United Nations General Assembly creates new Permanent Forum of People of African Descent

The UN General Assembly established a new platform to improve the lives of Afro-descendants, who have for centuries suffered the ills of racism, racial discrimination and the legacy of enslavement around the globe. The new Forum will serve as a consultation mechanism for people of African descent and other stakeholders, and contribute to the elaboration of a UN declaration on the promotion and full respect of the rights of people of African descent. Further, it will work to identify and analyze best practices, challenges, opportunities and initiatives to address issues relevant to people of African descent. The first session of the Permanent Forum will be held in 2022, with subsequent annual sessions rotating between Geneva and New York.