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Diego Moreno Department of International Law Secretariat for Legal Affairs. 2011: International Year for People of African Descent Afrodescendants in the Americas: An Overview of the Work of the Department of International Law General Committee of the Permanent Council November 28, 2011.
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Diego MorenoDepartment of International LawSecretariat for Legal Affairs 2011: International Year for People of African Descent Afrodescendants in the Americas: An Overview of the Work of the Department of International Law General Committee of the Permanent Council November 28, 2011
Some preliminary remarks • At the beginning of the project: • 200 million afrodescendants in the Americas • A significant number of them in situation of vulnerability • Lack of visibility and awareness of problems faced by afrodescendants and their needs as individuals and as a group • Afrodescendant network with insufficient knowledge of OAS and other Inter-American system processes • Lack of literature of a legal nature and from an international law perspective regarding afrodescendants
Strategies • Promote visibility of afrodescendants within the OAS • Organize capacity-building events to train afrodescendant representatives • Organize workshops of experts to promote discussion of afrodescendant topics • Elaborate and disseminate studies of a technical legal nature on afrodescendant issues • Incorporate afrodescendant topic in activities to promote and disseminate international law
Results. Capacity-building • 500 afrodescendant leaders and representatives trained in the following: • Draft Inter-American Convention Against Racism and All Forms of Discrimination and Intolerance • Universal and regional standards of protection of afrodescendants and against racial discrimination • CSOs participation in the Inter-American system • Other results: • 5 documents produced by CSOs • 16 CSOs have initiated or concluded registration process within OAS CSO Registry
Results. Discussing afrodescendant issues thoroughly • 2 Workshops of Experts • affirmative action, addressing racial discrimination in employment, burden of proof in discriminatory acts, hate speech • public policies, legislation, good practices, affirmative action measures • 9 publications in total of a legal nature on afrodescendant topics
Results. Inter-American Program for the Development of International Law • Course on International Law (2010/2011) • Inclusion of classes on the subject • 4 specialist professors on afrodescendant topics • 8 scholarships for afrodescendant students • Workshops on International Law (2010) • Inclusion of a panel dedicated to afrodescendants • 25 professors of international law trained
Results. Promoting awareness within the Organization • Strategy for the incorporation of the afrodescendant variable in OAS/GS projects • Elaboration of a textbook • 30 OAS/GS staff trained • First two OAS GA resolutions on afrodescendants (2010 and 2011)
Other results • Current project being implemented for training afrodescendant leaders • Comprehensive website on afrodescendants • Collaboration with other OAS areas
Other results • Synergies with other universal and regional processes • Durban process • UN WG of Experts for People of African Descent • CERD • SEGIB • Other conferences and meetings held under the auspices of CSOs and other actors
http://www.oas.org/dil/afrodescendants.htm Thank you!