Canada-led resolution on inclusion at the Organisation of American States, June 2018

Since March 2017, we have built on the success of the Canada-led Joint Statement on the Power of Inclusion and the Benefits of Diversity. We have collaborated with member countries of the Organization of American States (OAS) to develop a resolution that advances this joint statement.

Working closely with the OAS Secretariat for Access to Rights and Equity, Canada sponsored a resolution text in the human rights resolution Promotion and Protection of Human Rights AG/RES. 2928 (XLVIII-O/18) presented to the OAS General Assembly.

These paragraphs, entitled The power of inclusion and the benefits of diversity, were co-sponsored by Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Haiti, Mexico, Panama, Peru and Uruguay and adopted by consensus during the OAS General Assembly on June 4 to 5, 2018.

The power of inclusion and the benefits of diversity ^{Footnote 1}

RECALLING that all human rights are universal, indivisible, interdependent, and inter-related and that everyone is entitled to enjoy these rights equally and without distinction; and that the principle of non-discrimination guarantees the exercise of these rights without discrimination of any kind,

NOTING WITH ALARM that there continue to be reports from across the region regarding acts and expressions of exclusion, xenophobia, racism and discrimination in its multiple forms; and

REAFFIRMING that the inherent dignity and the equal and inalienable rights of all members of the human family are the foundation of freedom, justice and peace, and that social inclusion is an essential precondition to the full realization of human dignity, respect for human rights, sustainable development and lasting peace in our democratic societies,

RESOLVES:

1. To recognize inclusion as the full and meaningful participation of all persons, without discrimination of any kind, in economic, social, cultural, civic and political life.
2. To reaffirm that inclusion is a precondition to the full realization of every person’s unique potential and that inclusive democratic societies recognize and respect diversity as a source of strength and cherish such diversity as an asset for the advancement and welfare of their populations.
3. To urge member states to continue their efforts towards building more inclusive communities that cement respect for the inherent dignity of the person and that foster a greater degree of economic, social, cultural, civil and political well-being for all by:
• Taking steps to design and implement inclusive legislation and public policies, programs, services and institutions across all sectors, including progressive reviews of existing systems, conducive to removing existing barriers to inclusion and building sustainable democratic societies;
• Promoting a culture of inclusion that respects diversity, through political leadership and an enabling environment for civil society, championing initiatives that bridge differences and foster understanding and mutual respect between those from different backgrounds, perspectives and identities.
4. To request the Committee on Juridical and Political Affairs to organize, within existing resources, a special meeting where member states may share lessons learned and exchange good practices to advance the goals of this resolution, and to present the results of that meeting to the Permanent Council prior to the forty-ninth regular session of the General Assembly.