The Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination is holding its 72nd session in Geneva, Switzerland this week to review anti-discrimination efforts undertaken by various parties to the Convention, including the United States. The 18-member Committee will review the report submitted by the U.S. State Department on the government's efforts to comply with the Convention. Government representatives will be on hand to answer the Committee's questions as well.

Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) have the opportunity to be a part of the U.N. Committee's review of the U.S. by testifying at the hearings. The role of NGOs is to address the omissions, deficiencies, or inaccuracies in the U.S. government's official report. Such information is vital in assisting the Committee in their assessment of the U.S. compliance with this international human rights treaty.

A number of Midwest Coalition members will be testifying in Geneva, including representatives from the Jewish Council on Urban Affairs, Northwestern University School of Law, the Coalition to Protect Public Housing, and the ACLU; along with two of our Individual Experts, Nancy Bothne, a PhD student in Chicago, and Joey Mogul, an attorney with the People's Law Office in Chicago.

Two of our members are posting updates and recent developments from Geneva on their organization's blogs. Check them out!

ACLU Blog

DGAP Blog - Developing Government Accountability to the People, Chicago, IL