Human Rights

Organización de los Estados Americanos

Dear Civil Society friends,

On behalf of the Chair of the Working Group to Prepare a Draft Inter-American Convention against Racism and All Forms of Discrimination and Intolerance, the Summits of the Americas Secretariat of the Organization of American States (OAS) would like to inform you that the Working Group has requested that civil society contribute their recommendations and comments on the Preliminary Draft Convention.

On April 18, 2006, the Chair of the Working Group presented the "Preliminary Draft Inter-American Convention against Racism and All Forms of Discrimination and Intolerance" (CP/CAJP-2357/06), noted that it was based on the inputs received during Working Group meetings from member states, civil society representatives, United Nations experts, and OAS organs, agencies, and entities, as well as from regional and international organizations, and expressed the hope that it would serve as a basis for the negotiations on a future Convention.

For its part, in resolution AG/RES. 2168 (XXXVI-0/06), "Combating Racism and All Forms of Discrimination and Intolerance and Consideration of the Draft Inter-American Convention against Racism and All Forms of Discrimination and Intolerance," the OAS General Assembly instructed the Working Group to begin negotiations on the Draft Inter-American Convention, taking into account the aforementioned Preliminary Draft Convention, and requested, among other things, that the Working Group continue to receive contributions from representatives of indigenous peoples, entrepreneurs, labor groups, and civil society organizations.

In this sense, we would like to invite those civil society organizations wishing to contribute comments and recommendations to the Working Group to send a written communication in any of the four official languages of the OAS (English, Spanish, French, and Portuguese) to the OAS Summits of the Americas Secretariat via fax (202.458.3665) or email (summitcso@oas.org); all written contributions must be received by this Secretariat by October 31, 2006.

Please visit the OAS Civil Society Website (www.civil-society.oas.org) to access the Preliminary Draft Inter-American Convention against Racism and All Forms of Discrimination and Intoleranceand to view the letter to civil society organizations requesting comments on the Convention from the Chair of the Working Group to Prepare a Draft Inter-American Convention against Racism and All Forms of Discrimination and Intolerance, Counselor María Cristina Pereira da Silva, Alternate Representative of the Permanent Mission of Brazil to the OAS.

For further information on the activities of the Working Group of the Committee on Juridical and Political Affairs (CAJP) to Prepare a Draft Inter-American Convention against Racism and All Forms of Discrimination and Intolerance please visit the Webpage:

http://www.oas.org/consejo/CAJP/RACISM.asp.

Best regards,

Summits of the Americas Secretariat

Organization of American States