Washington, DC; August 31, 2024.– Promoting the human rights and fundamental freedoms of people of African descent, as well as combating systemic racism, also implies facing the crisis of political representation and working for more inclusive democracy. Under this premise, the Institute on Race, Equality and Human Rights (Race and Equality) commemorates this International Day of People of African Descent by highlighting their right to political participation, especially of Afro-descendant women, and emphasizing the recommendations of activists from Brazil, Chile, Colombia, and Honduras.

The International Day of People of African Descent focuses on celebrating the contributions of the African diaspora at the global level and eradicating all forms of discrimination against people of African descent. This day was declared by United Nations Resolution 75/170, on December 16, 2020, which was promoted by the then Vice-President of Costa Rica, Epsy Campbell Barr, through the Permanent Mission of Costa Rica to the United Nations in New York.

Defending the right to political participation of people of African descent not only includes guaranteeing their access to spaces of power, but also combating political violence that affects people of African descent, especially black and LBT women. For this reason, Race and Equality highlights the work of partner organizations that fight for more inclusive democracy with greater representation of the Afro-descendant population. Political participation is, after all, an inalienable human right.

Quota Allocation

Lins Robalo, an Afro-descendant travesti, social worker, and activist with the Asociación Nacional de Travestis y Transexuales (ANTRA), in Brazil, emphasizes the importance of political parties assigning quotas for candidacies of black people, which she believes should go hand in hand with the allocation of resources to promote their candidacies. “Racism directly affects black incomes. As a result, black candidates have less money to run for election, which reinforces racial inequality,” she says.

“To improve the political representation of people of African descent, we need to have parity and an intercultural democracy,” says Milene Molina Arancibia, president of the organization Colectiva de Mujeres Afrodescendientes Luanda, from Chile. For her, the allocation of quotas should be for the Legislative Branch and in public entities from which it can influence to improve the lives of the population.

To the proposal to guarantee representation of people of African descent in candidacies and public entities, Bicky Bohórquez, from the organization Somos Identidad de Colombia, adds the responsibility of generational renewal, as a way of giving space to young Afro-descendants who nurture new ideas both in their collectives and in the spaces where they achieve representation. “So that the diversity we have as a population is evident,” she says.

Meanwhile, Nedelka Lacayo, of the Enlace de Mujeres Negras de Honduras (ENMUEH), stresses that, above all, States must offer guarantees of representative democracy and ensure that people of African descent fully exercise their citizenship rights, with equal opportunities.

Beyond Occupying Positions

Systemic racism manifests itself in multiple ways, and in the case of the political sphere, the occupation of public office by people of African descent is not enough to combat it, as this effort must be accompanied by processes of decolonization and awareness so that the needs and demands of this population are taken into account.

Racism, and the legacies of racism, exist to the extent that they benefit a section of the population and help maintain white privilege. In other words, they allow a part of the population to have access to land, and education, and contribute to consolidating economic and political differences within a nation.

“When you’re a Black and trans person, all your knowledge and work history is still considered inferior to that of a white, cisgender person with the same knowledge, or even less education. That is why it is always necessary to offer training opportunities specifically aimed at black and trans people, to contribute to the theoretical arsenal of minority groups,” says Brazilian activist Lins Robalo.

For Chilean activist Milene Molina Arancibia, as long as people of African descent do not occupy decision-making spaces, there will continue to be a lack of public policies aimed at improving the lives of the population and, therefore, inequality and racial discrimination will continue to be present in societies.

It should be recognized that in some Latin American countries, there have been efforts to move towards the political representation of people of African descent; however, in many cases, these systems are not proportional to the black population or do not transcend the discursive level.

In Uruguay, for example, despite being considered one of the most advanced democracies in Latin America, the inclusion of people of African descent in public office remains limited. Although the country passed a quota law more than a decade ago, black women’s representation in parliament and executive positions remains low. This reflects the structural challenges that black women face in accessing positions of power.

In Colombia, the situation is similar. The centralization of power and structural barriers have left many black women, especially those in rural regions, out of the political system. The representation of black women in elected offices is minimal, constituting less than 1%. It was not until the election of Francia Márquez that the issues of black communities, and in particular black women, began to be recognized and addressed on the political agenda.

Finally, we echo international standards on the right of all people to participate in public affairs without discrimination. The United Nations Human Rights Committee has stressed that States should:

– Protect political candidates, especially women, people of African descent, indigenous people, and LGBTI people, from violence, harassment, and intimidation. This includes investigating and prosecuting cases, ensuring that those responsible are held accountable, as in the case of Marielle Franco, and providing adequate remedies to victims.

– Intensify efforts to achieve the full and equal participation of these groups in political and public life, especially in decision-making positions.

Meanwhile, the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD) also recommends that States adopt measures to combat illiteracy and ensure that all citizens enjoy their political rights, including the right to be elected to public office.