Positive discrimination as a means of counteracting racism and forms of discrimination

18. Regarding "good practices to promote" and more especially what is called "positive discrimination" or "affirmative distinctions", it is well known that the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination, of 21 December 1965, envisages in Article 1, 4 the possibility of adopting special measures "for the sole purpose of securing adequate advancement of certain racial or ethnic groups or individuals requiring such protection as may be necessary in order to ensure such groups or individuals equal enjoyment or exercise of human rights ... " (the Holy See ratified this Convention in 1969; see CR, Part IV, n. 30. See also the Holy See's Report to CERD, n. 4 k:  "So far as the International Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Racial Discrimination is concerned, the Holy See takes special pleasure in reiterating its support of the Convention as the Catholic Church considers it its duty to preach the equal dignity of all human beings, created by God in His image"). On this basis of "affirmative action", various countries have adopted legislation providing special protection notably for indigenous peoples and minorities. These voluntary measures are intended to ensure effective recognition of the equality of all, for example by facilitating access to bank loans for a particular category of the population. There are different systems of applying such measures:  the many more or less obligatory provisions for affirmative action, the system of quotas imposing a fixed percentage of one or other group of people (in public employment, schools, universities, elections ...), etc.