Consultative
Council of Jewish Organisations
From:
Chairman Clemens N Nathan
The
Consultative Council of Jewish Organisations (CCJO) was
established as an NGO (non-governmental organisation) at
the United Nations in 1946 by Jewish organisations frorn
both sides of the Atlantic to encourage the recognition
of human rights for all people and to ensure the input of
the Jewish ethical tradition in the development of international
human rights law. The CCJO’s first President was Rene
Cassin, a principal drafter of the UN Declaration of Human
Rights, who was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1968 in
recognition of his work for human rights as a jurist, academic
and statesman. The CCJ0 has been an active supporter of
efforts to increase the effectiveness of the UN’s human
rights treaties and institutional mechanisms in the intervening
decades. From the 1940s to the 1970s it was involved in
the creation of the United Nations human rights instruments,
which form the basis of the UN’s human rights activities
today. The CCJO’s constituent organisations at present
are the Anglo-Jewish Association, the Alliance Israelite
Universelle, the American Friends of the Alliance, and the
Canadian Friends of the Alliance.
As
an NGO with special consultative status at the United Nations
(as well as at UNESCO) the CCJO participates in Human Rights
meetings, including the Commission on Human Rights and the
Sub-Commission on the Promotion and Protection of Human
Rights. It closely follows international human rights problems
and developments, and has taken a particular interest in
the establishment of an international criminal court. Recent
CCJO briefings have been presented to various international
bodies on subjects ranging from the conflicts in the former
Yugoslavia to problems relating to laws dealing with the
migration of workers.
Criteria
for Papers
The
CCJO is currently developing a new series of projects in
furtherance of its fundamental aims. One of these is in
connection with the World Conference against Racism, Racial
Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance to be
held in South Africa in August 2001. Contemporary issues
of racism and discrimination are arising that may not have
been adequately treated in existing instruments, and the
effectiveness of current international machinery needs to
be re-examined.
The
CCJO wishes to encourage an innovative and dynamic approach
to these issues, and for this purpose invites the submission
of scholarly papers, 30 to 40 pages (double-spaced), on
different aspects of racism and racial discrimination. The
intention is not to promote any particular agenda, but rather
to stimulate debate by presenting varied viewpoints.
The
following topics are likely to be among those to be addressed
at the World Congress:
-religious
freedom
-the scope and limits of restitution and compensation for
victims of discrimination
-the treatment of racism and discrimination by the UN system
-developments in the field of racism and discrimination
in European law (EU and Council of Europe)
- racism and the internet
-refugees, internally displaced persons, asylurn seekers
-racism and the media
-racism and the criminal justice system.
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