The United Nations has marked the 25th anniversary of the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action, with Secretary-General António Guterres calling for stronger global efforts to combat racism, discrimination and inequality.
The UN General Assembly held a one-day high-level meeting on September 28 to commemorate the landmark anti-racism framework, which was adopted in Durban, South Africa, in 2001.
The Durban Declaration is regarded as a comprehensive international framework for addressing racism and racial discrimination, acknowledging historical injustices, tackling inequalities and promoting societies founded on dignity, equality and justice.
Addressing the meeting, Guterres warned that racism continues to affect societies around the world, deepening inequalities and denying people their fundamental rights and freedoms.
“Governments must strengthen and effectively implement anti-discrimination and equality laws, and the institutions that enforce them,” he said.
The UN chief also called on governments to dismantle systemic discrimination and invest in more inclusive societies, stressing that while governments have a leading role, individuals and institutions also have responsibilities in confronting racism.
He further urged the international community to address the enduring consequences of slavery, colonialism and racial discrimination through concrete measures aimed at advancing reparatory justice in line with international human rights law.
The UN Assistant Secretary-General for Human Rights, Claudia Fuentes Julio, said reports of discrimination were increasing globally, with nearly one in five people reporting that they had experienced discrimination within the previous 12 months.
She said race, colour, ethnicity and socioeconomic status remained among the most commonly cited grounds for discrimination.
According to Fuentes Julio, significant progress has been made over the past 25 years, including changes to laws, the establishment of institutions and the growth of anti-racism movements.
However, she warned that such progress was facing setbacks in some countries and urged the international community to turn the commitments of the Durban Declaration into concrete action.
She also stressed the importance of reparative justice for historical wrongs, including truth-seeking, acknowledgement and apologies, education and memorialisation, compensation, restitution of heritage, medical and psychological support, and the involvement of affected communities in determining appropriate remedies.
“Twenty-five years ago, the Durban Declaration articulated an ambitious vision—a world in which equality and dignity are not determined by race, colour, descent or national or ethnic origin,” Fuentes Julio said.
“That vision remains unfulfilled. Let this anniversary be a call to action to turn commitments into real equality. Durban gave us the roadmap. What is needed now is the political will to act.”
