“Restorative justice” the key to ending racism against Africans and their descendants

This is essential to dismantle systemic racism which is rooted in the inheritances of slavery and colonialism, he said.

Actions include official apology, the search for truth, commemoration and education measures, medical and psychosocial support, as well as remuneration.

Past and present linked

For the most part, the report revealed that in the midst of a certain decline in commitments to racial justice, the measures taken by states, businesses, religious groups, universities, museums and others remain limited.

“” To do the justice coated, states and other actors must implement a global approach which includes repairs in various forms »» said The High Commissioner of the United Nations for the Human Rights Human Rights Volker Türk.

“To be really effective, this approach must consider the network of links between the past and the present – at individual and societal levels, in all areas of life – in order to dismantle unjust structures and systems designed and shaped in the past.”

Consider local contexts

Mr. Türk warned against a “unique approach” Because restorative justice should meet the requests of affected communities.

“” Initiatives and processes should be based on history and the local contextAnswer the evolution of communities’ demands and center the specific experiences of women of African origin in particular, “he said.

The report recommends that Africans and people of African origin must guide the design and implementation of these measures by significant, inclusive and safe participation.

Reviews, restitution and research

He also highlights the initiatives already underway. For example, some countries have examined public spaces to identify, delete or contextualize the statues and place the names linked to the persons involved in the transatlantic slave trade.

Museums in several European countries also take measures to combat the links of their collections with the past.

The restitution of the cultural heritage continues, as the return of the so-called “Bronzes du Benin”-the old sculptures and sculptures of the centuries of what is now the state of Edo in Nigeria.

In addition, certain university establishments have carried out or financed external research on their own history, issued apology, advanced educational opportunities for communities and created commemorative monuments. Some companies have also taken clear measures to recognize their links with the past.

“Requests for compensation were filed before the courts in several jurisdictions, and the associated legal arguments have strengthened broader public movements and favored political pressure for change,” added the United Nations Rights Office.

The report calls for new research and policy proposals on broader structural and systemic issues, particularly in the fields of climate and environmental justice, as well as reforms to respond to gaps in development aid and financial architecture and international governance.