Durban Declaration and Programme of Action

2021 marked the 20th anniversary of the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action (DDPA), an important milestone that offered an opportunity to reflect on

progress made in efforts to eliminate racism, racial discrimination xenophobia and related intolerance
good practices and challenges with regard to the implementation of the Plan of Action

The DDPA called for concrete actions by states and other actors related to people of African descent.

Concrete actions include

Investments in health systems, education, housing, electricity, drinking water and environmental control measures and promoting equal opportunities in employment
Ensuring access to education and to new technologies, in particular to women and children
Inclusion of the history and contribution of Africans and people of African descent in the education curriculum

What is the DDPA?

The Durban Declaration and Programme of Action (DDPA) is the UN’s blueprint to combat racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance globally.

It is a milestone that marks a fundamental development in human rights
It offers a holistic vision and proposes practical measures, not just for member states, but for civil society

Although the DDPA is a political commitment that is not legally binding, it embodies the firm commitment of the international community and has a strong moral value, serving as a basis for advocacy efforts worldwide.

The DDPA is a victims centred document that emphasises the plight of victims of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance. It reaffirms that States have the duty to protect and promote the human rights of all victims and should apply a gender perspective, recognising the multiple forms of discrimination.

The DDPA recognizes that no country can claim to be free of racism, that racism is a global concern, and that tackling it requires a universal effort.

DDPA: Practical measures

The DDPA's holistic vision proposes practical measures
Measures include:

Promote better knowledge of and respect for indigenous cultures and heritage
Increase indigenous peoples' access to economic activities and level of employment
Adopt policies promoting indigenous women and girls’ rights
Discourage racist demonstrations and acts that generate xenophobic behaviour and negative sentiments towards, or rejection of, migrants
Promote education on the human rights of migrants and information campaigns on the positive contribution of migrants to the host society and the vulnerability of migrants
Encourage respect for cultural diversity, promote fair treatment of migrants and refugees, facilitate integration and ensure that migrants are treated with humanity and receive legal protection
Ensure that Roma/Sinti/Traveller children and youth, especially girls, have equal access to education including in their mother tongue; and encourage the media to protect them from racist, stereotypical and discriminatory reporting
Guarantee the rights of persons belonging to national or ethnic, religious and linguistic minorities, individually to enjoy their own culture, to practise their religion, and to use their own language
Take measures to prevent racial discrimination against persons belonging to national or ethnic, religious and linguistic minorities in respect of employment, health care, housing, social services and education, taking into account multiple forms of discrimination
Mainstream a gender perspective in measures of prevention, education and protection aimed at the eradication of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance
Work to reduce violence, including violence motivated by racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance
Develop educational materials to teach young people the importance of tolerance and respect
Establish and implement national policies and action plans to combat racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance, including their gender-based manifestations

DDPA: A victim-centred approach

The DDPA's victim-centred approach stipulates that we must include an honest assessment of the past

The DDPA is a victims centred document that emphasises the plight of victims of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance.

The DDPA recognizes that it is impossible to design effective corrective measures and dismantle discriminatory structures and institutions without an honest assessment of the past, and without acknowledging the consequences of the Transatlantic Slave Trade and of enslavement and colonialism in present times.

The DDPA acknowledges that victims of racism and racial discrimination include

Africans and people of African descent
Asians and people of Asian descent
Indigenous peoples
Migrants
Refugees
Displaced persons
Victims of human trafficking
Persons belonging to national or ethnic, religious and linguistic minorities; including Roma, Gypsies, Sinti and Travellers

The Durban Conference also recognised with deep concern the increase in anti-Semitism and Islamophobia, as well as violent movements based on racism and discriminatory ideas against Jews, Muslims, and Arab communities – concerns that persist – and in some countries have worsened.

Reparations for past wrongs
Professor Verene Shepher, a Social Historian and member of the UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination says its time for action against past crimes on People of African Descent.

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