On this day in 1959, the United Nations General Assembly adopted Resolution 1375 (XIV) condemning South Africa's Apartheid policies at its 838th plenary meeting in New York.
The resolution expressed "deep conviction" that racial discrimination violated human rights and fundamental freedoms. It noted with concern that Apartheid policies continued despite previous UN appeals, specifically referencing Resolution 1248 (XIII) from October 1958.
The General Assembly made four key declarations:
- Opposition to racial discrimination anywhere in the world
- A call for all Member States to uphold their Charter obligations regarding human rights
- Deep regret that South Africa had ignored previous UN appeals
- An appeal for Member States to use "best endeavours" to oppose apartheid
While the resolution used diplomatic language - "appeals" and "regret" rather than stronger condemnations - it marked an important step in building international opposition to apartheid. The deliberately vague phrase "best endeavours as appropriate" allowed countries to maintain economic ties with South Africa while claiming moral opposition to its racial policies.
This resolution laid groundwork for stronger UN actions in subsequent decades, including the 1962 establishment of the Special Committee Against Apartheid and eventual comprehensive sanctions. Though it lacked enforcement mechanisms, Resolution 1375 (XIV) provided legitimacy to anti-Apartheid activists and established the principle that systematic racial discrimination was a matter of international concern, not merely South Africa's internal affair.
The adoption occurred as newly independent African and Asian states were joining the UN, shifting the organization's composition and strengthening the anti-Apartheid bloc that would intensify pressure on South Africa throughout the 1960s and beyond.