What is the International Convention on the Suppression and Punishment of the Crime of Apartheid (CSPA)?

The International Convention on the Suppression and Punishment of the Crime of Apartheid (CSPA) is an international treaty between nations that was adopted by the United Nations (UN) General Assembly in 1973. The primary goal of this treaty is to "suppress and punish any crime of apartheid, defined as any inhumane acts committed for the purpose of establishing and maintaining domination by one racial group over any other racial group or groups and systematically oppressing them." The CSPA does not specify the exact measures that are necessary in order for a nation to comply with it, however, there are general rules that must be followed in order to qualify as compliant with the treaty. These include: forbidding any distinction, exclusion, restriction, or preference based on race, color, descent, national or ethnic origin, religion, language, or sex; forbidding the use of violence or any other form of torture against racial groups; and prohibiting discrimination in employment, housing, education, health, and access to certain public services. The CSPA is of particular significance to Hawaii, as the state has a history of enacting apartheid-like policies in the past. In 2018, the state passed a law that bans discrimination based on race, color, ancestry, or national origin. This law effectively prevents the state from engaging in any activity that could be deemed as a violation of the CSPA. As such, Hawaii is compliant with the Convention, meaning that it is committed to actively suppressing and punishing any and all forms of racial discrimination in order to promote equality and social justice.

What is the International Convention on the Suppression and Punishment of the Crime of Apartheid (CSPA)?

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