave trade (Senegal, Sudan, Mauritania).

Here is a partial outline of issues being discussed in particular regions, not a comprehensive list of actual problems. At the time of completion of this packet, not all regions had held their meetings.

Africa

Some of the most pressing issues on the continent of Africa are ethnic conflict and the continuing legacy of colonialism and slave trade. Forced migration is also an issue: people are being forced to migrate due to ethnic conflict as well as economic and ethnic discrimination.

Regional meeting: January 22-24, 2001 in Dakar, Senegal
(Go to http://www.unhchr.ch/html/racism/02-recomdak.html for document)

Asia

Casteism, a system of social hierarchy based on beliefs of ritual purity, continues to exist in some Asian countries. In South Asian countries such as India and Sri Lanka, the Dalits, or "untouchables" experience extreme discrimination based on their caste status. Trafficking in persons, especially women and children being trafficked into the sex trade, is garnering more attention.

Regional meeting: February 19-21, 2001 in Teheran, Islamic Republic of Iran
(Go to http://www.unhchr.ch/html/racism/02-recomtehr.html for document)

Americas

Xenophobia is a problem in the U.S. and Canada. Animosity is being directed towards people migrating to the U.S. from Mexico and other parts of the Americas. Discriminatory migration and citizenship policies continue to exist, and are becoming worse in the United States. For the U.S., racial disparities in the criminal justice system is a high-profile issue. Indigenous rights have been ignored throughout the Americas, and most indigenous peoples live in deep poverty. Racism towards people of African descent is a problems of both North and South America, and the deep structural inequalities towards racial and ethnic minorities in society need to be addressed. Reparations for descendants of victims of the slave trade is a growing issue.

Regional meeting: December 5-7, 2000 in Santiago
(Go to http://www.unhchr.ch/pdf/RSantiagoE.PDF for document)

Europe

Xenophobia ("Fortress Europe") and the use of migration and asylum policies, and deportation practices to discriminate are of great concern in Europe. Roma/Sinti/Travellers, peoples pejoratively and incorrectly referred to as "gypsies," face continuing discrimination and are frequently victims of hate crimes. Racism overlaps with religious intolerance in the case of continuing anti-Arab and anti-Semitic sentiment. The oppression of Chechen people by the Russian government is a continuing problem.

Regional meeting: October 11-13, 2000 in Strasbourg, France
(Go to http://www.ecri.coe.int/en/sommaire.htm for document)

Women experience racism differently than do men. Racial and ethnic minority women are doubly disadvantaged because of the multiple oppressions of sexism and racism. Racial and ethnic minority women also experience other forms of oppression based on socioeconomic or class status, age, ability, and sexual orientation. The Women's Human Rights Caucus, an NGO formed at the First Preparatory Committee meeting, lobbied successfully to put gender on the conference agenda. Their efforts also led to an expert group meeting on Gender and Racial Discrimination, convened in Zagreb, Croatia in November, 2000. This meeting was sponsored by the UN Division for the Advancement of Women (DAW) in collaboration with the United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM).

"A gender analysis of racial discrimination recognizes that racial discrimination does not affect men and women equally, or in the same way. To promote and protect the rights of all persons to be free from racial discrimination, it is necessary to ensure the rights of women when they are similarly situated to men and when they are not. There are circumstances in which women suffer racial discrimination of a different kind or to a different degree than men, or in which discrimination primarily affects women."

— Mary Robinson, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights

Case study: Mail-Order Brides from Asia to the U.S.

The trade in mail-order brides has been growing steadily in the past two decades. Men pay a fee to mail order bride businesses to obtain addresses of single women living in other countries. Through correspondence and possibly visits to the women in their respective countries, a man eventually narrows down the pool of potential brides to one woman that he will bring to the United States to be his wife. This case study focuses on women from east Asia and the Pacific Islands, although there is a growing market for women from Latin America and Eastern Europe.

Women who participate tend to be motivated by economic desperation and the desire to migrate to the U.S. In order to qualify, women have to give a certain amount of personal information to which the male consumers are privy, but men are not under any sort of obligation to indulge the same type of information. Filipino women are popular because they tend to be proficient in English and are Catholic, a faith tradition more familiar to the male consumers than non-Christian faith traditions.

Most men who participate tend to be white Americans, white Australians, and Japanese. Those who are American tend to be educated (some college education), economically comfortable, and much older than the women they ultimately choose to marry and bring to the U.S. One reason many men give as to why they want an Asian wife is that white American women are too feminist. They want a wife who has so-called "traditional" values of deference, respect, and dependence. The feeling is bolstered by the idea that the men "rescue" their wives from poverty. These men tend to "experience feelings of personal inadequacy and find the traditional Asian value of deference to men reassuring."*

These men often have experienced a divorce or other wrenching occurrence with women. One website focused on Latin American women states: "Perhaps you're divorced and don't want to repeat the same mistake over again with the typical modern woman that our American culture produces" (http://www.latinas-intro.com/). Here, sexism and racism together create "multiple oppression."

A woman who is a mail-order bride most likely comes to the U.S. knowing little about the country and the culture. She faces language barriers; discrimination based on her lack of English proficiency, her immigration status, and her racial background; isolation from community, friends and family; problems stemming from ignorance about immigration laws and her rights; and difficulty escaping from domestic violence. A woman may not understand her options for dealing with domestic violence, and may be under the mistaken impression that she will be deported if she reports her husband. Often the social services meant to help victims of domestic violence are culturally insensitive and service providers do not speak the languages of many victims.

Catalogues and websites that present and describe the women reinforce stereotypes of women from Asia as submissive, subservient, exotic and sexually exciting: "The California-based American Asian Worldwide Service perpetuates the stereotypes when it says in its brochure: ‘Asian ladies are faithful and devoted to their husbands...they love to do things to make their husbands happy.'"** The very existence of the industry also reinforces the stereotypes. By extension, Asian American women are believed to possess these same attributes. In part, these stereotypes emerge from the history of U.S. military involvement in many of the countries from which these women come. Because of the sex industry that tends to arise around U.S. military installations, Asian women are thought of as prostitutes or otherwise "sexually available"women who exist to service American men (and are grateful to do so). This image is embedded in American and western European culture (as evidenced by the musical "Miss Saigon" based on the opera "Madame Butterfly" by Puccini) and is projected onto Asian American women as well.

"The vast majority of the Philippine pen pals are quite sincere in wanting to meet a gentleman from overseas to be their friend or lifetime partner. Like all women, they primarily are looking for a man to provide a secure "nest" for them. In that many come from a lower socio-economic class, finding a suitable partner may be difficult for them. Therefore, Western gentlemen are viewed not only as a little taller and sometimes more handsome (opposites tend to attract), but as being pre-qualified financially to provide a home and raise a family. Filipina ladies are generally the best Asian pen pals in terms of writing to ladies that are marriage minded without alterior [sic] motives. Furthermore, most speak English and are Christians...

"With our select small lists, you get to see the ladies [sic] own words in their own handwriting. We believe you will find this permits you to be more selective than otherwise possible."
(emphasis in original, from www.bridesbymail.com)

In the United States, Asian and Asian American men are victims of racism, but these men are not viewed as sexual objects or as having desirable husbandly qualities by women who are unhappy with American men. There are no mail-order groom services. Women are uniquely affected by racism, since sexism also impacts their lives. In the mail-order bride business, women are commodified based on their race and on their gender. In doing anti-racism work, it is important to examine other types of oppression as well. Those affected by racism are often members of other marginalized groups based on gender, class, ability, level of education, and sexual orientation. Oppressions overlap and intersect. In the struggle to end racism, we seek to end other oppressions as well.

*Venny Villapando, p. 319, The Business of Selling Mail-Order Brides in Making Waves: An Anthology of Writings By and About Asian American Women, ed. by Asian Women United of California, Boston: Beacon Press, 1989.

**Villapando, p. 324

UN Websites

Official UN conference website:
UN documents on the World Conference: and click on "Documents"
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (WCAR newsletters, etc.):

U.S. Compliance with Race Convention Websites

U.S. State Department report on U.S. compliance with the Convention:
World Organization Against Torture USA shadow report to the U.S. State Department report:

NGO Websites
Women's Caucus (a coalition of NGOs) for the World Conference
I CARE Internet Centre, Anti-Racism Europe (information on what groups in Europe are doing to combat racism and prepare for the Conference):
International Human Rights Law Group guide to participating in the World Conference:

NGO websites for the World Conference:

http://www.hri.ca/racism/
http://www.ngoworldconference.org/
http://www.racism.org.za/
http://www.sangoco.org.za/wcar/

Reminder: The Peacemaking Program and the PC(USA) do not endorse or assume responsibility for the content on these pages and their links, but offer these as a resource for interested parties.

We are called to anti-racism work as disciples of Jesus Christ, in whom "there is no longer Jew or Greek, there is no longer slave or free, there is no longer male and female; for all of you are one in Jesus Christ." God tells the Israelites in Exodus and Leviticus: "You shall not wrong or oppress a resident alien, for you were aliens in the land of Egypt." Micah 6:8 tells us that God requires us to "do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God." Our involvement with anti-racism work and with the World Conference stems from this spirit of discipleship to which we are called as Christians.

Below are some resources to assist you in engaging the Scriptures, and a few thoughts for reflection.

Biblical passages that speak against racism:

So God created humankind in God's image, in the image of God they were created; male and female God created them. (Genesis 1:27)

While they were at Hazeroth, Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses because of the Cushite woman whom he had married (for he had indeed married a Cushite woman)... (Numbers 12:1-16) (1 - see resources below)

You shall not wrong or oppress a resident alien, for you were aliens in the land of Egypt. (Exodus 22:21)

You shall also love the stranger, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt. (Deuteronomy 10:19)

I am black and beautiful, O daughters of Jerusalem, like the tents of Kedar, like the curtains of Solomon. (Song of Solomon 1:5)

Is not this the fast that I choose: to loose the bonds of injustice, to undo the thongs of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, and to break every yoke? (Isaiah 58:6)

God has told you, O mortal, what is good; and what does God require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God? (Micah 6:8)

Beatitudes (Matthew 5:1-12)

When the Pharisees heard that he had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together, and one of them, a lawyer, asked him a question to test him. "Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?" He said to him, "‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.' This is the greatest and first commandment. And a second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets." (Matthew 22:36-40)

Syrophoenician woman (Mark 7:24-30)

Samaritan woman (John 4) (2 - see resources below)

After this I looked, and there was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, robed in white, with palm branches in their hands. (Revelation 7:9)

Biblical passages used to perpetuate and/or justify racism:

Hagar and Sarah/Sarai (Genesis 16, 21:8-14) (3 - see resources below)

Did not King Solomon of Israel sin on account of such women... he was beloved by his God... nevertheless foreign women made even him to sin. Shall we then...do all this great evil and act treacherously against our God by marrying foreign women?" (Nehemiah 13:26)

Invasion of Canaan (Exodus) (4 - see resources below)

Curse of Canaan (Genesis 9:20-27) (5 - see resources below)

Slaves, obey your earthly masters with fear and trembling, in singleness of heart, as you obey Christ; not only while being watched, and in order to please them, but as slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart. Render service with enthusiasm, as to the Lord and not to men and women, knowing that whatever good we do, we will receive the same again for the Lord, whether we are slaves or free. (Ephesians 6:5-8, see also Colossians 3: 22-25, I Timothy 6: 1-2, Philemon) (6 - see resources below)

General Resources:

Troubling Biblical Waters, by Cain Hope Felder

All God's Children by Steven L. McKenzie

Resources on Specific Passages:

(1) Troubling Biblical Waters, by Cain Hope Felder

(2) Horizons Bible study for 2000-2001 (Presbyterian Women resource), available on the web at http://www.pcusa.org/pcusa/horizons/bible.htm or from Presbyterian Distribution Services

(3) Sisters in the Wilderness by Delores Williams; "An Exilic Journey" in Sisters Struggling in the Spirit, edited by Nantawan Boonprasat Lewis, Lydia Hernandez, Helen Locklear, and Robina Marie Winbush; "Reading Her Way Through the Struggle" in Sisters Struggling in the Spirit

(4) All God's Children by Steven L. McKenzie

(5) "Reading Her Way Through the Struggle" in Sisters Struggling in the Spirit, Troubling Biblical Waters by Cain Hope Felder

(6) "Reading Her Way Through the Struggle" in Sisters Struggling in the Spirit

Thoughts for reflection:

"Meetings on racial justice often resemble nothing so much as a bazaar filled with peddlers offering the all-purpose answer...The reality is that the problem has no single or simple solution. If there is one answer, it lies in recognizing how complex the issue has become and in not using that complexity as an excuse for inaction." - Ellis Cose, 1997

"God our Mother and Father, be with us as we learn to see one another with new eyes, hear one another with new hearts, and treat one another in a new way." - Corrymeela Community, Ireland

"...survival is not an academic skill. It is learning how to...make common cause with those other identified as outside the structures, in order to define and seek a world in which we can all flourish. It is learning how to take our differences and make them strengths." - Audre Lorde, "The Master's Tools Will Never Dismantle the Master's House"

"In each time and place there are particular problems and crises through which God calls the church to act. The church, guided by the Spirit, humbled by its own complicity and instructed by all attainable knowledge, seeks to discern the will of God and learn how to obey in these concrete situations... God has created the peoples of the earth to be one universal family. In his reconciling love, he overcomes the barriers between brothers and breaks down every form of discrimination based on racial or ethnic difference, real or imaginary. The church is call to bring all men to receive and uphold one another as persons in all relationships of life... Therefore the church labors for the abolition of all racial discrimination and ministers to those injured by it. Congregations, individuals, or groups of Christians who exclude, dominate, or patronize their fellowmen, however subtly, resist the Spirit of God and bring contempt on the faith which they profess [all gendered language -sic]" (Confession of 1967, 9.43-9.44 in the Book of Confessions).

"In sovereign love God created the world good and makes everyone equally in God's image, male and female, of every race and people, to live as one community. But we rebel against God; we hide from our Creator. Ignoring God's commandments, we violate the image of God in others and ourselves..." (Brief Statement of Faith 10.13.ll. 29-35)

"The [Presbyterian Church] (USA) affirms that racism violates God's purpose for humanity and is contrary to the gospel of Jesus Christ. Therefore, the PC(USA) recognizes that racism is a sin. The PC(USA) is committed to spiritually confronting the idolatry and ideology of White supremacy and White privilege. The PC(USA) confesses its complicity in the creation and maintenance of racist structures and systems in all parts of our nation's life, including the church itself…

"God created human beings, a diverse family, to live together and to love one another as God loves us. We violate God's intention for the human family by creating false categories of value and identity, based on identifiable characteristics such as culture, place of origin, and skin color. We use these categories to create a race-based system, which benefits some while oppressing others. Racism is fundamentally a spiritual problem because it denies our true identity as children of God." (Facing Racism, 1999 policy statement, p. 1)

To do ahead of time:

Have art supplies on hand to help with reflection (construction paper, drawing paper, crayons, markers, magazines, scissors, glue, pastels, etc.). Bring a candle and a CD player.

This bible study can be modified for different age groups by rephrasing questions or making it more interactive.

Gathering:

Create a safe space. Open with prayer and a ritual of some sort, such as lighting a candle or singing a song.

The Scripture:

Read the passage, Matthew 22:36-40.

Reading the Scripture

If there is time, you might consider doing a lectio divina with this passage, or "spiritual reading." Invite the participants to sit in a comfortable position for the exercise. Ask them to listen for a word or phrase that strikes them in particular. Read the passage through once, and have a few minutes of silence as people meditate on the word or phrase. Then have another person read the passage again, perhaps using a different translation of the Bible or a paraphrased version, inviting participants to listen for a word or phrase, perhaps different from before. Again, be in a time of silence. After this moment of silence, invite all who feel comfortable doing so to share what word or phrase stuck out to them.

For more resources on prayer and other spiritual practices, contact the Office of Spiritual Formation at 1-888-728-7228, ext. 5306. Visit the Spiritual Formation website.

Engaging:

Have a short discussion using the questions as a guide (10-20 minutes depending on the size of the group).

• This is an oft-quoted passage, but in the context of the World Conference Against Racism, does the term "neighbor" take on a particular form?
  
• Who do you consider to be your neighbor?
  
• How do you love yourself, and how do you love your neighbor?
  
• What does it mean that all the law and the prophets hang on these two commandments? Are the Ten Commandments rendered null and void?

Ask participants to reflect on the discussion or on a particular question as they journal or do an art project on the concept of "neighbor" (10-15 minutes). You may want to play some calm music in the background. Come back together as a group to share about everyone's journaling or project if people are comfortable doing so (as long as it takes for everyone to share).

Closing:

Close in prayer and/or a song.

Scripture suggestions

See "Biblical Passages" section

Suggested hymns

O God the Creator, 273 in The Presbyterian Hymnal
What Wondrous Love is This, 85
Live Into Hope, 332
In Christ There is No East or West, 439 and 440
O God of Every Nation, 289 Spirit, 319

Call to Worship (derived from Psalms 81 and 84):

One: Sing aloud to God our strength; shout for joy to the God of Jacob, Rebecca and Leah!

People: Raise a song, sound the tambourine, the sweet lyre with the harp!

One: I am the Lord your God, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt. Open your mouth wide and I will fill it.

People: We open up to you and receive the fullness of your grace.

All: Amen.

Litany

One: We come to you heavy-laden, loving God.

People: We come to you bearing the sins of racism, privilege and internalized oppression.

One: We cry out for all of us, who suffer from the brokenness of the world.

People: We cry out for all of us, who suffer from our own brokenness.

One: For those who daily are reminded of their oppressed status in an unjust world,

People: We cry out to you.

One: For those who knowingly and unknowingly remind others of their oppressed status,

People: We cry out to you.

One: For those who suffer the multiple oppressions of race and gender, class, age, and ability,

People: We cry out to you.

One: For those who don't understand their ethnic identity,

People: We cry out to you.

One: For those prevented from fully embracing their ethnic identity,

People: We cry out to you.

One: And for those who dedicate their lives to ending injustice,

People: We praise you.

One: For those who see the beauty in what we have,

People: We praise you.

One: For those who envision what the kingdom of God must be,

People: We praise you.

All: And for the grace and beauty of the tapestry that is creation, we give thanks to the God of all that is. Amen.

Prayer of Confession

Spirit God, we come to you burdened with racism, ethnocentrism, privilege, and internalized oppression. We have fallen short of who you created us to be. Individually and corporately, we uphold the very structures and attitudes that fracture our relationships with you and with one another. Holy God, Holy Immortal One who creates, redeems, and sustains us, have mercy on us.

Assurance of Pardon

In humility we come to God, and God has already forgiven us. We are liberated by the gift of Jesus Christ, whose face we see each day in one another. Through Christ we are empowered to reject the dehumanization of racism and internalized oppression. We accept God's grace in wonder at this gift. Thanks be to God. Amen.

Suggested Prayers from the Book of Common Worship

Prayers for the Social Order: For Social Justice (3), For Cities, For the Neighborhood

Prayers for the Family and Personal Life: For Guidance, For Appreciation of Truth and Beauty

Prayers for the Human Condition: For the Afflicted, For the Oppressed