United Nations General Assembly Resolution 1761 was passed on 6 November 1962 in response to the

racist Racism is the belief that groups of humans possess different behavioral traits corresponding to inherited attributes and can be divided based on the superiority of one race over another. It may also mean prejudice, discrimination, or antagonism ...

policies of

apartheid Apartheid (, especially South African English: , ; , "aparthood") was a system of institutionalised racial segregation that existed in South Africa and South West Africa (now Namibia) from 1948 to the early 1990s. Apartheid was ...

established by the

South Africa South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the south by of coastline that stretch along the South Atlantic and Indian Oceans; to the north by the neighbouring coun ...

n Government.

Condemnation of apartheid

The resolution deemed apartheid and the policies enforcing it to be a violation of South Africa's obligations under the

UN Charter The Charter of the United Nations (UN) is the foundational treaty of the UN, an intergovernmental organization. It establishes the purposes, governing structure, and overall framework of the UN system, including its six principal organs: th ...

and a threat to international peace and security.

Call for a voluntary boycott

Additionally, the resolution requested Member States to break off diplomatic relations with South Africa, to cease trading with South Africa (arms exports in particular), and to deny passage to South African ships and aircraft.

Establishment of the UN Special Committee on Apartheid

The resolution also established the United Nations Special Committee against Apartheid.The Anti-Apartheid Movement, Britain and South Africa: Anti-Apartheid Protest vs Real Politik
, Arianna Lisson, PhD Dissertation, September 15, 2000 The committee was originally boycotted by the Western nations, because of their disagreement with the aspects of the resolution calling for the boycott of South Africa. Even so, the committee found allies in the West, such as the British-based

Anti-Apartheid Movement The Anti-Apartheid Movement (AAM), was a British organisation that was at the centre of the international movement opposing the South African apartheid system and supporting South Africa's non-White population who were persecuted by the policie ...

, through which it could work and lay the ground roots for the eventual acceptance by the Western powers of the need to impose economic sanctions on South Africa to pressure for political changes."AAM and UN: partners in the international campaign against apartheid" i
The Anti-Apartheid Movement: A 40-year Perspective
, E S Reddy, 25–26 June 1999

References

1761 International opposition to apartheid in South Africa Boycotts of apartheid South Africa 1962 in law 1962 in the United Nations 1962 in South Africa November 1962 events South Africa and the United Nations {{Apartheid-sa-stub

Condemnation of apartheid

Call for a voluntary boycott

Establishment of the UN Special Committee on Apartheid

See also

References