IDSN recommendations for the Durban Review Conference

1. Discrimination based on work and descent should be recognized as an expression of contemporary manifestations of racial discrimination under the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action (DDPA);

2. Persons affected by this form of discrimination, including the degrading practice of “untouchability”, should be explicitly acknowledged as having been subjected to perennial and persistent forms of discrimination and abuse on this basis;

3. The Review Conference should include a reference to CERD General Recommendation No. 29, thereby affirming the Committee‟s interpretation of “descent” in article 1(1) of the ICERD, and should recommend this framework as a basis for framing national government policies in affected countries;

4. The Review Conference should tackle the causes and consequences of this kind of discrimination and must regret the continued lack of political will in countries with the most ingrained caste systems;

5. All States Parties should have National Plan of Action to implement the DDPA, and its implementation should be ensured by special monitoring mechanisms involving the rights holders to ensure accountability and transparency;

6. The Durban Review Conference should recommend follow-up on the work that the former Subcommission had carried out on discrimination based on work and descent, in particular the draft principles and guidelines for the effective elimination of this form of discrimination, and promote the use of this framework;

7. Discrimination against Dalit women and children should be recognized as falling under the consideration of multiple forms of discrimination and corrective measures should be initiated at all levels accordingly in all affected countries;

8. Disaggregated data should be made available on the number of people affected by caste or descent based discrimination in all affected countries;

9. All UN agencies and other international agencies should ensure adequate focus on the issues of social equity and education with special emphasis on unique features of discrimination and exclusion, due to prevalence of this form of discrimination.

> Read the position paper prepared by IDSN, Human Rights Watch, NCDHR and others on the Durban Review Conference and caste-based discrimination