Side event
Policy Commitments, Accountability Gaps, and the Future of Global Solidarity with People of African Descent: 25 Years After the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action
Sponsoring OrganizationBlack Canadian Civil Society Coalition (BCCSC) and Amnesty International Canada
Date, time and time zone:Thu 16 April, 2026 ~2:00 - 3:00 pm~, CET
Language: English and French Translation
Location: Room III, building A, Palais des Nations
BackgroundTwenty-five years after the adoption of the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action (DDPA), this side event brings together civil society leaders, academics, policymakers, and UN stakeholders to assess progress, identify accountability gaps, and shape the future of global anti-racism efforts. Discussion will examine what states have implemented, why key commitments remain unfulfilled, and what monitoring mechanisms are needed. With a focus on civil society and Black diaspora perspectives, the event will contribute policy recommendations to the Permanent Forum on People of African Descent and explore pathways for international solidarity under the Second International Decade for People of African Descent (2025–2034).
Objectives- Assess progress made by states in implementing the DDPA.
- Identify accountability gaps in implementation.
- Highlight the role of civil society in advancing the rights of people of African descent.
- Develop policy recommendations for the UN Permanent Forum.
Panel Speakers- Dr. June Soomer, UN Human Rights expert and member of the Permanent Forum on People of African Descent
- Hodan Ahmed, Co-Founder and Chairwoman BCCSC: African diaspora civil society leader
- TBC, Academic expert on Durban Declaration implementation
- Ketty Nivyanbandi, Secretary General, Amnesty International Canada: Representative from a national human rights institution
- TBC, Youth or community advocate from the diaspora
Panel Moderator Lerato Chondoma, Director BCCSC
Contact person: Hodan Ahmed
Email:
[email protected]
