Draft Resolution on Discrimination Based on Work and Descent

2000

The Sub-Commission on the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights,

Affirming that, as declared in article 2 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, everyone is entitled to all the rights and freedoms set forth in the Declaration, without distinction of any kind, such as race, colour, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status,

Aware that discrimination based on work and descent has historically been a feature of societies in different regions of the world, and has affected a significant proportion overall of the world's population,

Acknowledging the constitutional, legislative and administrative measures taken by relevant Governments to abolish practices of discrimination based on work and descent,

Concerned, however, at the persistence of discrimination based on work and descent in such societies,

1. Declares that discrimination based on work and descent is a form of discrimination prohibited by international human rights law;

2. Requests Governments to ensure that all necessary constitutional, legislative and administrative measures (including appropriate forms of affirmative action) are in place to prohibit and redress discrimination on the basis of work and descent, and that such measures are respected and implemented by all State authorities at all levels;

3. Urges Governments to ensure that appropriate legal penalties and sanctions, including criminal sanctions, are prescribed for and applied to all persons or entities within the jurisdiction of the Governments who may be found to have engaged in practices of discrimination on the basis of work and descent;

4. Decides to entrust Mr. Goonesekere with the task of preparing, without financial implications, a working paper on the topic of discrimination based on work and descent, in order to:

   1. identify communities in which discrimination based on work and descent continues to be experienced in practice,

   2. examine existing constitutional legislative and administrative measures for the abolition of such discrimination, and

   3. make any further concrete recommendations and proposals for the effective elimination of such discrimination as may be appropriate in the light of such examination;

5. Decides to continue consideration of this question at its fifty-third session under the same agenda item.

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