Committee on Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD)

Name Mr. O’Flaherty
Address Palais des Nations, CH-1211 Genève 10
Phone +41-22-917 12 34
Web http://www.unhchr.ch

Activity summary:

The Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD) was the first body created by the United Nations to monitor and review actions by States to fulfil their obligations under a specific human rights agreement.
The Third Committee (social, humanitarian and cultural questions) of the United Nations General Assembly decided to include the establishment of CERD in the Convention on the grounds that without the means of implementation, it would not be truly effective.
This was a precedent. Five other committees with comparable constitutions and functions have since been created: the Human Rights Committee (which has responsibilities under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights), the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women, the Committee against Torture, the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, and the Committee on the Rights of the Child.