Statement by India under Agenda Item 9: Interactive Dialogue with Special Rapporteur on Contemporary Forms of Racism, Racial Discrimination,Xenophobia and Related Intolerance during 53 rd Session of the Human Rights Council (19 June-14 July 2023) delivered by Mr.S. Senthil Kumar,First Secretary, Permanent Mission of India, Geneva on 10 July 2023
Mr. Vice-President,
We thank the Special Rapporteur for the presentation of her first report and take note of her initial priority areas and approach taken to fulfil her mandate.
Mr. Vice-President,
2. India has always regarded racism and racial discrimination as the antithesis of everything humanity stands for - equality, justice, peace and progress. It is a negation of the Charter of the United Nations and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
3. The Constitution of India guarantees the principle of equality and expressly prohibits discrimination on account of race. The constitutional provisions are embodied in our legal frameworks including penal and criminal laws, and are protected by our independent judiciary, human rights institutions, vibrant civil society and free active media.
4. In the report, the Special Rapporteur has recognised the impact of the harmful legacies of colonialism and slavery on many groups. India rejects any attempt that seeks to characterise caste as a form within descent-based discrimination. We request the Special Rapporteur to avoid such characterisation and our delegation remains ready to engage SR in this regard.
I thank you.
