(b) Afro descendants

Afro Arab cooperation

Afro Arab co operation

Afro Asian Peoples' Solidarity

Attention was drawn to problems faced by Afro Colombians and Afro descendants in the United States of America.

Association pour le développement Rural, la protection de l'environnement et de l'artisanat DERPREA, Espacio Afro Americano, Our Rights, Proceso de Comunidades Negras de Colombia, Culture of Afro Indigenous Solidarity, Red Afro Venezolana

Taking note of the resolutions of the African Union and the Afro Arab programme aimed at activating Afro Arab solidarity,

The Working Group was called upon to continue to support and assist Afro descendants, including through the organization of regional seminars for Afro descendants.

33. The Commission deplores the continued violence against indigenous and Afro Colombian communities.

That we propose to pursue our efforts to strengthen and promote Afro Arab cooperation, including the convening of a meeting of the Ministerial Standing Commission in preparation for the second Summit Conference on Afro Arab cooperation

The Committee notes with satisfaction progress in the interaction between the Government and non governmental organizations representing Afro descendants and, as one of the expressions of this interaction, the designation of 10 May as Afro Venezuelan Day.

In the case of a specific example, the Shanghai Energy Conservation Centre was able to assist the New Asiatic Pharmaceutical Plant to reduce the electricity consumption of its cooling system by 62 per cent.

A Working Group brought together representatives from SEPPIR, the Department of Higher Education Ministry of Education and the universities' Centers for Afro Brazilian Studies from each region, to formulate guidelines on the access and permanence of Afro descendant students in the universities.

Recalling the declarations and resolutions of the first Afro Arab Summit Conference in Cairo, 7 9 March 1977,

In some Ibero American countries, indigenous and Afro descendant people account for a significant proportion of the groups concerned.

Reference was also made to the 1998 National Plan for Human Rights containing specific provisions relating to Afro descendants.

It acknowledges, however, the persistence of some prejudice, particularly with regard to Afro Brazilian, indigenous and Roma religious manifestations.

This is actually in the Library of Congress it is a pamphlet published by Samuel Gompers, hero of our American labor movement, and it's called, Some Reason for Chinese Exclusion Meat versus Rice American Manhood against Asiatic Coolieism Which shall survive?

(b) Afro descendants (taking into account the work of the Commission on Human Rights Working Group on Persons of African Descent)

They are part of the implementation of Law No. 10639 03, which addresses the teaching of Afro Brazilian culture in schools.

Indicators also show that this situation in general is worst among women, as well as among Afro descendent men and women.

In the same year, the same project funded 15 studies with respect to the Afro Brazilian population, divided into three areas expectations for integration into the labor market for young blacks (boys and girls) in middle school Afro Brazilians and religion in Middle School and formal and informal education in rural black communities.

Mr. Kasanda highlighted the importance of encouraging the full and equal participation of Afro descendant women in decision making and policy development.

Such an approach could be of benefit to the struggle to integrate Afro descendants in the political life of many Diaspora countries.

The Commission also expresses grave concern at the situation of the indigenous and Afro Colombian communities that are being subjected to confinement.

C. Concerns and recommendations The Committee notes with concern that the State party does not have disaggregated statistical data on the Afro descendants.

Afro Colombians continued to be victims of racial discrimination and exclusion, as regards access to health, livelihood, social security, education and income generating activities.

Attention was drawn to the common features of Afro descendants as the descendants of slaves who had been deprived of their mother tongue, culture and religion.

For example the Federal University of Alagoas is the only one that specifies that, of the 20 Afro Brazilians, 60 must women and 40 must be men.

(ii) A clustering of the issues concerning Roma Afro descendants nomads, pastoralists, hunter gatherers and shifting cultivators religious minorities linguistic minorities displaced minorities and other situations affecting minorities

Similarly, significant progress has been made in the implementation of policies aimed at reversing discrimination against women and against indigenous and Afro descendant groups, but sharp disparities still prevail.

The leaders welcome Libya's announcement that it is prepared to host the next session of the Standing Commission for Afro Arab Cooperation and request the Secretary General to perform the necessary liaison work to set a date for the session and determine its agenda, including study of the feasibility of holding an Afro Arab forum to encourage two way investment and strengthen the foundations of cultural and academic relations.

The Committee recommends that the State party include in its next periodic report disaggregated statistical data on Afro descendants, which would make it possible to evaluate their situation more accurately.

Enhancing respect for, and the maintenance and protection of, the knowledge, innovations and practices of traditional, indigenous and Afro descendant communities and the equitable distribution of the profits arising from their utilization

The African Regional Organisation of the ICFTU (ICFTU AFRO) has a five year plan on AIDS which focuses on workers in the road and maritime transport, agricultural communities, plantations, commerce and hotel sectors.

As we look forward to celebrating the fiftieth anniversary of the Bandoeng Conference, we must all endeavour to fan the flame of Afro Asian solidarity and seek to make it burn more brightly.

States should promote the advancement of women and adopt measures that enable Afro descendant women to play an active role in the design and implementation of policies and programmes that affect their lives.

In addition, since 2003 the Ministry of Education has run a pilot project for research and action in some states aimed at promoting the access of young Afro Brazilians to higher level education.

The Secretariat will incorporate the perspective of indigenous and Afro descendant peoples into its cooperation activities and will take steps to mainstream a gender perspective into Ibero American cooperation through relevant actions and projects.

In December 2002, the Ministry of Education implemented the University Diversity Program, to encourage the promotion of equity and diversity in higher level education for Afro Brazilians, indigenous people and other socially marginalized groups.

A point for further research could be compiling available pronouncements on the political situation of people of African descent delivered by presidents and presidential candidates in countries where there was a substantial Afro descendant population.

According to data from the International Labor Organization (ILO), of the total of the domestic servants in Brazil, more than 500,000 are children and adolescents, mostly female and half of those girls are Afro descendents.

Promotion and protection of Ibero American cultural identities including, in particular, those of indigenous and Afro descendant population groups and the range of languages and traditions that constitute and enrich them, as well as their creative capacities

Although not specifically directed at women, the affirmative action policy adopted by the Ministry for External Relations to encourage the entrance of Afro descendents into the diplomatic career has also resulted in the entrance of black women.

In January 2005, her Government had established a national institute for the development of Andean, Amazonian and Afro Peruvian peoples, which directed national policies on indigenous peoples and coordinated implementation of programmes relating to their rights and development.