Secretary General's message - 2025

On the International Day for People of African Descent, we honour the extraordinary contributions of people of African descent across every sphere of human endeavour.

But we also recognise enduring injustices. The legacies of slavery and colonialism cast long shadows – seen in systemic racism, unequal economies and societies, and the digital divide. White supremacy and dehumanizing narratives are amplified by social media, and, too often, racial bias is encoded in algorithms.

Eighty years after the United Nations Charter reaffirmed the equal rights and inherent dignity of every human being, and sixty years since the adoption of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination, it is long past time to right historic wrongs.

The Global Digital Compact takes a step forward, with commitments to tackle discrimination and hate speech in digital technologies. And the second International Decade for People of African Descent must drive real change -- including working towards a United Nations Declaration on the full respect of people of African descent’s human rights.

Let’s make this a decade of action – for justice, dignity and equality for people of African descent around the world.