What is the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination?

The International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (ICERD) is an international treaty that was adopted by the United Nations in 1965. It defined "racial discrimination" as any distinction, exclusion, limitation, or preference based on race, color, descent, or national or ethnic origin that has the purpose or effect of nullifying or impairing the recognition, enjoyment or exercise, on an equal footing, of human rights and fundamental freedoms in the political, economic, social, cultural or any other field of public life. Nowadays, the ICERD is widely recognized as the most comprehensive international human rights agreement that addresses racism and racial discrimination. It is legally binding on states that have ratified it, and nearly every nation in the world has done so, including the United States, which ratified in 1967. In California, the ICERD requires the state and its public entities, such as schools and police departments, to take steps to eliminate racial discrimination and ensure that all people, regardless of race, are treated equally before the law. California, like the Federal government, has also enacted laws designed to promote and protect civil rights, including the California Fair Employment and Housing Act and the Unruh Civil Rights Act. These laws are enforced by the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing. The ICERD is an important tool in the fight against racism and racial discrimination, and it helps ensure that everyone in California is able to enjoy the human rights and fundamental freedoms they are entitled to.

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What is the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination?

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