H. Res. 212
In the House of Representatives, U.S.,
July 30, 2001.
Whereas since the adoption of the Universal Declaration of
Human Rights in 1948, the international community has
taken significant steps to eradicate racism, xenophobia,
sexism, religious intolerance, slavery, and other forms of
discrimination;
Whereas national and international measures to combat dis-
crimination and promote equality, justice, and dignity for
all individuals have proven inadequate;
Whereas the United Nations World Conference Against Rac-
ism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia, and Related In-
tolerance (‘‘WCAR’’), to be held in Durban, South Afri-
ca, from August 31 through September 7, 2001, aims to
create a new world vision for the fight against racism and
other forms of intolerance in the twenty-first century,
urge participants to adopt anti-discrimination policies
and practices, and establish a mechanism for monitoring
future progress toward a discrimination-free world;
Whereas the causes and manifestations of contemporary rac-
ism, xenophobia, sexism, religious intolerance, slavery,
and other forms of discrimination are many and increas-
ingly complex and subtle;
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Whereas all states and societies that have sponsored, encour-
aged, or tolerated slavery, including states involved in the
transatlantic slave trade, the Indian Ocean slave trade, or
the trans-Saharan slave trade, benefited economically
while inflicting extreme pain, suffering, and humiliation
on millions of African people;
Whereas victims of racism, xenophobia, sexism, religious in-
tolerance, slavery, and other forms of discrimination have
suffered and continue to suffer from the deprivation of
their fundamental rights and opportunities;
Whereas to varying degrees, states, societies, and individuals
have adopted the notion that racial, cultural, religious,
and social diversity can enrich a country and its citizens;
Whereas participants of the WCAR currently plan to discuss
remedies, redress, and other mechanisms to provide re-
course at national, regional, and international levels for
victims of racism, xenophobia, sexism, religious intoler-
ance, slavery, and other forms of discrimination;
Whereas the achievement of full and effective equality be-
tween peoples requires that states, civic groups, and indi-
viduals cooperate to address the real difficulties in attain-
ing societies free of discrimination;
Whereas some preparatory materials for the WCAR take po-
sitions on current political crises which, if adopted in the
final WCAR Declaration and Program of Action, could
exacerbate existing tensions;
Whereas the attempt by some to use the WCAR as a plat-
form to resuscitate the divisive and discredited notion
equating Zionism with racism, a notion that was over-
whelmingly rejected when United Nations Resolution
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3379 (1975) was rescinded in 1991, would undermine the
goals and objectives of the conference; and
Whereas the United States encourages respect for an individ-
ual’s human rights and fundamental freedoms without
distinction of any kind, such as race, color, sex, language,
religion, political or other opinion, national or social ori-
gin, property, birth, or other status: Now, therefore, be
it
Resolved, That the House of Representatives—
(1) encourages all participants in the United Na-
tions World Conference Against Racism, Racial Dis-
crimination, 
Xenophobia, 
and 
Related 
Intolerance
(‘‘WCAR’’) to seize this singular opportunity to tackle
the scourges of racism, xenophobia, sexism, religious in-
tolerance, slavery, and other forms of discrimination
which have divided people and wreaked immeasurable
suffering on the disempowered;
(2) recognizes that since racism, racial discrimina-
tion, xenophobia, and related intolerance exist to some
extent in every region and country around the world, ef-
forts to address these prejudices should occur within a
global framework and without reference to specific re-
gions, countries, or present-day conflicts;
(3) exhorts the participants to utilize the WCAR to
mitigate, rather than aggravate, racial, ethnic, and re-
gional tensions;
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(4) urges the WCAR to focus on concrete steps that
may be taken to address gross human rights violations
that were motivated by racially and ethnically based ani-
mus and on devising strategies to help eradicate such in-
tolerance; and
(5) commends the efforts of the Government of the
Republic of South Africa in hosting the WCAR.
Attest:
Clerk.