Global Rebuke of Racial Superiority

"Although slavery may have been abolished, the crippling poison of racism still persists, and the struggle still continues."- Harry Belafonte. More than 200 million people in the Americas alone identify as being of African descent. Millions more are located worldwide outside the African continent. Whether as descendants of the victims of the transatlantic slave trade, or as more recent migrants, they are among some of the poorest and most marginalized groups. Nevertheless, people of African descent have a rich multicultural history, resilience and provide substantive contributions to every field of human endeavour in supporting sustainable development and nation building. Around the world people of African descent have been experiencing an uptick in discriminatory practices and racism. At the same time people of African descent are speaking out and leading collective action to end racism and the injustices it perpetuates. Ending racism will take every one of us, working together to change discriminatory social norms, practices and policies, to expand participation, to transform institutions and invest in communities and to end inaction and impunity. In 2020, the General Assembly of the United Nations adopted a resolution on the International Day for People of African Descent. Observance of this day on 31 August each year is in line with the global and regional consensus on the need to promote and protect all the human rights and fundamental freedoms of people of African descent, as called for in the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action, International Decade for People of African Descent (2015–2024), the Plan of the Decade for People of African Descent (2016-2025) and 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The International Day for People of African Descent was first celebrated on 31 August 2021. In many parts of North America the colour of one’s skin immediately makes you a target for racial profiling, racial injustice and other forms of discriminatory practices. Whether we live on the African continent or elsewhere in the African Diaspora people of colour have faced discrimination due to the colour of our skin. The United Nations (UN) has repeatedly condemned the continuing violent practices and excessive use of force by law enforcement agencies against Africans and people of African descent, and condemns structural racism in criminal justice systems around the world. The UN further acknowledges the Transatlantic Slave Trade as one of the darkest chapters in our human history and upholds human dignity and equality for the victims of slavery, the slave trade and colonialism, in particular people of African descent in the African Diaspora. The International Decade aims to celebrate the important contributions of people of African descent worldwide, advance social justice and inclusion policies, eradicate racism and intolerance, promote human rights, and assist in creating better, more prosperous communities, in line with the Sustainable Development Goals spearheaded by the United Nations. Background. The year 2020 marked the midterm of the International Decade for People of African Descent. While some progress has been made at legislative, policy and institutional levels, people of African descent continue to suffer intersectional and compounded forms of racial discrimination, marginalization, and exclusion. Five years into the Decade, the COVID-19 pandemic shed light on the urgency to address long standing structural inequalities and systematic racism in health. The lack of recognition remains one of the major barriers impeding the full and effective enjoyment of human rights by people of African descent. The year 2020 also marked a turning point in the way these issues are being addressed at international and national levels. The murder of George Floyd further galvanized people to protest racism and racial discrimination and prompted important global discussions on racial justice. On 19 June 2020, the Human Rights Council adopted the resolution on the “Promotion and protection of the human rights and fundamental freedoms of Africans and people of African descent against excessive use of force and other human rights violations by law enforcement officers”. Pursuant to this resolution, the High Commissioner for Human Rights presented to the Human Rights Council at its 47th session her agenda towards transformative change for racial justice and equality. Women and Girls. Women and girls of African descent bear a double burden, as the intersection of racism and sexism compounds inequality, exclusion and injustice, including in crucial health systems. The United Nations Population Fund adds, that Afro descendant women and girls are disproportionately affected by adolescent pregnancy and early motherhood and the associated poverty and health impacts; across the Americas, higher rates of maternal deaths among people of African descent point to patterns of abuse and neglect in medical education, policymaking and health-service delivery. The vast majority of these maternal deaths are preventable. The mistreatment of Afro descendant people in health settings reflects racist and slavery-era beliefs still present in medical curricula, as well as entrenched racial and gender discrimination. Indeed, intersecting histories of racism, oppression and discrimination leave communities of people of African descent struggling with inadequate services and infrastructure. They experience persistent disparities in education and employment and often live in areas with higher levels of pollution and vulnerability to climate change. Be Vigilant. Recently, a white gunman killed three Black people at a Dollar General store in Jacksonville, Florida. It remembers us in a fierce way that at no time should we let our guards down. We must be vigilant in the public spaces we navigate as danger is always lurking. The International Day for People of African Descent is a day to acknowledge and remember the historic and ongoing triumphs, as well as struggles of people of African descent to realize their human rights. As the international community observes this Special day it is important that we all speak out against any notion of racial superiority and racial injustice. It is critical that as people of African descent we are united in calling out any form of discrimination based on race. Many of us have been silent or afraid to speak out for too long. The advent of social media provides us with various platforms through which we can be part of numerous advocacy networks to lend our voices against racial injustice. There should be no safe haven for those who wish to support racism in the 21st century. Let us say No to racial privileging. Let us stand in support for an international rebuke of racial superiority. Let us instead embrace a culture of racial justice and equality. In the words of Marcus Garvey, the Black skin is not a badge of shame, but rather a glorious symbol of national greatness. Wayne Campbell is an educator and social commentator with an interest in development policies as they affect culture and or gender issues. waykam@yahoo.com @WayneCamo ©