International Day for People of African Descent: UN aims to eliminate all forms of discriminations

By Bisola Adeyemo

The International Day for People of African Descent will be celebrated for the first time on 31 August, 2021.

Through this Observance the United Nations (UN) aims to promote the extraordinary contributions of the African diaspora around the world and to eliminate all forms of discrimination against people of African descent.

The International day also reflects the values that society shares. All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights and have the potential to contribute constructively to the development and well-being of their societies.

Any doctrine of racial superiority that is scientifically false, morally condemnable, socially unjust, and dangerous must be rejected, together with theories that attempt to determine the existence of separate human races.

The theme for the International Decade is “People of African descent: recognition, justice and development” which strongly condemns 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 United Nations Observances in an article 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.

In proclaiming this Decade, NatureNews discovered that the international community is recognizing that people of African descent represent a distinct group whose human rights must be promoted and protected.