International Day for People of African Descent - August 31st

Recognition, History and the Continuing Struggle for Equality for People of African Descent 

By Jamelia Nampijja Sztuchlik / GICJ

On 16th December 2020, the United Nations General Assembly adopted Resolution A/RES/75/170, designating 31st August as the International Day for People of African Descent. The first observance of this day took place on 31st August 2021. The day was established to provide a dedicated moment each year with the following primary objectives:

• Recognition: To honour the rich heritage and culture of people of African descent, as well as their significant contributions to global societies.
• Justice: To advocate for human rights and actively combat systemic racism, prejudice, and hate speech.
• Development: To support empowerment, promote equal opportunities, and foster structural changes worldwide.

The day serves as an opportunity to acknowledge the significant contributions of people of African descent to the political, cultural, intellectual and economic life of societies worldwide, while also confronting the history and ongoing issues of racism, exclusion and inequality. Therefore, it is not merely a day of commemoration; it is also a time to reflect on the gap that can exist between international human rights commitments and their actual implementation in policies, institutions and everyday life.

Fundamentally, the observance invites us to consider a fundamental question: What would a world that truly recognised the dignity, history and contributions of people of African descent look like?

Answering that question requires us to look both backwards and forwards, confronting the historical injustices that continue to shape the present, while considering what must change to build a more equal and inclusive future.

Who Are the People of African Descent?

To understand the identity of people of African descent, it is essential to recognise both their extraordinary diversity, the histories and circumstances that have shaped their place in societies around the world. People of African descent make up a vast and diverse global population, with roots in Africa, and communities that have developed across the African continent and throughout the diaspora. They include individuals from different nationalities, cultures, languages, and identities, ranging from long-established communities in the Americas and the Caribbean to more recent African migrant communities in Europe and beyond. 

According to the United Nations, approximately 200 million people who identify as being of African descent live in the Americas alone, with millions more residing in regions including Europe, Asia, the Middle East, and the Pacific. In Brazil alone, more than 100 million people are of African descent, according to the UN Permanent Forum on People of African Descent. However, these populations are not always measured consistently; countries vary in how they define and collect data on race, ethnicity, and ancestry. Beyond these demographic distinctions, many communities share a common historical experience. The legacy of the transatlantic slave trade, slavery, and colonialism continues to intersect with contemporary issues of racism, discrimination, exclusion and inequality. 

How the International Day of People of African Descent came about

A history of international advocacy

The International Day of People of African Descent emerged from decades of international efforts to combat racism and promote the rights of people of African descent. On 31st August 1920, the First International Convention of the Negro Peoples of the World concluded in New York. Held at Liberty Hall under the leadership of Marcus Garvey, the Convention brought together representatives of Black communities from around the world. A significant outcome of the event was the adoption of the Declaration of the Rights of the Negro Peoples of the World.

The Declaration was a strong statement of rights, dignity, and equality during a time when colonialism, segregation, and racial discrimination were widespread. It addressed key issues such as equal treatment, education, political participation, economic opportunities, and the right of Black people to determine their own future.

The historical link between the Convention and today's International Day is explicitly acknowledged in the UN General Assembly resolution that established the observance. In 2020, the General Assembly noted that the Convention had ended on 31 August 1920 and highlighted that, following discussions led by Marcus Garvey, the Declaration of Rights of the Negro Peoples of the World had been promulgated.

A particularly significant milestone was the 2001 World Conference against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance, held in Durban, South Africa. The Durban Declaration and Programme of Action (DDPA) was adopted during this conference and established a crucial international framework for addressing racial discrimination and acknowledging the historical experiences of people of African descent.

The term "Afro descendant" itself gained recognition as a legal and political concept during the "2000 Regional Conference of the Americas", held in Chile in preparation for the Durban conference.

This momentum ultimately led the United Nations to declare the International Decade for People of African Descent, from 2015 to 2024, under the theme “People of African descent: recognition, justice and development”. The Decade aimed to promote human rights, combat racism and intolerance, and acknowledge the contributions of people of African descent worldwide.

The timing was significant, as the inaugural observance came after a period of intense global debate about racism and racial justice. In 2020, the murder of George Floyd in the United States sparked mass protests worldwide and renewed scrutiny of systemic racism, policing, and racial inequality. In response, the UN Human Rights Council adopted a resolution addressing human rights violations against Africans and people of African descent, including excessive use of force by law enforcement.

On 19th June 2020, the Human Rights Council adopted resolution A/HRC/RES/43/1 focused on promoting and protecting 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 officials. The resolution led to the High Commissioner for Human Rights' landmark agenda for transformative change for racial justice and equality.

Present Day Relevance of the International Day for People of African Descent

This day serves as an important opportunity to reflect on the challenges faced by African peoples and the African diaspora today. The challenges of today cannot be understood solely through the historical context of slavery, colonialism, and racial discrimination. While these histories remain deeply significant, the nature of the inequality induced is evolving.

Although the formal structures of slavery and colonial rule have largely been dismantled, their legacies persist. Today, racial injustice increasingly intersects with technology, artificial intelligence (AI), migration, climate change, economic inequality, political exclusion, and the struggle over cultural and intellectual ownership. The focus is no longer solely on whether discrimination exists; it is also on how discrimination is reproduced, transformed, and occasionally concealed by the systems that govern modern life.

The Challenges Facing People of African Descent in 2026

Structural racism remains a lived reality

Despite decades of international commitments to promote equality, people of African descent continue to face structural and systemic discrimination in many societies. Inequalities persist in access to education, employment, healthcare, housing, political participation, and economic opportunities amongst other facets of society. 

The United Nations recognises people of African descent as among the world's most marginalised groups, highlighting that discrimination is often embedded within institutions and systems rather than limited to individual acts of prejudice. This distinction is crucial, as racism can manifest through policies and practices that result in unequal access to resources, even when laws prohibit discrimination.

On September 9, 2025, the UN International Independent Expert Mechanism to Advance Racial Justice and Equality presented a report to the UN Human Rights Council on systemic racism against Africans and individuals of African descent within the criminal justice system. The report's findings identified concerning issues including racial profiling, arbitrary detention, inadequate legal representation, and unfair convictions among the problems affecting Africans and people of African descent. Furthermore, the report investigated the relationship between racial discrimination and the disproportionate representation of individuals of African descent in criminal detention and prison systems.

Importantly, these issues are linked to historical and institutional structures, particularly in countries with colonial legacies where criminal justice systems were developed for control rather than equality. For instance, the report found that 51% of people of African descent in Sweden were stopped over the past five years by police due to their ethnic background, while in Colombia, people of African descent were more likely to be arrested and held in police custody, including for minor offences, and were disproportionately subjected to pre-trial detention.

Artificial Intelligence is exacerbating racial inequality

The ongoing debate around AI and racial justice has gained significant attention; and it is now officially on the United Nations' agenda. The fourth session of the UN Permanent Forum on People of African Descent, held from 14 to 17th April 2025, focused on the theme "Africa and people of African descent: United for reparatory justice in the age of Artificial Intelligence," emphasising AI and digital justice.

In his address to the Forum on 14th April 2025, UN Secretary-General António Guterres linked AI to racial inequality, warning that it could perpetuate existing biases faced by people of African descent. He called for eliminating bias from AI and advocated for empowering people of African descent to shape, build, and govern AI technologies.

The concern is not that AI is inherently racist but rather that AI systems are developed within societies already marked by racial inequalities. If historical patterns exist in the data used to train algorithms, those systems can reproduce or amplify those biases. The implications of these biases extend to various sectors, including but not limited to recruitment, policing, border management, financial services, healthcare, education, and access to public services.

Consequently, the key question has evolved from "Can AI discriminate?" to "What happens when discriminatory patterns are automated and concealed?" This issue presents one of the defining human-rights challenges of the coming decade for people of African descent.

AI and the risk of a new form of extraction

The history of colonialism is marked by the extraction of African resources for the benefit of Western countries. In the digital age, similar patterns of unequal extraction are emerging around data, where Africa's wealth in data, human talent, and cultural knowledge becomes critical.

The key question is whether Africa will only provide raw materials for the next technological revolution or if its people will also own and direct this development. The inclusion of AI in the UN Permanent Forum for People of African Descent's discussions on reparatory justice highlights the links between technology and historical power dynamics.

As African languages and cultural materials contribute to commercial AI, issues of ownership, consent, and benefit-sharing are vital. Addressing digital injustice is essential in the fight against racial inequality. AI governance must prioritise safeguards against discrimination, transparency, data protection, equitable access to digital infrastructure, and meaningful participation from people of African descent in relevant decision-making.

Reparatory Justice and the Unfinished Legacy of History

The consequences of slavery and colonialism extend far beyond history books, as their economic, social and institutional legacies continue to shape contemporary inequalities. The UN has increasingly focused on reparatory justice, with discussions evolving to include restitution, cultural return, institutional reform, and other forms of redress.

During the fourth session of the UN Permanent Forum on People of African Descent in April 2025, reparatory justice was at the forefront of its agenda. It explicitly linked historical injustices with contemporary inequalities and the rise of artificial intelligence. The fifth session in April 2026 furthered this dialogue, with over 700 participants discussing issues such as colonial legacies, reparations, cultural heritage, political representation, economic opportunities, and the challenges faced by young people of African descent.

Reparatory justice goes beyond financial compensation; it involves acknowledging historical wrongs and addressing their ongoing effects. This includes returning African cultural heritage, enhancing recognition of African histories, fostering political participation, and dismantling structures of inequality. Reparatory justice is not about rewriting history; it is about recognising that history has enduring repercussions.

A New Decade, A New Opportunity

The Second International Decade was established by General Assembly Resolution 79/193 in December 2024, and it runs from 1 January 2025 to 31 December 2034, and is again centred on "Recognition, Justice, and Development." This new decade aims to build on the previous one by addressing systemic racism and improving the rights and inclusion of people of African descent.

The second decade should not repeat the weaknesses of the first. The effectiveness of the Second International Decade for People of African Descent should not be measured by the number of declarations issued, conferences held, or commemorative events organised. Instead, it should be judged by tangible improvements in the lives, rights, opportunities and political agency of people of African descent.

The UN Programme of Activities calls on States to collect and publish reliable statistical information that is disaggregated where appropriate and consistent with privacy and self-identification principles. This is essential for measuring progress and identifying social gaps. Without a baseline, governments may claim progress without any evidence to support it.

Additionally, the Programme emphasises the necessity for the full and effective participation of people of African descent in public affairs. States must ensure political participation, equitable access to education and employment, and confront uncomfortable historical aspects. 

Crucially, states must listen to the voices of people of African descent, as their meaningful involvement is crucial to the success of international initiatives on their rights. Promoting equality and non-discrimination is a responsibility shared by everyone, but states have a special duty to uphold these fundamental human rights.

Position of Geneva International Centre for Justice (GICJ)

As the World commemorates the International Day for People of African Descent, the  GICJ welcomes the efforts undertaken by the United Nations and its Member States to advance the rights, recognition, and dignity of people of African descent. While these efforts have raised international awareness and resulted in significant commitments,  GICJ calls on States to strengthen efforts to address structural racism and inequality, ensure that people of African descent have meaningful participation in decisions that affect their lives, and promote the goals of the Second International Decade for People of African Descent through recognition, justice, and development.

Future efforts for racial justice should include digital justice, economic justice, climate justice, cultural justice and technological sovereignty. People of African descent should not only be safeguarded against discrimination but also have a role in designing systems that impact their lives. The task before the international community is clear: to ensure that the next era of technological, economic and political transformation does not replicate the inequalities of the past but instead provides an opportunity to dismantle them.

GICJ's Call to Action:

• Challenge racism whenever you encounter it, whether in the workplace, educational institutions, public spaces, or online. 
• Support organisations focused on human rights, education, youth empowerment, cultural preservation, and social justice for people of African descent. 
• Listen to and amplify the voices of Africans and the diaspora, rather than speaking on their behalf when their expertise and experiences should be at the forefront. 
• Examine personal and institutional biases, including unconscious assumptions about race, competence, criminality, intelligence, or belonging. 
• Promote accurate historical knowledge, especially regarding slavery, colonialism, and the contributions of African peoples to global development.