General: Anti-racism action plan released

It has taken government 18 years to finalise the national action plan for combating racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance required by the UN in terms of its 2001 Durban declaration, notes Pam Saxby for Legalbrief Policy Watch. Published yesterday on the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development website with a five-year implementation plan, the document is expected to facilitate, among other things, the identification of legislation needing either to be amended or developed from scratch with a view to meeting the plan's overarching objective: 'to specifically address the issue of racism' in SA.

As a 'technical framework' for all related policies, programmes, strategies and measures, the action plan begins with conducting a baseline study and collecting data with the aim of determining prevailing levels and patterns of discriminatory behaviour, the role of the 'mass media' in perpetuating its various forms and obstacles to 'eliminating' it altogether. The availability and accessibility of 'key human rights documents' and other material designed to 'safeguard' the principles of equality and non-discrimination will also be explored.

Other interventions envisaged range from developing a directory of service providers equipped to assist the victims of discriminatory behaviour to comprehensive awareness-raising programmes.

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