Amnesty International recently expressed strong support for a new report issued by the United Nations Intergovernmental Working Group on the Effective Implementation of the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action (DDPA). The organization voiced its approval of a more elaborate draft UN declaration that addresses the “respect, protection and fulfilment” of human rights for people of African descent globally. Amnesty International has called on the international community to actively engage with the declaration by collaborating with communities and individuals of African descent.
The most recent report, published last year, emphasized the crucial role of the DDPA in enhancing existing frameworks like the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the Vienna Declaration and the Programme of Action, and the Program of Activities for the International Decade for People of African Descent, all of which aim to combat racial discrimination worldwide.
The report indicated a growing concern over the increase in racial discrimination and hate speech incidents. It also pointed out the limited progress made in implementing the DDPA’s objectives, specifically highlighting that postcolonial structures perpetuate racial discrimination, particularly within sectors related to wealth creation, thereby exacerbating poverty rates among people of African descent. Furthermore, the report identifies various forms of discrimination faced by this demographic, including not only race and ethnicity but also gender, sexual orientation, religion, and language.
The document is a part of the continuous monitoring of global progress toward executing the Programme of Activities for the International Decade for People of African Descent resolution. This resolution endeavors to eliminate racism by promoting the visibility and recognition of people of African descent, while encouraging political involvement and monitoring the adoption of affirmative action policies by states. It also assesses actions undertaken by member states, the UN, and other stakeholders to implement the DDPA, offering follow-up measures aimed at enhancing the program. These measures include advocating for reparatory justice to rectify historical injustices, such as those borne from colonialism, slavery, the transatlantic slave trade, and racial apartheid.
For further details, the original statement by Amnesty International can be found here.