OHCHR / ANTI-DISCRIMINATION DAY

On the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights attributed the rise of hate speech and violence attacks motivated by race or ethnicity to flawed leadership. OHCHR

• Categories: News & Features / News Stories / Unifeed
• Video Length: 00:02:06
• Production Date: 21 March 2014
• Asset Language: Original
• Corporate Name: OFFICE OF THE UNITED NATIONS HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR HUMAN RIGHTS - OHCHR
• Subject Topical: DISCRIMINATION; HUMAN RIGHTS; ETHNIC AND RACIAL GROUPS
• MAMS Id: U140321e

Description

STORY: OHCHR / ANTI-DISCRIMINATION DAY
TRT: 2:06
SOURCE:OHCHR
RESTRICTIONS:NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH/NATS
DATELINE: 21 MARCH 2014, GENEVA

Shotlist

1. Med shot, Pillay standing with associates
2. Wide shot, conference room
3. SOUNDBITE(English)UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay:
“True leaders employ the power of their standing in society to advocate a long-term vision of racial equality and social justice. They integrate, inspire, and mobilize others to bring a common aspiration to life.”
4. Close up, delegate
5. SOUNDBITE (English) South African anti-apartheid leader Ahmed Kathrada:
“We do not seem to have a globally coordinated anti-racism campaign that is focused on young people. Would we not be getting better long term results if we were able to also include schools across the world on the question of non-racialism?.”
6. Wide shot of Panellists
7. SOUNDBITE (English) European Parliament Member of Parliament Emine Bozhurt:
“In my opinion, racism and racial discrimination are very much present across Europe. Racism has big social, economic implications. Unemployment of young people of non-European background is 30 per cent compared to 10 per cent of white Dutch youth. In the field of justice, research shows that sentences are higher, depending on your ethnic background. Racism in Europe has changed shape by increasing focussing on issues relating to ethnicity, let’s say Roma , Arab people, Eastern Europeans, Indians, or religion, anti-Semitism and after 911 Islamophobia.”
8. Pan wide shot of room
9. SOUNDBITE (English) Nelson Mandela’s lawyer George Bizos:
“We all have laws but we actually need people to see to it --that they are obeyed-- and I would suggest that it is one of the ways that will prevent these sorts of happenings.”
10. Med shot cutaway

Storyline

On the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (21 Mar), the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights attributed the rise of hate speech and violence attacks motivated by race or ethnicity to flawed leadership.
Speaking on a panel discussion in Geneva Navi Pillay said “true leaders employ the power of their standing in society to advocate a long-term vision of racial equality and social justice. They integrate, inspire, and mobilize others to bring a common aspiration to life.”
The commemoration of International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination is held annually on 21 March. The discussion organised by the UN Human Rights Office was titled: "The role of leaders in mobilizing political will for combating racism and racial discrimination.”

Also addressing the panel was former anti-apartheid leader imprisoned for 26-years alongside Mandela, Ahmed Kathrada.
He questioned the lack of investment on the youth in the fight against racism.

Kathrada said “we do not seem to have a globally coordinated anti-racism campaign that is focused on young people. Would we not be getting better long term results if we were able to also include schools across the world on the question of non-racialism?”

Emine Bozhurt, a Member of Parliament in European Parliament, observed that the society in Europe today is diverse and noted that racism is still rife in Europe and there is need to understand the current forms of racism.
Bozhurt said “racism and racial discrimination are very much present across Europe. Racism has big social, economic implications. Unemployment of young people of non-European background is 30 per cent compared to 10 per cent of white Dutch youth. In the field of justice, research shows that sentences are higher, depending on your ethnic background. Racism in Europe has changed shape by increasing focussing on issues relating to ethnicity, let’s say Roma, Arab people, Eastern Europeans, Indians, or religion, anti-Semitism and, after 911, Islamphobia.”

The participants at the panel also heard on the need for States to implement their laws to combat racism.

Human Rights lawyer George Bizos, who represented anti-apartheid leaders in the 1960’s, said “we all have laws but we actually need people to see to it --that they are obeyed-- and I would suggest that it is one of the ways that will prevent these sorts of happenings.”

The panel discussion was preceded, a day earlier, by the screening of a film, on the former South African icon, titled “Mandela: Long walk to freedom.”