International Day for People of African Descent

 The  Voice of the Decade  features 11 stories of fellows of African descent, providing a snapshot of the important and inspiring work achieved to promote the human rights of people of African descent throughout the world. Voices of the Decade is a call, and a source of inspiration, for everyone to work together towards recognition, justice and development for people of African descent.

The United Nations has launched a second International Decade for People of African Descent . This new decade — which officially began January 1, 2025, and will continue until December 31, 2034 — will again employ a Permanent Forum on People of African Descent to document and highlight quality-of-life issues for Black people worldwide. The first Decade, which ran from 2015 to 2024, saw the Permanent Forum meet three times. The Permanent Forum will hold its fourth session at the United Nations’ New York City headquarters April 14-17, 2025. The theme of the second Decade mirrors that of the initial decade: “ recognition, justice, and development. ” Activists expressed excitement, gratitude, and a good deal of apprehension about the naming of a second Decade.  A long-term Black activist demand The first Decade was important because it placed the global concerns of African descendants in the international arena . This had been a long-term Black activist demand –– a request that st...

  A comprehensive approach to reparatory justice should include measures that aim at preventing present and future violations, including through legislative, institutional and policy reforms. From this perspective, any measures that aim at dismantling systemic racism and the racially discriminatory effects of structures of inequality and subordination resulting from enslavement and colonialism can contribute to advancing reparatory justice. The International Decade for People of African Descent and its programme of activities, general comment No. 34 (2011) of the Committee on theElimination of Racial Discrimination and the agenda towards transformative change for racial justice and equality, together provide concrete recommendations to address systemic racism and racial discrimination faced by people of African descent and ensure their full enjoyment of all human rights and fundamental freedoms (A/RES/69/16, annex, CERD/C/GC/34, para. 66, A/ HRC/RES/47/53 and A/HRC/47/CRP.1). Fur...

 Medical and psychosocial rehabilitation has also been identified as a possible element of reparatory justice for people of African descent. Studies show that the intergenerational trauma caused by racism passed down over centuries may have negative health consequences (A/HRC/47/CRP.1, para. 28). UNESCO has highlighted the relevance of healing practices to address the wounds and traumas resulting from enslavement.

  Some forms of restitution have been claimed for historical wrongs and harms suffered as a result of enslavement, colonialism and their enduring consequences, including the restitution of cultural heritage, the restitution of land and natural resources and the facilitation of repatriation and resettlement of the descendants of enslaved Africans.  In Belgium, the Government adopted a road map for the restitution of cultural artefacts in 2021 and, during a visit to the Democratic Republic of the Congo in June 2022, the King of Belgium handed over one artefact as a symbolic gesture.  In France, the National Assembly adopted a law on the restitution of cultural property to Benin and Senegal in 2020.60 The restitution of land has been considered in some cases.  In Honduras, the Inter-institutional Commission for the Compliance of International Judgments coordinates reparation actions for violations of the collective right to land property of the Garifuna communities of T...

  Under international human rights law, compensation for any economically assessable damage, as appropriate and proportional to the gravity of the violation and the circumstances of each case, may also constitute a form of reparations (A/RES/60/147, annex, para. 20). In the context of historical wrongs and harms suffered as a result of colonialism and enslavement , the assessment of the economic damage can be extremely difficult owing to the length of time passed and the difficulty of identifying the perpetrators and victims (A/76/180, paras. 57 and 59, and A/HRC/47/53, para. 60). The Special Rapporteur on the promotion of truth, justice, reparation andguarantees of non-recurrence and CARICOM have also suggested that debt cancellation for the former colonies may be a possible form of compensation for the legacies of enslavement and colonialism. At the national level, attempts to seek compensation, including through domestic litigation procedures, have mostly failed to date (A/HRC...

 Without the memory of the past, there can be no right to truth, justice or reparation, or guarantees of non-repetition (A/HRC/45/45, para. 21). Memorialization can constitute a form of satisfaction. Together with educational and awareness-raising measures, it can also help to guarantee non-repetition. The Secretary-General, the High Commissioner and several United Nations experts have called on States to take measures to preserve and commemorate the memory of these past tragedies and their legacies and to ensure their accurate reflection and dissemination through school curricula and awareness-raising campaigns. Memorialization processes require States to play an active role in preserving and making accessible archives and other evidence (E/CN.4/2005/102/Add.1, principles 3, 14 and 15). This should aim at preserving the collective memory from extinction and, in particular, at guarding against the development of revisionist and negationist arguments (Ibid., principle 3). The part...

  Public apology, including acknowledgement of the facts and acceptance of responsibility, is another form of satisfaction under international human rights law (A/RES/60/147, annex, para. 22). United Nations experts have recommended that States consider initiatives to effectively acknowledge and apologize for the negative effects of past wrongs on people of African descent.34 In the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action and the programme of activities of the Decade, States are encouraged to express remorse or present apologies (A/CONF.189/12 and A/CONF.189/12/Corr.1, chap. I, paras. 13, 100 and 106, and A/RES/69/16, annex, para. 17 (i)). At the regional level, the Inter-American Court of Human Rights has also recognized public apologies as a form of satisfaction.35 Full formal apology is one of the measures identified in the CARICOM ten-point plan for reparatory justice.36 In its resolution of March 2019, the European Parliament encouraged member States to consider offering p...

 Truth-seeking and truth-telling processes are a form of satisfaction that contribute to repairing harm through the verification and full and public disclosure of facts (A/HRC/47/CRP.1, para. 253). All people should know the truth about past crimes and the circumstances and reasons that led to their perpetration (E/CN.4/2005/102/Add.1, principle 2). Establishing the truth about the historical root causes of systemic racism and racial discrimination may provide a safeguard against recurrence. It is essential for international reconciliation and the creation of societies based on justice, equality and solidarity (A/CONF.189/12 and A/CONF.189/12/Corr.1, chap. I, para. 106).  To give effect to the right to truth, appropriate action should be taken to consult with affected persons to determine ways of establishing a proper factual account of historical wrongs and possible violations committed (E/CN.4/2005/102/ Add.1, principle 5). The full participation of affected communities and...

The African Union’s Theme of the Year 2025 – “ Justice for Africans and People of AfricanDescent Through Reparations ” – is a powerful call to integrate historical redress into contemporary development discourse. The Africa Dialogue Series (ADS) 2025 aligns with this vision to reposition reparatory justice as a lever for inclusive growth, social cohesion, and sustainable transformation. As acknowledged in key frameworks, including the Accra Declaration (2022) and the AU Assembly Decision. Reparatory justice is a development priority and a moral imperative. In the continuing pursuit of justice and equity, the conversation about reparations has emerged as a critical and transformative dialogue that requires the collective attention and action of Africans, people of African descent, and the wider international community, including state and non-state actors. The scope of this conversation goes beyond historical injustices and into the current fabric of societies worldwide. The complexiti...

  • Partners of Choice for Sub-theme 1: the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and African Union Economic Social and Cultural Council (AU-ECOSOCC)  • “We do not just risk repeating history if we sweep it under the carpet, we also risk being myopic about our present.” Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Author. The overall objective of this week is to set the stage for an in-depth discussion of the AU’s theme of the year through a better understanding of history.  • The colonial period is widely understood to refer to the period from the late 19th century to the mid-20th century. This is often termed as the “Scramble for Africa” – a period in which major European colonial powers competed to control most African territory and natural resources. In the 1870s, only 10 per cent of African territory was controlled by European countries. By stark contrast, in 1914, about 90 per cent of African territory was incorporated into one European empire or a...

  Subtheme 2: Understanding the Present: Economic, Social and Cultural Justice for Sustainable Development  • Partners of Choice for Sub-theme 2: the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA), and Pan-African Parliament (PAP)  • Having explored the origins of the socio-economic and institutional fabric of newly independent African nation-states as part of subtheme 1, the seecond week further explores their present-day projections from a human rights-based perspective, namely the rights to development, a clean healthy, and sustainable environment, self-determination and sovereignty over natural resources which are imperative for delivering broader socio-economic justice and truly inclusive sustainable development. To that effect, the sub-theme will explore perspectives to address the structural challenges commonly associated with extractive industries in Africa and measures to overcome the...

 Partners of Choice for Sub-theme 3: the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA).  • “It is high time for reparatory justice frameworks to be put in place.” • This sub-theme explores healing and reparations for socio-economic justice, focusing on restoring human dignity, addressing psychological trauma, and creating frameworks for reparatory justice in response to historical injustices. • Advocating comprehensive policies to achieve socio-economic justice, including education, skills development, health, economic empowerment, resilience building, cultural preservation, legal reforms, and equitable policy implementation for Africans and people of African descent.  • Recognizing the International Decade for People of African Descent proclaimed by the UN General Assembly in December 2013 and its themes of recognition, justice, and development and the second International Decade for People...

“People of colour, people of African descent, marginalised communities, Indigenous communities […] we have to advocate in the best way that we possibly can for justice, human rights, equal opportunity,” said Emelda Davis — whose traditional name is Waskam — a community leader, activist, and the first Black woman elected to the Sydney City Council in Australia. In 2023, Davis participated in the regional meeting for Asia Pacific on the first International Decade for People of African Descent. “To go to the United Nations really helped me as the first Black woman elected to the City of Sydney council in its 180 years [of existence],” Davis said. “It was such a huge benefit to educating white Australia. Coupled with social media, it gave a huge exposure to the fact that we exist in this country, and self-determination is really key.” Davis, also an Australian South Sea Islander, has worked across both corporate and grassroots sectors, advising State, Federal and Commonwealth agencies on ...

People of African descent have built a rich heritage of creative excellence, of transformative leadership, and of enduring resilience. They have shaped the world in ways that cannot be measured. The International Day for People of African descent is an opportunity to celebrate their diverse contributions to societies. Today also serves as a call to step up efforts to address the persistent injustices against them. the legacy of colonialism and the trade in enslaved Africans. Because of systemic racism, people of African descent are more likely to live in poverty and to experience discrimination across the board, from access to housing and health care to education and political representation. Damaging stereotypes fuel racially motivated violence, hate speech, and supremacist ideologies that threaten their safety and dignity. This community faces systemic discrimination in their interactions with law enforcement and criminal justice and women and girls of African descent. People with di...

The  African Union (AU)  has designated 2025 as the " Year of Reparations and African Heritage, " launching a decade-long initiative (2026-2036) to  address historical injustices . This declaration signifies a shift towards p rioritizing reparations for slavery, colonialism, and systemic inequalities on the continental and international stage . The AU's theme for 2025, "Justice for Africans and People of African Descent Through Reparations," aims to  galvanize action and promote a more just and equitable future. The AU's theme for 2025, " Justice for Africans and People of African Descent Through Reparations ," is  a call for action on multiple fronts, including policy changes, financial restitution, and cultural reclamation. The declaration of 2025 as the Year of Reparations is the starting point for  a ten-year plan to address historical injustices .  The AU is actively engaging with member states, civil society organizations, and other stakehold...