International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (ICERD) 1965

Summary

Core UN human rights convention binding state parties to eliminate racial discrimination in all its forms including legislation, policy, and practice. Establishes the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD) which reviews state reports and can receive individual complaints (optional declaration). Racial discrimination includes discrimination based on national or ethnic origin.

Relevance to the diaspora

Tamil diaspora organisations submit CERD shadow reports documenting discrimination against Tamils in Sri Lanka; CERD has repeatedly raised concerns about the PTA's discriminatory application against Tamils, slow devolution, and unequal distribution of post-war development resources.

Key provisions

• Art. 1 — definition of racial discrimination (including ethnic origin)
• Art. 2 — state obligation to eliminate racial discrimination
• Art. 5 — equal enjoyment of civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights
• Art. 14 — optional individual complaint mechanism

Primary source

Related entries

• → ICCPR Article 27 — Rights of Minorities (UN)
• → UN Declaration on the Rights of Persons Belonging to National or Ethnic, Religious and Linguistic Minorities 1992 (UN)
• → Official Language Act No.33 of 1956 ('Sinhala Only Act') (LK)