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FINAL Youth Summit Declaration and NGO Declaration and Programme of Action

YOUTH SUMMIT DECLARATION
YOUTH SUMMIT DECLARATION

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Preamble:

We the young people of Africa, Asia-Pacific, Americas and Europe, having met in Durban, South Africa from the 26th to the 27th of August 2001, within the framework of the United Nations World Conference against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance;

Expressing our deep appreciation to the South African Civil Society, the South African National Non Governmental Organization Coalition (SANGOCO), and the South African Youth Task Team for hosting the International Youth Summit;

Further Expressing our gratitude for the support and efforts made by the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights and the International Youth Committee to realize the Youth Summit;

Acknowledging the work of the United Nations Members States and Observer Countries in contributing to the process of raising awareness about the needs and hearing the voices of young people from around the world in the context of the World Conference Against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance;

Taking into account the outcomes of the various regional youth consultations organized at Coventry (United Kingdom), Santiago (Chile), Malaka (Malaysia), Kigali (Rwanda) and other contributions from youth organizations, Indigenous Peoples and African and African Descendant youth organizations, Non Governmental organizations, and human rights practitioners; organized in the framework of the preparation of the world conference;

Noting the contribution made by the International Youth Caucus and other regional youth caucus formed in Tehran (Iran), Dakar (Senegal), Santiago (Chile), and Strasbourg (France) to promote and provide a space for the full participation and involvement of youth in the process of the World Conference Against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia, and Related Intolerance;

Emphasizing the key role that young people around the world play in the struggle to eradicate racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance, through inter alia community and national based programs and projects;

Considering that youth, particularly young Indigenous Peoples, African descendants, Roma People, Dalits and people of oppressed communities and ethnic groups within their States, have been discriminated against, excluded from, and marginalized in the decision-making processes at all levels and resulting in limiting their full and active political, economical, social and cultural participation;

Recognizing the existence of multiple forms of discrimination, based on race, gender, disability, sexual orientation, caste, ethnic and national origin, nationality, class, age, religion, colour, languages, social-economic and other status that affect young people in a particular way;

Noting that youth representation has traditionally been marginalized by Governments and Non Governmental Organizations, Inter Governmental Organizations or Agencies, in international events and regional conferences, thereby, denying their participation in decision-making processes;

Realizing that there is a lack of resources to ensure equitable geographical participation of young people in an effort to promote diversity of young leaders from all parts of the world in the international human rights movement; we hereby have prioritized the preparation and participation of the youth in the International Youth Summit from countries from the South including representatives of migrants, immigrants, refugees, displaced youth, African descendants, Indigenous Peoples youth, Roma people, Dalits, youth living in occupied territories, and young women from the womens movement, young people from the most disadvantaged sectors in their societies;

Recognizing that access to adequate and affordable health care is a fundamental human right for all people, we acknowledge that contributing factors to discriminatory health practices and services such as: ethnicity, age, language, disability, sexuality, gender, socio-economic background, religion, geographic distance, must be addressed in consultation with affected community leaders and young people;

We hereby, in a spirit of friendship, peace, solidarity and harmony join together and call upon all young people, States and their Governments and Non State Actors to fully commit themselves to the implementation of the understated Plan of Action to combat racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance all over the world, and hereby adopt the Durban Youth Declaration and Plan of Action: United to Combat Racism - A Youth Vision! [More]

Final NGO Declaration and Programme of Action
This document is the outcome of an international process before and during the NGO Forum of the WCAR held in Durban, South Africa 28 August to 1 September 2001.

The Declaration and the Programme of Action is based on the understanding that it reflects the regional processes and that the voices of the victims of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance must be heard.

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03 September 2001

WCAR NGO FORUM DECLARATION

We, the representatives of local, national and international non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and other civil society groups from around the world gathered in Durban/South Africa during the week of 28 August – 3 September 2001 for the World Conference against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance (WCAR), guided by our commitment in the struggle against racism and racial discrimination and inspired by the recommendations of the NGO Forums held in Strasbourg/France, Santiago de Chile/Chile, Dakar/Senegal and Tehran/Iran and the related sub-regional NGO meetings held in Warsaw/Poland, Kathmandu/Nepal, Cairo/Egypt and Quito/Ecuador, in preparation for the World Conference, hereby make the following Declaration:

Solemnly acknowledging all those who suffered for justice and freedom in South Africa and honouring the memory of those who sacrificed their lives for the struggle against Apartheid and celebrating the spirit of the South African people in building a new society free of racism and racial discrimination and recognising that as a beacon of hope for the world community.

Saluting all those who struggled against racism, racial discrimination, genocide, slavery, xenophobia and related intolerance, genocidal practices and all other forms of discrimination and exclusion, honouring the memory of those who have given their lives for this struggle, and other struggles against oppression and encouraging and supporting those that continue to fight against the scourge of racism. [More]