People of African Descent | United Nations

Background

Around 200 million people identifying themselves as being of African descent live in the Americas. Many millions more live in other parts of the world, outside of the African continent.

Whether as descendants of the victims of the transatlantic slave trade or as more recent migrants, they constitute some of the poorest and most marginalized groups.

For centuries, people of African descent were marginalized as part of the legacy of slavery and colonialism. There is a growing consensus that racism and racial discrimination have caused people of African descent to be held back in many aspects of public life. They have suffered exclusion and poverty and are often ’invisible‘ in official statistics. There has been progress, but the situation persists, to varying degrees, in many parts of the world.

Poverty

The factors that lead to poverty among people of African descent are mainly structural. Discrimination is apparent in the unequal access these groups have to basic services. People of African descent are often disadvantaged, for example, in access to education, healthcare, markets, loans and technology.

Let’s turn this around

Social investment in childhood and youth as a strategy to combat poverty, has been proposed as an approach that could help prevent the continued exclusion of a new generation of people of African descent from the benefits of economic, social and human development.

The discrimination faced by people of African descent is now receiving greater attention and as a result, Afro-descendant groups have increasingly made their voices heard in the policy process.

 

Agenda towards transformative change for racial justice and equality

On 28 June 2021, OHCHR released the High Commissioner’s groundbreaking report on racial justice and equality, pursuant to Human Rights Council resolution 43/1, adopted by consensus in June 2020 following an urgent debate on “current racially inspired human rights violations, systemic racism, police brutality and violence against peaceful protests”.

The report introduces a four-point agenda to end systemic racism and human rights violations by law enforcement against Africans and people of African descent. The High Commissioner calls upon States and the Human Rights Council to:

• STEP UP: Stop denying and start dismantling
• PURSUE JUSTICE: End impunity and build trust
• LISTEN UP: People of African descent must be heard
• REDRESS: Confront past legacies, take special measures and deliver reparatory justice

 

UN Action

Conferences – a platform for voicing concerns and generating movements

The impact of the 2001 World Conference against Racism on people of African descent, particularly in the Latin American and Caribbean region, was substantial.

Furthermore, it generated a movement advocating for the promotion and protection of their human rights that has helped strengthen grassroots campaigns around the world.

Intergovernmental cooperation

On an inter-governmental level, the Working Group of Experts on People of African Descent and the Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of racism, the Independent Expert on minority issues and the Committee on the Elimination of racial discrimination have consistently taken up Afro-descendant issues.

Resolutions

The International Decade for People of African Descent, proclaimed by General Assembly resolution 68/237 and to be observed from 2015 to 2024, provides a solid framework for the United Nations, Member States, civil society and all other relevant actors to join together with people of African descent and take effective measures for the implementation of the programme of activities in the spirit of recognition, justice and development.

 

National empowerment policies

At the national level, many countries have amended their constitutions to include clearer references to their multicultural characters. Some States have created national institutions to promote racial equality. In some countries, legislation has been adopted, which includes affirmative action policies for education, targeted health programmes and other initiatives of interest to people of African descent.

Sustainable Development Goals

In 2015, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) were adopted by all UN Member States.

This table shows how anti-discrimination helps to support the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

 

Where are we?

Although these processes have resulted in more visibility for people of African descent and to some extent have increased their empowerment, there are still problems in ensuring they are not excluded from fully exercising their human rights.

Governments, law and practice

Concrete action is needed to end racial discrimination. The commemoration of the 75th anniversary of the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights gives States an impetus to take prompt and robust steps, in law and in practice, to advance equality and combat racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance. UN Human Rights Chief open letter

COVID-19 Pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic has exposed glaring inequalities in society, by disproportionately affecting those whose rights have been denied by systemic racial discrimination and the legacy of racism [UN News article: No ‘fix’ to police violence, without tackling scourge in society, says rights chief].

Black Lives Matter

The worldwide protests led by the US-based Black Lives Matter movement prompted the UN Human Rights Council to adopt resolution 43/1, mandating Member States to look at systemic racism and human rights violations by law enforcement agencies against Africans and people of African descent – and to contribute to accountability and redress for victims.