The U.N. Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD) said after examining the U.S. progress report that its racial and ethnic discrimination remains a serious and persistent problem in all areas of life, and condemned the excessive use of force by law enforcement. 

The U.N. racism watchdog's conclusion comes after a panel of 18 independent experts grilled a senior U.S. delegation earlier this month and reviewed reports from stake holders like the American Civil Liberties Union, about the persistent racial discrimination against African-Americans and other minorities, including within the criminal justice system.  

"U.S. Ambassdor Keith Harper told the panel his nation had made "great strides toward eliminating racial discrimination but conceded that "we have much left to do," according to Reuters.

The review comes during CERD's 85th session on how countries are implementing provisions of its treaty. Along with the U.S., the panel reviewed reports from El Salvador, Peru, Cameroon, Iraq, Japan and Estonia.

"Racial and ethnic discrimination remains a serious and persistent problem (in the U.S.) in all areas of life from de facto school segregation, access to health care and housing," said Noureddine Amir, CERD committee vice chairman. 

The panel recommended the creation of a centralized mechanism, "a national human rights institution" to ensure compliance with the CERD treaty that would monitor domestic laws and policies and carry out anti-discriminiation training and awareness-raising activities at federal, state and local levels.

The panel also recommended the implementation of a law to prohibit law enforcement officials engaging in racial profiling and revising policies that permit racial profiling and illegal surveillance, and ending immigration enforcement programs and policies that indirectly promote racial profiling such as the Secure Communities program and the 287(g) program.

The panel met as the protests unfolded over the shooting death of black teen Michael Brown by a white police officer in Ferguson, Missouri, protests which became an international view on race relations in the U.S.

"The excessive use of force by law enforcement officials against racial and ethnic minorities is an ongoing issue of concern and particularly in light of the shooting of Michael Brown."

The panel said in its conclusions, "The committee remains concerned about the practice of racial profiling of racial and ethnic minorities by law enforcement officials, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Transportation Security Administration, border enforcement officials and local police."

The eighty-sixth session of the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination will take place from 27 April to 15 May 2015, during which it will review the reports of Sudan, Germany, Guatemala, France, Bosnia & Herzegovina and Denmark.