Martin Kimani, president of the Permanent Forum on people of African descent, presented his annual report to the Human Rights Council in Geneva during an interactive dialogue with representatives of the country.
“Every year, the events captured in the headlines of the news and in the lived experiences of people of African descent tragically confirm that even at this stage of the 21st century, the color line remains in place, creating a hierarchical division that supports segregation, violence, society division, the denial of equal opportunities, equity and continuous exponance and multiple forms of option,” he said.
“Human rights movements, including anti -racist movements, must join more than ever and act, to ensure that the promise of multiple resolutions of the United Nations is carried out, including the International Convention on the Elimination of all forms of racial discrimination.”
A decade for progress
Last January it marked the beginning of the second international decade for people of African descent and the permanent forum, it considers that “as a period that allows the reinforcement of global solidarity that advances concrete progress.”
Together with other interested parties, he has requested an advance action around three pillars: recognition, justice and development.
Measures include greater recognition of systemic and structural racism, as well as racial discrimination; The search for repairing justice and more efforts towards the inclusion of people of African descent and racial equality in all development frameworks.
Human Rights and Justice in the Digital Age
In addition, human rights concerns that may not have been addressed during the first international decade must also face.
They include environmental and climatic justice; The fair application of artificial intelligence and digital justice, and the human rights of those who face discrimination.
Kimani said the permanent forum has been involved closely in these issues. For example, Digital Justice was on the agenda of its annual session held last April in New York.
“The forum emphasized that The search for repairing justice is still urgent in this digital eraAs systemic inequalities within and between countries are at risk of being replicated and amplified in emerging technologies, ”he said.
In addition, their conclusions reflected a deep concern for the perpetuation of racial biases within artificial intelligence (AI) systems, while recognizing how AI can contribute to society.
“AI and digital technologies cannot be disconnected from broader historical and contemporary injustices that shape them“, Said.
Concern for women and girls
The annual session also examined the specific situation of women and girls of African ancestry and how they are affected by the forms of discrimination crossed.
“The dehumanization of African women since the beginning of slavery established the pattern for the continuous devaluation and discrimination they face to this day,” he said.
“Development objectives cannot be achieved without repair measures that explicitly address their realities.”
Last year he also saw a continuous deliberation on the issue of repairing justice: “A critical and urgent priority to fully recognize and address systemic and structural disadvantages.”
It covers five areas that include restitution, for example of rights or legal property; compensation, even for physical or mental damage; and satisfaction, which covers actions such as the verification of facts and the complete public dissemination of truth, recognition and public apologies.
In Haiti, people who carry their belongings flee from their homes when night falls due to violence.
Spotlight in Haiti
Mr. Kimani said the rights body has constantly emphasized that “the current crisis in Haiti is not an isolated event, but is deeply rooted in the legacies of colonization and slavery.”
Haiti was the first country to free himself from slavery through a successful revolution, gaining formal independence from France in 1804. However, he was forced to pay 150 million francs in compensation for the lost property during the uprising.
The Permanent Forum has published a position document that exposes concrete recommendations, which include “a perspective of repairing justice” and the recognition of the so -called “independence debt.”
He urged the Human Rights Council to “consider the crisis in Haiti from that light.”