Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination is an international treaty (agreement between countries) against racism and racial segregation as one of the series of international human rights law. The United Nations adopted the convention on 21 December 1965 in response to the apartheid policy of South Africa at that time. It came into effect on 4 January 1969. As of April 2019, 88 countries agreed to follow the rules of the Convention, and 190 countries agree in principle.