On February 22, various national government officials made public statements announcing the decision to eliminate the National Institute against Discrimination, Xenophobia and Racism (INADI). Even in the absence of a regulation, different authorities of the national government celebrated the decision in the context of deeply stigmatizing statements regarding the agency and its workers.
The work of INADI is extremely important for the implementation of public policies against discrimination and in favor of equality both in terms of racism and xenophobia and in relation to vulnerable groups such as LGBTIQ+ groups, people with disabilities and religious minorities, among others.
The decision to eliminate the entity jeopardizes the international commitments assumed by the Argentine State with respect to CERD, generates uncertainty regarding the ongoing work and the situation of the organization’s employees, and evidences the intention to cut its functions under the excuse of budgetary adjustment.
For this reason, we sent CERD a follow-up communication on the implementation of the Convention in the country and the Committee’s Concluding Observations on Argentina’s latest periodic reports, among which it positively assessed the work of INADI and recommended increasing its human and financial resources to continue expanding its territorial presence and strengthening its capacities.
Read the communication here (in Spanish)