A Second International Decade for People of African Descent was proclaimed on December 17. This Second International Decade is an opportunity to take concrete actions to confront the legacies of enslavement and colonialism, deliver reparatory justice, and secure the full human rights and freedoms of people of African descent worldwide.

The first International Decade, while a significant milestone, fell short in delivering transformative change, according to several experts on the human rights of people of African descent. Barbara Reynolds, Chair of the UN Working Group of Experts on People of African Descent (WGEPAD), said that the initial effort increased awareness of anti-Black racism and the human rights of people of African descent but lacked enough political will and investment from Member States.

“It is now time to turn the rhetoric into reality, the acknowledgment into answers and the apologies into action to address the unfinished business of racial justice. For reparatory justice to right historical wrongs. For environmental justice, for sustainable development and for digital justice to assure the future of all peoples,” Reynolds said.

Reynolds highlighted key outcomes of the first International Decade, including increased visibility of Afro-descendant issues, the establishment of the Permanent Forum on People of African Descent (PFPAD), and the ongoing work on the UN declaration on the respect, protection and fulfilment of the human rights of people of African descent. However, much remains to be achieved.

The Chair of the PFPAD, June Soomer, agreed and emphasized that while some gains were achieved, structural inequalities in education, healthcare, housing, economic opportunities, and political representation, persist. She said that systemic racism continues to deprive people of African descent of basic human rights, exacerbated by climate vulnerabilities, digital exclusion, and environmental injustices.

“The fight against racism and racial discrimination is far from over. It is a fight that must not wane but intensify because the vision of a world free from these pervasive scourges remains an urgent and moral imperative for all of us,” Soomer said.

The first International Decade raised global awareness and strengthened legal and institutional frameworks. The UN’s efforts during this period included supporting the development of anti-discrimination laws, national action plans and institutional measures; promoting cultural heritage through initiatives like UNESCO’s “Routes of Enslaved Peoples” and “General History of Africa”; supporting anti-racism education and awareness campaigns globally; as well as equipping people of African descent with tools to claim their rights, for example through the Fellowship programme for people of African descent.

Despite these advances, Soomer noted persistent challenges and the lack of implementation of the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action, a comprehensive international framework for combating racism and racial discrimination.

“The continued challenge of addressing economic empowerment of people of African descent, compounded by limited and even reversal of access to economic opportunities, remains a persistent struggle,” said Soomer. “Health disparities, especially those affecting women and girls of African descent, require urgent and sustained attention.”

UN Human Rights and the path ahead

The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights was the coordinator of the first International Decade’s activities. UN Human Rights encouraged States and other stakeholders to take action, raised awareness on issues affecting people of African descent and fostered greater recognition, respect, and celebration of their diverse heritage and culture.

“We have supported the launch and the implementation of the programme of activities of the International Decade in several countries and regions,” said Sara Hamood, Chief of the Anti-Racial Discrimination Section. “160 activists of African descent —70 per cent of whom are women— from 50 different countries have graduated from our annual fellowship programme and we have supported 14 civil society projects through grants and partnerships.”

UN Human Rights has also played a vital role in shedding light on the human rights challenges faced by people of African descent through dedicated research and campaigns.

UN Human Rights supported the establishment of the Permanent Forum on People of African Descent in 2021 and, since 2022, it supports the intergovernmental discussions on the elaboration of draft United Nations declaration on the respect, protection, and fulfilment of the human rights of people of African descent.

“The proclamation of the Second International Decade builds on progress made so far, but more than anything, it is an acknowledgment that much more needs to be done,” Hamood said. “Over the past decade, we have gained greater understanding and visibility of the lived experiences of people of African descent, but not enough has been done to create real, positive changes in their lives.”

UN Human Rights’ future strategies are multi-pronged. Some of these include supporting States and others to dismantle systemic racism and deliver reparatory justice; strengthening civil society networks and capacity-building programs; advocating for meaningful participation of people of African descent in decision-making processes and for data collection disaggregated by race and ethnicity to inform policies; promoting equal and sustainable economies; and combating environmental and digital injustice.

“Under the Second International Decade, UN Human Rights will strengthen engagement with States and other relevant interested parties to drive concrete actions, grounded in the solutions identified by people of African descent,” Hamood said. “We will also prioritize capacity building and support to people of African descent equipped with tools and resources to claim their rights.”

The Office’s work on the implementation of the High Commissioner’s Agenda towards transformative change for racial justice and equality and its support to the eight UN Human Rights anti-racism mechanisms complement and reinforce its efforts to advance the programme of activities of the International Decade.

A call for transformative change

Soomer said that racism and racial discrimination are not abstract concepts, they are the daily reality for millions of people of African descent worldwide and that addressing this requires bold, concrete actions, not mere rhetoric.

UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk has stressed the importance of strong leadership, political will and increased financial and human resources as crucial to deliver on the Decade’s ultimate goals of recognition, justice, and development for people of African descent.

The Second International Decade marks a critical moment that demands urgent, collective action to break the cycle of historical injustices and systemic exclusion. The UN’s renewed commitment to fulfilling the rights of people of African descent serves as a powerful reminder that the fight against racism must be intensified for a just and equitable future for all.