The United States is striving to eliminate all forms of racial discrimination in accordance with the ICERD Convention.

Phan Sương•12/12/2023

Racism remains a serious problem not only in the United States but also in many other parts of the world . It is a complex issue that has existed for centuries and requires significant effort from nations to address. Consequently, racism is also a central focus of global human rights conventions.

In an effort to achieve its human rights goals, the United States signed the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (ICERD) in 1966 and formally ratified it in 1994.

CERD is designed to protect vulnerable individuals and groups from racial discrimination, whether intentional or resulting from seemingly neutral policies. By joining the convention, the United States is obligated to implement its provisions, including conducting periodic compliance assessments by the United Nations Commission on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination.

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The US has implemented numerous measures in an effort to eliminate all forms of racial discrimination within the country. (Photo: Istockphoto)

Enacting numerous laws in various areas.

In 2021, the United States released a periodic report on its anti-racism efforts to the Commission on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD). The report details the measures the U.S. has taken to address racial discrimination domestically. This report assesses U.S. efforts since its last submission on June 12, 2013.

Acknowledging contributions from federal government agencies, the 2021 report highlighted actions taken to address racial discrimination in America.

First, regarding the issue of advancing a Whole-Government Approach to Equity and Racial Equality, President Biden signed Executive Order 13985 directing federal agencies to take a comprehensive approach to advancing equity for all citizens, including people of color and other marginalized groups. He directed the White House to implement this move on his first day in office.

The target group consists of individuals who lack adequate access to welfare, are marginalized, and are negatively impacted by persistent poverty and inequality. The Executive Order stipulates that promoting justice, civil rights, racial harmony, and equal opportunity is the responsibility of the entire U.S. government.

Secondly, regarding healthcare, the U.S. passed Executive Order 13995, and President Biden established the Health Equity Task Force during the COVID-19 pandemic. This task force supports recommendations to eliminate health and social inequalities, a factor contributing to higher rates of COVID-19 infection, hospitalization, and death for certain groups. Simultaneously, the task force aims to prevent such inequalities from recurring in the future.

The task force has established a subcommittee on the causes of health inequality and xenophobia. This committee will make recommendations to ensure that the Federal Government's handling of the COVID-19 pandemic will promote a fair recovery from the crisis and mitigate xenophobia and anti-Asian bias.

During his first week in office, President Biden also signed a memorandum condemning and opposing racism against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in the United States. The memorandum acknowledges that during the COVID-19 crisis, political leaders sometimes further fueled discrimination and animosity toward Asian Americans, including the criticism that COVID-19 originated in Asia.

Such statements have fueled unfounded fears and discrimination against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, contributing to increased rates of bullying, harassment, and hate speech against them. The President's memorandum calls on all federal agencies to engage in preventing harassment and ending anti-Asian American sentiment.

In an effort to prevent gender- and racial violence, since 2015, the Department of Justice has implemented the Community Engagement Program, providing direct access to federal criminal information databases, allowing racial communities to submit criminal records and histories so that those who have committed domestic violence are not allowed to purchase and own guns. [caption id="attachment_588087" align="alignnone" width="795"]

Anti-racism march in the US. (Photo: AP)

Regarding immigration, the United States has made a commitment to a fair and orderly immigration system that welcomes immigrants, unites families, and allows immigrants to contribute as much as native-born citizens. Executive Order 13993 of the President on Amendments to Civil Immigration Policies and Priorities communicates these current fundamental values and priorities for immigration law enforcement.

In May, President Biden also signed into law the COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act, a bipartisan law that will accelerate and strengthen the federal government's response to hate crimes and biased acts of violence. Additionally, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Office of Civil Rights and Liberties (CRCL) leads the Task Force on Equality to ensure that principles of racial justice are implemented throughout policies, programs, and operations.

Regarding racial equality with climate change, the U.S. is committed to addressing climate change and helping communities adapt to it, including vulnerable populations and communities of color. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has developed a framework to ensure resilience to climate impacts for vulnerable groups, including identifying high-risk communities and incorporating legislation, equity, and diversity into climate adaptation plans.

Agencies, including the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), are tasked with collecting data related to the health impacts of climate change on communities of color.

Regarding voting rights, the U.S. issued Executive Order 14019 to promote access to voting rights, using federal resources to increase access to voter registration services and election information, including for citizens in federal detention; established an interagency steering group on Native American voting rights; and directed the Attorney General to assist in re-issuing identification documents to individuals who have been incarcerated, so that they are eligible to vote.

Additionally, during his term, President Biden directed the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to address racially discriminatory federal housing policies that have perpetuated wealth inequality for generations.

In education, in 2019, the University Talent Advancement Act (FUTURE) was enacted, providing long-term funding for Black colleges and universities (HBCUs), tribal colleges and universities (TCUs), and organizations such as Hispanic organizations, as well as Asian American and Pacific Islander organizations, and other minority organizations. In 2021, the U.S. Department of Education (ED) settled approximately $1.6 billion in debt for 45 individual HBCUs under the HBCU Capital Grant Program.

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