The framework, adopted in South Africa (SA), seeks to address historical injustices, dismantle systemic inequalities and build societies based on dignity, equality and justice.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres warned that racism remains deeply rooted in the legacies of colonialism, enslavement and oppression, and continues to manifest through economic, social and political inequalities. “As we see around the world, racism continues to poison societies, deepen inequalities, and deny people their fundamental rights and freedoms,” Guterres said.
Guterres called on governments to strengthen and effectively implement anti-discrimination and equality laws, dismantle systemic discrimination and increase investment in inclusive societies. “The antidote to these poisons is unity and tangible action,” Guterres said.
Guterres also urged businesses to prevent direct and indirect discrimination and called on technology companies to tackle bias in artificial intelligence systems.
The UN Secretary-General said the consequences of slavery, colonialism and racial discrimination must be confronted through “concrete measures to deliver reparatory justice grounded in international human rights law”.
Assistant Secretary-General for Human Rights Claudia Fuentes Julio, speaking on behalf of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, warned that discrimination is increasing globally, with nearly one in five people reporting experiencing discrimination during the past 12 months. “These are not abstract statistics; they speak to lived realities,” Fuentes Julio said.
Fuentes Julio said inequalities could not be properly understood or addressed without confronting the past, highlighting reparatory justice as particularly important for Africans and people of African descent.
“Let’s turn commitments into real equality,” Fuentes Julio said. “What is needed now is the political will to act.”
General Assembly President Khalilur Rahman said the Durban Declaration had drawn strength from SA’s struggle against apartheid and confronted racism as a structural problem.
Rahman said 78 of the 182 states parties to the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination were significantly behind in their reporting obligations. “This is more than a reporting gap; it’s an accountability gap,” Rahman said.
The Durban Programme of Action calls for investment in health, education, housing, electricity and drinking water, alongside equal employment opportunities and improved access to technology. It also calls for the history and contributions of Africans and people of African descent to be included in education curricula.
–UN/ChannelAfrica–
