Addressing Lasting Impacts of Slavery and Colonialism

Philémon Yang, addressing a high-level meeting at UN Headquarters, marked the conclusion of the International Decade for People of African Descent. The decade served as a platform to recognize the contributions of this population and address the racial injustice they have faced.

Progress and Ongoing Challenges

The International Decade, proclaimed by the General Assembly, included a program of activities and measures to promote inclusion and combat racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia, and related intolerance. Notable achievements include the establishment of a Permanent Forum on People of African Descent, reporting to the UN Human Rights Council, and the declaration of July 25 as the International Day of Women and Girls of African Descent. Several countries have also implemented legislative and policy actions to address issues faced by diaspora communities. Despite this progress, Philémon Yang cautioned against complacency, emphasizing that systemic racism and discrimination persist due to the legacies of enslavement and colonialism. He strongly advocated for continued efforts toward recognition, justice, and development, suggesting consideration of a Second International Decade to sustain these goals.

Call for Accelerated Action

Ilze Brands Kehris, Assistant Secretary-General for Human Rights, speaking on behalf of the Secretary-General, echoed the need for accelerated action and greater collaboration to achieve a world free from racism. She emphasized the importance of learning from the successes of the past decade and building upon them, including the new laws and policies and increased recognition of the contributions of people of African descent. The proclamation of a Second International Decade was deemed key to maintaining this momentum, requiring strong leadership and political will.

Intersectionality and Anti-Blackness

Kimberlé Crenshaw, a civil rights activist and law professor, highlighted the complexities of intersectionality in advancing the full and equal participation of people of African descent. She explained how various forms of inequality, including race, gender, ethnicity, and class, intersect and exacerbate each other. Crenshaw noted that conditions faced by people of African descent globally reflect the intersections of anti-Blackness with social, economic, and historical factors, citing examples such as maternal health disparities and vulnerability to state violence and incarceration. Access to education, political power, and cultural recognition, she argued, must be viewed through an intersectional lens.

Affirming Common Humanity

Crenshaw urged the international community to resist abandoning efforts toward greater inclusion, referencing Nelson Mandela’s assertion that the struggle against apartheid was an affirmation of our common humanity. She concluded by suggesting that a Second Decade for People of African Descent should serve as a reminder of this shared humanity and the principle that no one is truly free until all are free.