New York: Europe and the Arabs
"Commitment to ending racism in all its forms and addressing the root causes of racial discrimination, as the legacy of colonialism and slavery continues to poison the world," was the call made at the opening of the fourth session of the United Nations Permanent Forum on People of African Descent, which began with a performance by a renowned American gospel music group. According to the UN Daily News Bulletin, a copy of which we received on Tuesday morning, the President of the UN General Assembly, Philemon Yang, was the first speaker at the opening session of the forum, which began Monday and will continue until April 17. He said, "It is encouraging to see this strong gathering. It is truly fitting for one of the most prominent platforms of the United Nations dedicated to the voices and rights of people of African descent."
Yang emphasized the importance of this forum in enriching critical deliberations, which require reflection on the deep scars left by slavery, colonialism, and the transatlantic slave trade, as well as on the legacy of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia, and related intolerance. He noted the launch of the Second International Decade for People of African Descent as a significant achievement, emphasizing the global commitment to justice, recognition of rights, and development.
The theme of this year's Forum is "Africa and People of African Descent: United for Restorative Justice in the Age of Artificial Intelligence." It aims to address restorative justice for the historical legacy of slavery and colonialism, with a focus on its impact in the current digital age, where emerging technologies may replicate systemic inequalities.
The President of the General Assembly emphasized the importance of ensuring that emerging technologies, such as artificial intelligence, do not reinforce racism or systematic exclusion.
He explained that artificial intelligence can be a tool for advancing racial equality, but only if it is developed and managed in ways that promote human rights and ensure equal opportunities.
The Scourge of Racism
"We continue to witness the scourge of racism, which blights lives and stains communities," said UN Secretary-General António Guterres, in a statement delivered on his behalf by his Chef de Cabinet, Earl Courtenay Rattray. He emphasized that people of African descent continue to face injustice, exclusion, systematic discrimination, and violence. Rattray noted that the Forum was established to amplify the voices of people of African descent and accelerate progress towards dignity, justice, and equality. He said that key objectives include the need for reparative justice frameworks grounded in international human rights law and developed with the active participation of affected communities.
He urged international action to ensure that AI technologies promote equality, inclusion, and digital justice, and also called for investment in capacity development to enable people of African descent to shape and manage AI technologies.
He emphasized the importance of continuing efforts to combat racism in all its forms, particularly that rooted in laws, policies, and institutions, and called on states to fulfill their obligations under the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action, a UN plan to combat racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia, and related intolerance globally.
The Promise to End Racial Discrimination
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk delivered a recorded video message to the Forum, in which he addressed the sixtieth anniversary of the adoption of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination, noting the progress made since that time. However, he emphasized that "the promise to end racial discrimination has not yet been fulfilled." He pointed to ongoing human rights violations rooted in systemic racism that impacts all aspects of the lives of people of African descent.
Türk noted that "digital technologies contribute to the entrenchment of these injustices." He emphasized that states, corporations, universities, religious groups, and others must acknowledge their role in perpetuating and benefiting from enslavement and colonialism.
He emphasized that "reparative justice is about uncovering and reconciling the truth of our shared history." He urged action through acknowledgment, apologies, reparations, and educational reforms.
He revealed that his report, which he will present to the Human Rights Council in September, will focus on reparative justice, adding, "I hope it will assist states and others in their efforts to make progress on this issue."
A Role in Addressing Inequalities
UNFPA Executive Director Dr. Natalia Kanem spoke about the Fund's role in addressing inequalities, as it helps countries disaggregate population data by race and ethnicity "to lift the veil of invisibility from groups that are often overlooked." She noted that, with UNFPA support, 22 countries in Latin America and the Caribbean are including self-identification in their population censuses. She also added that UNFPA is taking action to address reproductive health disparities, noting that women and adolescent girls of African descent are most at risk of maternal mortality and teenage pregnancy.