This book was written as a dissertation for the Doctorate of Laws, University of Amsterdam. I am most grateful, first of all, to Professor A. J. P. Tammes, who acted as Promotor. Throughout my working at this study he managed to afford at the same time guidance, inspiration, and complete freedom. I have also benefited much from the suggestions and advice of Dr. Th. e. van Boven of the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Member of the U.N. Commission on Human Rights, who was a very helpful Co referent. In earlier stages of the work, the critical remarks by Mr. S. A. Kuipers, Dr. H. Meijers and Miss J. M. van Wouw were of great im portance to me. So was the experience of participating in the program of graduate studies of the Columbia University School of Law, in I968- I969. lowe gratitude to the Amsterdam Law Faculty for having offered this opportunity to me. I am indebted to Miss Sinja Alma for her transforming a chaotic manuscript into a neat typescript in a most capable and patient manner; to Miss E. D. ]. ]ongens for her assistance in sorting out the United Nations documentation; and to Howard S. Gold (Gersono vitch), who was so kind as to correct the faults in my English. Since I went on tinkering with the text I am to blame for all linguistic errors in it. The research for this study was concluded in October, I972.

History of discrimination and equal opportunity under international law - discusses replacement of minority group protection by human rights; covers racial discrimination, sex discrimination, language discrimination and religious discrimination; examines role of UN and specialized agencies, role of ILO and ILO Conventions, judicial decisions, etc.

The principle of non-discrimination underlies society's goal of achieving relative equality among all human beings. This book by an internationally acclaimed practitioner provides the materials necessary for understanding how international law protects individuals from the discrimination. It includes treaties, other instruments, cases, and a concise description of the law. ISBN 978-0-9743-5704-1.

Doctor Hyder's meticulous and comprehensive study throws much needed light on the often invoked but little understood concept of "discrimination" in international law. It is also of great practical value to those who are concerned with the law of international trade. "Discrimination" is a word with bad connotations. It suggests un fairness, prejudice and favouritism. It seems to point to adeparture from the ideal of equal opportunities, equal rewards and even-handed legal protection of all human beings without regard to differences of race, religion, ethnic origin or sex. Similarly, in public international law "discrimination" suggests violation of the principle of equality of states. Yet there are vast areas of international relations in whieh states are regarded as being legally free, except as specially provided in treaties, to make distinctions between other states or their nationals. The principle of equality of states merely means that the many rules constituting what is often called "general (or universal) international law" apply equally to all independent states. Hence, by definition, such states have equal rights and duties under general international law. But the latter leaves vast areas of transnational activity to be regulated by states at their discretion either unilaterally or by special agreement with other states. No state has, in fact, exactly the same totality of rights and duties as other states, since no two states are parties to exactly the same treaties. By treaty, astate often grants to another state a right which it may withhold from third states.

Marrying legal doctrine from five pioneering and conversant jurisdictions with contemporary political philosophy, this book provides a general theory of discrimination law. Part I gives a theoretically rigorous account of the identity and scope of discrimination law: what makes a legal norm a norm of discrimination law? What is the architecture of discrimination law? Unlike the approach popular with most textbooks, the discussion eschews list-based discussions of protected grounds, instead organising the doctrine in a clear thematic structure. This definitional preamble sets the agenda for the next two parts. Part II draws upon the identity and structure of discrimination law to consider what the point of this area of law is. Attention to legal doctrine rules out many answers that ideologically-entrenched writers have offered to this question. The real point of discrimination law, this Part argues, is to remove abiding, pervasive, and substantial relative group disadvantage. This objective is best defended on liberal rather than egalitarian grounds. Having considered its overall purpose, Part III gives a theoretical account of the duties imposed by discrimination law. A common definition of the antidiscrimination duty accommodates tools as diverse as direct and indirect discrimination, harassment, and reasonable accommodation. These different tools are shown to share a common normative concern and a single analytical structure. Uniquely in the literature, this Part also defends the imposition of these duties only to certain duty-bearers in specified contexts. Finally, the conditions under which affirmative action is justified are explained.

Group hatred, disregard for the collective aspirations of religious, ethnic or cultural minorities, genocide, ethnic cleansing, apartheid, and anti-Semitism have been at the roots of the greatest tragedies of our time and are a source of internal and international conflict. This volume studies this wide range of problems from the perspective of modern human rights law, with special emphasis on racism and religious intolerance. Also dealt with are measures adopted, or to be taken, for the protection of specific groups, including indigenous populations and migrant workers, as well as the present situation regarding the conventions against genodice, discrimination in education and labour, and the steps and declarations for the strenghtening of group identity and their advancement. Special areas such as slavery, affirmative action, and modern models to preserve the collective personality are also discussed, including protective penal measures.

The Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination is the centrepiece of international efforts to address racial discrimination, defined in broad terms to include discrimination based on race, colour, descent, or national or ethnic origin. Victims of discrimination within the scope of the Convention include minorities, indigenous peoples, non-citizens, and caste or descent groups. Virtually all national societies are diverse in terms of ethnicity or 'race' and none is free from discrimination, making it one of the great issues of our time. Against the background of international human rights standards and mechanisms to counter racial and ethnic discrimination, this book provides the first comprehensive legal analysis of the provisions of the Convention on an article-by article basis. The book addresses the place of the Convention within the broader framework of international action against discrimination. The different chapters analyse and discuss broad topics of race, ethnicity, and international law, the genesis and drafting of the Convention, the aims and objectives of the Convention in light of its preamble, and principles of non-discrimination and equality. In particular, the book includes a critical appraisal of the contribution of the Convention to the eradication of racial discrimination. It also reflects on whether there is scope for modification of the substance or procedures of the Convention in light of challenges arising from enhanced transnational population movements, the intersection between discrimination on the ground of race and discrimination against religious communities, and the intersection of racial and gender-based discrimination.