ENAR joins the UN High Commissioner in calling for a specific UN mechanism to spur transformative change for racial justice and equality.
On 12 July 2021 the UN High-Commissioner is presenting to the Human Rights Council (HRC) a report on systemic racism and police brutality around the world. The HRC will then decide how it follows up on this issue.
A resolution put forward by the group of African States proposes to create an international and independent mechanism to investigate and enhance accountability of past and current human rights violations against Black people in the USA, Latin America, Europe and around the world. The State members of the HRC will have to decide on this resolution.
“Last year, after George Floyd’s murder, the UN Human Rights Council (HRC) convened a ground-breaking urgent debate on racially inspired human rights violations, systemic racism, police violence and violence against peaceful protests. It adopted a resolution in June 2020 that mandated the High Commissioner’s ground-breaking report, but it failed to adopt a mechanism to investigate systemic racism and police violence” said Karen Taylor, Chair of the European Network Against Racism (ENAR).
“The Human Rights Council now has the opportunity to listen to and act on the demands for justice, accountability and reparations from Black people and ENAR urges the EU to support the Group of African States’ draft UN Human Rights Council resolution A/HRC/47/L.8/Rev.1 in line with the EU Commission’s EU Action Plan Against Racism.” added Ojeaku Nwabuzo, ENAR Senior Research Officer.
“Together with a global coalition, we call on the Human Rights Council to create a robust and independent mechanism to enhance accountability for past and present gross human rights violations against Black people in the United States, Latin America, Europe and throughout the world. Victims and survivors of racialized police violence must have justice and redress. It’s time to act!” emphasized Ghyslain Vedeux, ENAR Vice-Chair.
In May 2021, 171 families of victims of police violence in the United States and over 270 civil society organisations from more than 40 countries called on the UN High Commissioner and the Africa Group to ensure the HRC’s role in effective accountability and follow-up to HRC Resolution 43/1 on systemic racism and police violence against Africans and people of African descent in the United States and throughout the world.
In her report, the High Commissioner calls for a specific UN mechanism to spur transformative change for racial justice and equality. The report is based on consultations with over 340 persons, including family members of Black people killed by police, and 110 written submissions from governments around the world, as well as non-governmental organisations.
“So many have died at the hands of the police. Black people who have suffered systemic discrimination, and racial justice protestors worldwide, all demand action, not just words, by governments and UN bodies. If the UN Human Rights Council established a strong and independent mechanism to address systemic racism and police violence in the US, Latin America, and globally, it would be taking decisive action with meaning.” Karen Taylor concluded.
