People of African Descent Marked in Observance Worldwide

The United Nations has launched the Second International Decade for People of African Descent, a global initiative focused on advancing equality and justice. The decade, formally adopted in December 2024 by the General Assembly, runs from January 1, 2025, to December 31, 2034, and carries the theme “People of African Descent: Recognition, Justice, and Development.”

This initiative builds upon the previous decade’s efforts and aims to foster collaboration among governments, organizations, and communities to create a more equitable future where the rights and contributions of people of African descent are fully recognized and celebrated.

Honoring the Contributions of the African Diaspora

The year 2024 marked the conclusion of the first International Decade for People of African Descent, which recognized people in the Americas of African descent as a distinct group whose human rights require safeguarding. The United Nations aims to promote the contributions of the African diaspora worldwide and eliminate all forms of discrimination against people of African descent through this observance. The UN emphasizes that all human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights, rejecting any doctrine of racial superiority.

The United Nations strongly condemns the violent practices and excessive use of force by law enforcement agencies against Africans and people of African descent, as well as structural racism in criminal justice systems globally. The organization acknowledges the Transatlantic Slave Trade as a dark chapter in human history and upholds human dignity and equality for victims of slavery, the slave trade, and colonialism, particularly those in the African diaspora.

International Decade for People of African Descent (2015-2024)

The International Decade aimed to celebrate the contributions of people of African descent worldwide, advance social justice and inclusion policies, eradicate racism and intolerance, promote human rights, and support the Sustainable Development Goals.

Progress and Challenges

While some progress was made at legislative, policy, and institutional levels during the 2015-2024 International Decade, people of African descent continue to face intersectional and compounded forms of racial discrimination, marginalization, and exclusion. The COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 highlighted the urgency of addressing long-standing structural inequalities and systematic racism in health. Lack of recognition remains a significant barrier to the full and effective enjoyment of human rights by people of African descent.

The murder of George Floyd in 2020 spurred global protests against racism and racial discrimination, prompting important discussions on racial justice. Subsequently, the Human Rights Council adopted a resolution on the “Promotion and protection of the human rights and fundamental freedoms of Africans and people of African descent against excessive use of force and other human rights violations by law enforcement officers,” leading to an agenda towards transformative change for racial justice and equality.

Societies worldwide are increasingly recognizing the role of structural racism in driving social, economic, and political inequalities. Several countries have made racial profiling and discrimination illegal and introduced policies to promote the rights and choices of people of African descent. Governments have accelerated efforts to make Afrodescendants more statistically visible to address historical injustices and bridge gaps in access to healthcare, social services, and opportunities. Further action, political will, and investments are needed to end inequalities and ensure the full empowerment of people of African descent.

The Underground Railroad: A Secret Path to Freedom over Niagara Falls | Global Lens

This episode of Global Lens examines the pivotal role of the Underground Railroad in establishing African American resistance and celebrates the courage of those who helped others escape, including Harriet Tubman. The episode features educator, author, and human rights advocate Saladin Allah, a descendant of Underground Railroad forerunner Josiah Henson, whose life inspired Harriet Beecher Stowe’s novel Uncle Tom’s Cabin. As a visitor experience specialist at the Niagara Falls Underground Railroad Heritage Center, Allah emphasizes the importance of education and historical truth-telling in achieving recognition of past wrongdoing and working toward a more just world.