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Racial Justice and the Human Rights Program

Document Date: January 29, 2010

The ACLU Human Rights Program uses human rights standards and strategies to complement ACLU legal and legislative advocacy and to advance social justice in the area of racial justice.

Key Human Rights Treaties
· Universal Declaration of Human Rights
· International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (CERD)
· International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights
· International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights

The United States signed and ratified the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (CERD) in 1994. All levels of U.S. government are required to comply with the treaty’s provisions, which require countries to review national, state-wide and local policies and to amend or repeal laws and regulations that create or perpetuate racial discrimination. CERD also encourages countries to take positive measures, including affirmative action, to redress racial inequalities. To comply with the treaty, the U.S. should work to ensure the full enjoyment of human rights by members of minority groups; to eliminate structural racism, sexism and institutional exclusion; and expand its use in redressing past discrimination suffered by minorities including women and indigenous communities, particularly in the areas of education and employment. To conform with both the Constitution and international human rights obligations, the U.S. must also take urgent, direct action to eliminate racial and ethnic profiling which remains a widespread and pervasive problem throughout the country.

Working together with the ACLU Racial Justice Project, HRP works to promote a racial justice agenda that respects civil and human rights by:

· Publishing reports and briefing materials using the CERD framework to advance racial justice in the U.S.;
· incorporating human rights standards in litigation and state and federal legislative advocacy; and
· engaging with the United States before U.N. and regional human rights fora.

Every month, you'll receive regular roundups of the most important civil rights and civil liberties developments. Remember: a well-informed citizenry is the best defense against tyranny.