The Struggle for Racial Equality in Light of International Mechanisms: Race and Equality and Its Commitment to People of African Descent, Indigenous Peoples, and the Roma

The Struggle for Racial Equality in Light of International Mechanisms: Race and Equality and Its Commitment to People of African Descent, Indigenous Peoples, and the Roma

Washington, D.C., March 20, 2026.—On the occasion of the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, the Institute on Race, Equality, and Human Rights (Race and Equality) reaffirms its commitment to combating structural racism and building more just, inclusive, and equitable societies in the Americas.

At Race and Equality, we work in close collaboration with individuals, communities, and peoples of African descent, Indigenous peoples, and the Roma, who continue to face historical and contemporary forms of discrimination that not only limit their ability to exercise their rights but also directly impact their living conditions, their access to opportunities, and their participation in society.

Far from being mere declarations, international human rights instruments establish specific obligations for states: to ensure substantive equality, eliminate discriminatory practices, recognize identities and cultures, and adopt specific measures to close historical gaps. In practice, however, these guarantees have not yet fully translated into structural changes.

At the international level, progress in recognizing the rights of Indigenous peoples and people of African descent has been essential to bringing these inequalities to light. Instruments such as the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples not only recognize collective rights but also require states to respect self-determination, protect territories, and ensure effective participation in decisions that affect their lives.

Similarly, the process leading to a future United Nations Declaration on the rights of individuals, communities, and peoples of African descent represents a historic opportunity to establish standards that compel States to address the structural racism inherited from colonialism and slavery. This entails, for example, adopting public policies that guarantee equitable access to education, health care, employment, and justice, as well as recognizing and redressing the historical impacts of racial discrimination.

Nevertheless, Roma communities continue to face significant gaps in recognition within the international system, which results in their persistent invisibility in the Americas. This lack of recognition limits the adoption of specific public policies and perpetuates barriers to accessing basic rights.

Within the inter-American system, instruments such as the Inter-American Convention against Racism, Racial Discrimination, and Related Forms of Intolerance (CIRDI) reinforce these obligations by establishing that States must not only prohibit discrimination but also prevent, punish, and eradicate it through concrete actions. This includes collecting disaggregated data, recognizing affected communities, and designing public policies with their participation.

A recent example of these structural injustices was evident at the historic first hearing on the Roma people before the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, held on March 9, 2026, and supported by Race and Equality. In this forum, Roma activists denounced how invisibility, structural racism, and the lack of state recognition continue to result in exclusion from the education system, barriers to accessing health services, and obstacles to accessing justice.

Such forums not only bring these issues to light but also reaffirm that states must move from formal recognition to effective action.

In the face of these challenges, at Race and Equality we reaffirm our commitment to:

  • Strengthening the effective participation of individuals, communities, and peoples of African descent, Indigenous peoples, and Roma in decision-making, both at the national level and in international forums.
  • Promote processes of memory, truth, justice, and reparations in the face of the legacies of colonialism, slavery, and structural racism.
  • Highlight and document persistent inequalities, supporting organizations and activists in the defense of their rights.
  • Incorporate an intersectional approach into all our actions, recognizing the multiple forms of discrimination faced by these populations.
  • Promote the ratification of the Inter-American Convention against Racism, Racial Discrimination, and Related Forms of Intolerance (CIRDI), recognizing that this instrument provides concrete tools for States to adopt regulatory frameworks in this regard.

On this March 21, we call on governments, international organizations, and civil society to redouble their efforts to eradicate racism in all its forms. Equality cannot remain a mere promise: it must be translated into policies, resources, and concrete actions that guarantee dignity and justice for all people.

Organizations denounce invisibility and structural discrimination against Roma peoples in the region in historic hearing before the IACHR 

Guatemala City, March 12, 2026.– Organizations that promote and defend the rights of the Roma population in the Americas, especially in Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, and the United States, appeared before the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights during its 195th Session, held from March 9 to 12 in Guatemala City, to present the human rights situation faced by this population in the region. 

The hearing—which was convened ex officio and included the participation of 13 civil society organizations, including the Institute on Race, Equality, and Human Rights (Race and Equality)—was historic as it was the first in the history of the IACHR dedicated exclusively to addressing the human rights situation of Roma peoples and communities, also known as Gypsies, Romani, or Rom. 

During the session, representatives of organizations from Brazil, Argentina, Colombia, Canada, and the United States warned of the persistent invisibility, structural racism, violence, and barriers that Roma people face in accessing fundamental rights such as health, education, and justice. They also denounced the lack of official data, specific public policies, and state measures to combat anti-Gypsyism in the region.  

Among the notable interventions was that of Elisa Costa, from the Maylê Sara Kalí International Association (AMSK) in Brazil, who warned of the disproportionate impact of discrimination and violence on Romani women. 

“I start from a non-negotiable principle: human rights are indivisible. Violence disproportionately affects the Roma people, especially women, children, and the elderly,” Costa said. 

The activist explained that, in the absence of comprehensive official statistics, her organization has worked with microdata from public policies to assess the vulnerability faced by these communities. She said that as of 2025, at least 3,417 Roma children between the ages of 0 and 4 have been registered as being in a situation of extreme social vulnerability in Brazil, a situation that also reflects the precariousness faced by their mothers and families. 

Costa explained that the available data reveal a critical concentration of this population in vulnerable conditions in a few states of the country and warned that Roma women are particularly affected throughout their life cycle. He also pointed out that many reports of violence occur in extended family contexts, which requires culturally appropriate state responses that currently do not exist. 

In this context, she stressed that Romaphobia and anti-Gypsyism must be recognized as expressions of structural racism in Brazil and in the region, and urged states to adopt measures to combat these forms of discrimination. 

Among her recommendations to the IACHR, Costa called for the recognition of August 2 as Roma Holocaust Day, the promotion of affirmative action campaigns against anti-Gypsyism, and support for historical memory initiatives such as the Map of Romani Memory in the Americas. 

For his part, Damián Cristo, from the Association for the Rights of the Gypsy/Romani People (ZOR) of Argentina, warned of the multiple obstacles faced by this population in fully exercising their rights. “Access to health care for our families is almost impossible,” he said during his speech. 

Cristo explained that the situation of Roma communities in Argentina is marked by statistical invisibility, difficulties in accessing health services, barriers to justice, school dropout rates, and a lack of targeted public policies. 

In terms of education, he warned that the Argentine school system has failed to fully integrate Roma children and young people, who face high levels of school dropout, in many cases linked to the lack of content that respects their cultural identity and to situations of harassment based on their ethnic origin. 

He also stressed the importance of the right to memory and called on the Argentine State to officially recognize August 2 as the Day of Remembrance of the Gypsy Holocaust, as well as to promote the recognition of April 8 as International Roma Day. 

Representatives of various organizations in the region also spoke during the hearing. Rogério Ribeiro, from the Brazilian Network of Gypsy Peoples, referred to recent cases of violence that have affected Roma communities in northeastern Brazil. Daiane Rocha, from the National Association of Gypsy Ethnic Groups of Brazil (ANEC), expressed her gratitude for this space for dialogue to highlight the difficulties faced by these communities in Latin America and the Caribbean. 

From Colombia, Ana Dalila Gómez Baos, from the Kumpania Rrom organization in Bogotá, highlighted some progress in the recognition of the rights of the Rrom people in the country, although she pointed out that more action is still needed to combat discrimination and guarantee the full exercise of their rights. 

Similarly, Deny Dobrov, Director of International Relations for the World Roma Federation, warned that Roma communities also face structural discrimination in the United States, which often remains hidden because many Roma people choose to conceal their identity to avoid stigma and stereotypes. He explained that the limited public recognition of Roma as an ethnic minority in that country contributes to perpetuating anti-Roma narratives that influence social perceptions and institutions. 

Dobrov also expressed concern about the persistence of anti-Roma stereotypes in some law enforcement training materials and in investigative contexts, which could encourage ethnic profiling practices. In this context, he urged States to explicitly recognize Roma communities in anti-racism policies, strengthen collaboration with Roma-led organizations, and promote secure self-identification mechanisms that enable the design of more effective public policies.  

Representatives of the international human rights system also participated in the session. Claude Cahn, Human Rights Officer at the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), referred to the difficulties in adequately documenting the violence affecting this population.  

At the close of the hearing, the IACHR commissioners recognized the historical importance of this space. Commissioner Gloria de Mees, rapporteur on the rights of people of African descent and against racial discrimination, noted that the Romani people have remained invisible despite their contributions to society, while Commissioner Marion Bethel, rapporteur on women’s rights, expressed concern about the forms of gender-based violence that particularly affect Romani women. 

After the hearing, the IACHR thanked the organizations for their participation and reaffirmed its commitment to listen to and give visibility to the voices of Roma peoples in the region, highlighting that these communities have faced historical and intergenerational discrimination. It also stressed the importance of States including this population in national censuses and using the data collected to develop public policies that respond to their needs and guarantee their rights. 

The hearing marked a significant step toward raising awareness of the situation of Roma peoples in the Americas and advancing the recognition of their rights in the inter-American human rights system. At Race and Equality, we highlight the importance of this historic moment and reiterate our commitment to continue accompanying Roma communities and organizations in the region in their efforts to raise awareness of the structural discrimination they face and promote the recognition and effective protection of their human rights.  

The Conviction for the Murder of Marielle Franco Must Translate into Structural Guarantees Against Gender-based Political Violence in Brazil

Rio de Janeiro, March 4, 2026.– The historic conviction of the brothers Chiquinho and Domingos Brazão to 76 years and 3 months in prison for the murder of city councilwoman Marielle Franco and driver Anderson Gomes represents not only the end of a long cycle of impunity, but also a milestone in the legal recognition of the seriousness of gender-based political violence in Brazil.

For the Institute on Race, Equality, and Human Rights (Race and Equality), this ruling sets an important precedent, but it also puts the Brazilian state to the test: justice in a landmark case must be accompanied by structural changes that guarantee non-repetition and the effective protection of women in public life, especially those who face multiple and intersectional forms of discrimination.

As defined by Law No. 14.192/2021, gender-based political violence is any action that aims to impede, hinder, or nullify the political rights of women simply because they are women. In the case of Marielle, a Black woman, raised in the Maré favela, and a human rights defender, this violence was taken to its ultimate consequences. As Minister Alexandre de Moraes highlighted in his vote, the crime combined ‘political issues with misogyny, racism, and discrimination,’ pointing out that the councilwoman ‘was a poor Black woman who was standing up to the interests of militiamen.’ Minister Cármen Lúcia also echoed this sentiment when reflecting on the historical weakening of women as subjects of rights: ‘Killing one of us is much easier […] Because ‘nothing will happen’.’

This vulnerability denounced by the minister reaches even more critical levels when it comes to LBTI women (lesbians, bisexuals, transvestites, transsexuals, and intersex). Official data reveals an alarming scenario: between 2015 and 2022, notifications of violence against lesbian women grew by 50%, and Brazil is among the countries with the highest rates of murder of trans people. These numbers show that, for LBTI women, political violence is aggravated by structural LBTIphobia, which places them in a position of extreme vulnerability in spaces of power and decision-making.

It was in this context that the federal government launched, in September 2025, the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for the humanized care of LBTI women in situations of violence. The protocol establishes fundamental guidelines so that the care network respects the gender identity and sexual orientation of the victims, avoiding re-victimization and ensuring qualified listening and access to justice.

However, it is important to emphasize that the adoption of protocols of this nature must be accompanied by sufficient budgetary allocation, mandatory training for public officials, accountability mechanisms, and independent monitoring systems that allow for the evaluation of their real impact. The enhanced due diligence required by international human rights law obliges the Brazilian State not only to investigate and punish, but also to prevent, protect, and provide comprehensive reparations.

In this regard, Race and Equality calls on United Nations mechanisms (in particular the Special Rapporteur on violence against women and girls and the Independent Expert on sexual orientation and gender identity), the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, and diplomatic missions accredited in Brazil to actively monitor the implementation of structural measures that guarantee the safety and a life free of violence for Black women, LBTI women, and women human rights defenders.

The conviction of the Brazão brothers and their accomplices cannot be seen merely as the outcome of a criminal investigation. It must represent a turning point in the fight against gender-based political violence in Brazil. Marielle Franco’s memory demands that the Brazilian State continue to advance in the implementation of effective public policies to protect all women who dare to occupy politics (especially those who, due to their race, sexual orientation, or gender identity, are even more exposed to violence and erasure).

Marielle Lives!

 

Inter-American Court of Human Rights Condemns the State of Mexico for Sexual Violence by Members of the Mexican Army, Torture, and the Death of Ernestina Ascencio Rosario

The family of Ernestina Ascencio Rosario and their representatives welcome the decision of the Inter-American Court of Human Rights (IACtHR), which, after nearly nineteen years of impunity and denial of justice by the State of Mexico, declared the State internationally responsible for the sexual violence, torture, and death of Ernestina Ascencio Rosario. Ernestina was a 73-year-old monolingual Nahua Indigenous woman who was assaulted in February 2007 by members of the Mexican Army in the Sierra de Zongolica, Veracruz.

The IACtHR’s decision is of historic significance, as it marks an important step in addressing the multiple barriers Indigenous women face in accessing justice in contexts of violence and discrimination based on ethnicity, gender, and economic exclusion. The Court held that the violations committed by the State against the victims resulted from institutional violence, structural discrimination, and the violation of the right to the truth, all of which led to impunity for those responsible. The judgment also advances the protection of older persons by recognizing that such protection is reinforced when age intersects with other factors of vulnerability, such as gender and ethnic origin, particularly in militarized contexts, where conditions of violence, exclusion, and structural discrimination are exacerbated.

In addition, the IACtHR reaffirmed the existence of structural obstacles faced by Indigenous peoples and individuals in accessing justice as a result of historical patterns of discrimination, marginalization, and social exclusion, and ordered the State to adopt measures to eliminate those barriers.

Through its systematic analysis of the factors that ensured impunity for those responsible, including public statements by high-level authorities, such as the President of Mexico, the Court made clear how State conduct perpetuated discrimination and impunity and deepened the vulnerability experienced by Ernestina and her family. Accordingly, the Court found that the State engaged in institutional violence against Ernestina Ascencio Rosario and her relatives. This approach to examining State action provides prosecutors and judicial authorities with a methodology to ensure compliance with due process guarantees and to protect victims’ rights, taking into account the specific conditions of vulnerability they face due to ethnicity, gender, and other discriminatory factors.

As a result, the Court ordered the State, among other measures of reparation, to carry out a thorough and serious criminal investigation, within a reasonable timeframe, into the sexual violence, torture, and death of Ernestina, leading to the punishment of those responsible; to adopt measures of satisfaction and rehabilitation, including providing culturally appropriate medical and psychological care to her family members; to make the judgment public and carry out a public act of acknowledgment of international responsibility; and to grant scholarships for basic, technical, and/or university education to Ernestina’s grandchildren who wish to pursue them. The Court also ordered the Mexican State to implement a training and capacity-building program for public officials on the matters addressed in the judgment; to strengthen the health center located in the Municipality of Soledad Atzompa; to adopt measures regarding health and justice with a gender-, ethnic-, and age-sensitive perspective; to address the linguistic barriers faced by Indigenous women in the State of Veracruz; and to develop a national registry of Indigenous-language interpreters. The State must report within one year on its compliance with these measures, and the Court will monitor their implementation until full compliance is achieved.

After learning of the judgment, Martha Inés Ascencio, daughter of Ernestina, stated: “I am very happy because on our own we did not know what we were going to do, and you supported us. Now, with this judgment, we know that they did listen to us. Three months before the 19th anniversary of my mother’s death, today I heard a bit of justice for what we have been fighting for, but the State still needs to comply with what it has been ordered to do.”

According to Patricia Benítez Pérez, coordinator of CESEM, “The IACtHR’s judgment honors the memory of Mrs. Ernestina Ascencio Rosario. The truth that was silenced for 19 years for the Inés Ascencio family has been vindicated before the highest court in the region, which upholds the truth and the words that Ernestina expressed during her lifetime:´Pinomeh xoxomeh nopan omotlatlamotlakeh´ (‘the men in green threw themselves on top of  me.’)”.

For Julia Marcela Suárez Cabrera, representative of AJDH, “the claim we pursued to uncover the truth about the abuses committed against Mrs. Ernestina and her family made it possible for the IACtHR to provide them with justice and to order the State to implement measures of reparation for the victims and guarantees of non-repetition that ensure the rights of Indigenous women in Mexico.”

The representatives of the victims consider that the jurisprudence issued by the Court in this case will be a fundamental tool in the fight against the structural racism that, like in this case, is manifested in the racial discrimination faced by Indigenous women and other historically discriminated groups seeking judicial protection against the violence perpetrated against them.

The judgment comes nearly two decades after the events, following an uninterrupted search for truth, justice, and reparation that yielded no results, and led the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights to submit the case to the IACtHR in 2023. The prolonged lack of adequate State responses consolidated, up to the present day, a scenario of impunity and violation of the right to the truth that the Court’s decision seeks to correct, and which reflects the State’s structural failures to fully guarantee the human rights of Indigenous women, particularly the right to a life free from violence and discrimination, the right to a dignified life, and the right to adequate guarantees of access to truth and justice.

The organizations Abogadas y Abogados para la Justicia y los Derechos Humanos (AJDH), Centro de Servicios Municipales Heriberto Jara A.C. (CESEM), Kalli Luz Marina A.C., the Coordinadora Nacional de Mujeres Indígenas (CONAMI), the Robert and Ethel Kennedy Human Rights Center, and the International Institute on Race, Equality and Human Rights, as representatives of the victims, upon being notified of the judgment, formally requested that the Mexican State propose a roadmap for the full implementation of the ruling. This provides the State with an opportunity to honor its commitment in declaring 2025 the “Year of Indigenous Women” by fully complying with the judgment without further delay.

Press Contacts:

Abogadas y Abogados para la Justicia y los Derechos Humanos (AJDH)

Press Contact: Carmen Herrera, justiciayderechoshumanos2006@gmail.com, Whatsapp: +52 55 4347 6669 

Centro de Servicios Municipales Heriberto Jara A.C. (CESEM)

Press Contact:  Alejandra Arlet García López, centrohj@gmail.com, Whatsapp: +52 228 177 3127 

Kalli Luz Marina A.C.

Press Contact: Elizabeth Guevara Mitzi, kallilegal23@gmail.com 

Coordinadora Nacional de Mujeres Indígenas (CONAMI)​

Press Contact: Patricia Torres Sandoval and Norma Don Juan Pérez,  mujeresindigenasconami@gmail.com WhatsApp: +52 55 2407 8827

Robert and Ethel Kennedy Human Rights Center

Press Contact: Angelita Baeyens, baeyens@rfkhumanrights.org

International Institute on Race, Equality and Human Rights

Press Contact: Christina M. Fetterhoff, fetterhoff@raceandequality.org 

 

Brazil’s misguided public security policy: The systemic racism behind the deadliest massacre in Rio de Janeiro’s history

Rio de Janeiro, October 29, 2025.– The police operation carried out on October 28, 2025 in the Alemão and Penha complexes, in Rio de Janeiro, with 64 people officially confirmed dead[1], was deemed the deadliest in the history of the state, surpassing in scale the Jacarezinho Massacre (2021), which resulted in 28 deaths and was, until then, the most violent action in the capital of Rio de Janeiro. The real number of victims may be even higher, with reports of locals collecting about 60 additional bodies (mostly of black people) that were not initially accounted for in the official toll.

Public security experts already classify the event as “the largest massacre in the history of Rio” and “something completely unprecedented,” which highlights the failure of a public security model based on violent confrontation. This episode is part of a tragic historical pattern of lethal violence in police operations in Brazil, which includes massacres such as those in Vigário Geral (1993, with 21 deaths) and Baixada Fluminense (2005, with 29 deaths), repeating cycles of brutality and impunity that victimize mostly young black people and residents of the peripheries.

Rio de Janeiro, in particular, has been the site of daily police operations and the impact on the city reaches all people, indiscriminately. However, it affects much more intensely the people living in the peripheries – mostly black, women and children – who are forced to cope with multiple forms of violence. The State does not have a plan to combat this violence;  the State itself is seen being one of the main protagonists in the generation of violence and deaths.

Brazil has frequently received visits from experts from the UN and other multilateral mechanisms. These experts have issued concrete reports and recommendations, which indicate ways to combat violence and, at the same time, to establish structuring public policies that, in the medium and long term, can change this scenario of ongoing civil war.

The report issued by the International Mechanism of Independent Experts for the Advancement of Racial Equality and Justice in Law Enforcement – EMLER, in October 2024, highlighted that “police culture and a public security policy based on repression, violence, and hypertoxic masculinity. In the context of police operations that seek to eliminate the public enemy (criminals), people of African descent are often unfairly associated with criminality or as collateral damage operations. The Mechanism has observed symptomatic and widespread erosion and a profound lack of trust of people of African descent in police forces, especially among marginalized communities, mainly due to historical and ongoing police violence, which creates a sense of systemic oppression aggravated by long-standing impunity for these acts.”[2]

The numbers of the operation in the Alemão and Penha complexes show – and evidence – a mistaken policy that, over the last 20 years, has proven to be inefficient in the fight against crime and has generated many deaths, indiscriminately. The EMLER mechanism also considers that a human rights-based approach to policing should be part of the strategy to reverse these gaps. A human rights-based approach to policing is a comprehensive, systematic, and institutional approach to law enforcement that conforms to international human rights standards and practices and that promotes policy and action analysis through the tripartite obligations to respect, protect, and fulfill.

Another highlight of the report is the fact that the numbers and circumstances in which people are murdered by the police in Brazil are alarming. In the last ten years, 54,175 people have been killed by police officers in the country, with more than 6,000 individuals killed every year (17 per day) in the last six years. Deaths caused by police increased significantly: from 2,212 in 2013 to 6,393 in 2023. The most recent data represents 13% of the total intentional violent deaths in the country. Of the 6,393 people killed by police in 2023, 99.3% were men; 6.7% were children between 12 and 17 years old; and 65% were young adults: 41% were between 18 and 24 years old and 23.5% between 25 and 29 years old.

There is no way to dissociate this state of violence from structural and systemic racism in Brazil. The excessive use of force, which leads to thousands of deaths every year, and excessive incarceration, which disproportionately affect people of African descent, are a consequence of systemic racism which, combined with the current policies of “war on crime”, results in a process of social cleansing that serves to exterminate sectors of society considered undesirable,  dangerous and criminal. This is a pervasive systemic issue that requires a systemic and comprehensive response.

The Institute on Race, Equality and Human Rights (Race and Equality) renounces the operation carried out by the government of the State of Rio de Janeiro on Tuesday (28), which has resulted, so far, in 64 confirmed deaths, and reinforces that the fight against organized crime must be rethought, as it has only served to generate panic and various human rights violations in favela territories,  strongly affecting the most vulnerable people, who find themselves hostages of this mistaken security policy.

 

 

[1] Bodies are left in a square in Complexo da Penha after an operation that left dozens dead in Rio. Image: Flávia Fróes/Video playback… – See more at https://noticias.uol.com.br/cotidiano/ultimas-noticias/2025/10/29/atualizacao-corpos-mortos-rio-de-janeiro.htm?cmpid=copiaecola

 

[2] Microsoft Word – A-HRC-57-71-Add-1-unofficial-Portuguese-version.docx

MUDE, a shelter threatened for defending the rights of black women and children in Palmira, Colombia

Bogotá, October 20, 2025 – On July 15, 2024, members of the Movimiento de mujeres unidas, diversas y emancipadas (MUDE, by its initials in Spanish) reported that, in the early hours of the morning, several people violently entered the house where the organization’s headquarters were located, in the municipality of Palmira, Valle del Cauca. Through their social media accounts, they made public how computers were destroyed, along with the shelter of more than 300 people, including children, adolescents, and black and diverse women from this region of Colombia who are beneficiaries of MUDE. 

That day, the women of this organization felt that the “last straw had been drawn,” after years of threats, harassment, acts of racism, transphobia, and hate campaigns spread through social media. They were left with a clear message: if they continue to do this work, their lives are in danger.

A year after the raid, the events remain unpunished and the members of MUDE continue to denounce what happened and demand recognition and guarantees of their rights in this area of the Colombian Pacific. “We continue to call on the authorities and other organizations to listen to us and respond to our demands. We want to know that we have support, that our lives matter, that people care about what happens to MUDE, to children, and to diversity,” says María Camilia Saa, a member of the organization. 

The Movimiento de mujeres unidas, diversas y emancipadas was founded in 2019 and, since then, has accompanied and transformed the lives of more than 6,000 children, adolescents, women of African descent, and diverse women, along with their families, in Palmira and other municipalities in Valle del Cauca. Sady Carreazo, another member, affirms that MUDE is a space for “collectivization.” 

“Coming together guarantees the lives of Black people; it is another way in which we can be and live in freedom. It is another opportunity to study, work, be, and express ourselves,” adds Carreazo. The organization promotes advocacy, training, and visibility strategies with an ethnic and diverse focus through art and music. One example of this is MUDE’s Agojie group, whose songs address issues such as Afro hair, feminism, and sexual and gender dissidence.

Following the attack, MUDE was forced to relocate its headquarters to another area of Palmira, while its members continue to report ongoing threats and harassment due to their diverse identities and their work defending the rights of their communities.

From the Institute on Race, Equality, and Human Rights (Race and Equality) expresses its support for MUDE and reiterates its urgent call on the competent authorities to act diligently, guarantee the protection of its members, and ensure that acts such as these do not go unpunished. Defending the lives, diversity, and leadership of Black and diverse women is an inescapable responsibility of the Colombian state.



Afro-descendant activists in the region condemn the effects of racism on Afro-descendant women

  • Five female leaders from Latin America and the Caribbean, along with Professor Justin Hansford, a member of the UN Permanent Forum on People of African Descent, participated in the discussion “Voices of the Diaspora: Women of African Descent in Resistance and Global Leadership” on September 18 in Bogotá.

Bogotá, September 22, 2025.– Within the framework of the regional consultation of the UN Permanent Forum on People of African Descent, which brought together more than 60 Afro-descendant activists from Latin America and the Caribbean, the Institute on Race, Equality and Human Rights (Race and Equality) held the discussion “Voices of the Diaspora: Women of African Descent in Resistance and Global Leadership,” which took place on Thursday, September 18 in Bogotá.

The meeting brought together women leaders from different countries in the region, who shared experiences regarding the multiple forms of violence and discrimination faced by Afro-descendant women, as well as the strategies of community building and resistance that they have implemented.

The president of the Central American Black Organization (ONECA), Afrohonduran Mirtha Colón, highlighted the significance of strengthening cultural identity among members of the younger generation. The coordinator of the Network of Afro-Latin American, Afro-Caribbean, and Diaspora Women, Afrobolivian Paola Yañez, emphasized that “we cannot talk about racism without talking about sexism, because they are so intertwined.” Meanwhile, Afromexican Teresa Mojica, president of the Petra Morga Afro-Mexican Foundation, called for the promotion of an Afro-descendant, Afro-centered, intersectional, and decolonial agenda. 

Afrodominican María Bizenny Martínez, coordinator of the Department of Human Rights and Political Advocacy at MOSCTHA, denounced discrimination and xenophobia toward the Haitian population, especially women. Meanwhile, Afrocolombian Luz Marina Becerra Panesso, legal representative of the Coordination of Displaced Afro-Colombian Women in Resistance (La Comadre), noted that the armed conflict in Colombia has exacerbated the vulnerability of Afro-Colombian women, many of whom remain silent out of fear.

After listening to the leaders, Professor Justin Hansford, member of the UN Permanent Forum on People of African Descent, highlighted the situation of Afro-Colombian women in Latin America and reiterated some of the recommendations raised by the activists during the discussion.

This dialogue offered a platform for collective construction and exchange, in which the voices of Afro-descendant women from the region and the diaspora illustrated the various ways in which racism and sexism affect their lives and reaffirmed their central role in the defense of rights and social development. It also served as a prelude for the activists, who also participated in the regional consultation of the UN Permanent Forum on People of African Descent, which was conducted on September 19 at the Colombian Foreign Ministry. They highlighted the need to visualize the reality of Afro-descendant women within the draft declaration, which is currently being developed by some members of the Forum.

Race and Equality remains committed to the promotion of initiatives and spaces that facilitate these types of meetings. Our objective is to continue to denounce the human rights violations experienced by Afro-descendant individuals in the region and to contribute to a world in which the dignity of all individuals is honored and all individuals have the opportunity to fully reach their potential.

United Nations Permanent Forum on People of African Descent to hold regional consultation in Bogotá

Bogotá, September 16, 2025. This Friday, September 19, the United Nations Permanent Forum on People of African Descent will hold a regional consultation for Spanish-speaking Latin America, a space that is part of the process of drafting the future United Nations Declaration on the respect, protection, and fulfillment of the human rights of people of African descent.

This meeting, which will begin at 9 a.m. at the headquarters of the Colombian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and will bring together more than 60 leaders, is part of the regional consultations being conducted by the Permanent Forum in different parts of the world to gather input and ensure that the voices of Afro-descendant communities are taken into account in the drafting of the Declaration. The meeting in Bogotá will be the second regional consultation, following the one held in December 2024 in Barbados, which focused on the Caribbean.

According to the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC), around 200 million people of African descent live in the region, equivalent to 30% of the total population. However, structural barriers persist that limit their access to justice, political participation, education, health, and decent employment. These gaps are even greater in the case of women of African descent, who face the intersectional effects of racism and sexism. The regional consultation in Bogotá, aimed at Afro-descendant communities in Spanish-speaking Latin American countries, seeks to generate an assessment of the multiple forms of discrimination and structural racism in the region, while consolidating proposals to strengthen the draft Declaration.

The event, which will take the form of a broad and participatory dialogue, will focus on priority issues identified by the Permanent Forum, including: the recognition and addressing of systemic and structural racism; restorative justice in the face of the legacies of colonialism, slavery, apartheid, and genocide; the collective rights of Afro-descendant peoples; sustainable development and the reduction of inequalities; as well as urgent and emerging human rights issues, such as the impact of artificial intelligence, climate change, environmental injustice, and the need to reform the international economic order.

The Institute on Race, Equality, and Human Rights (Race and Equality) supports the participation of prominent women leaders from the region, who will contribute their experiences and expertise to the discussion. Among them are: Paola Yánez from Bolivia, coordinator of the Network of Afro-Latin American, Afro-Caribbean, and Diaspora Women; Mirtha Colón from Honduras, president of the Central American Black Organization (ONECA); María Bizenny Martínez from the Dominican Republic, coordinator of the Human Rights and Political Advocacy Department at MOSCTHA; Luz Marina Becerra Panesso from Colombia, legal representative of the Coordination of Displaced Afro-Colombian Women in Resistance (La Comadre); and Teresa Mojica from Mexico, president of the Petra Morga Afro-Mexican Foundation. Their participation will raise awareness of the specific realities faced by women of African descent in the face of racial violence, forced displacement, and exclusion.

Voices of the diaspora: Women of African descent in resistance and global leadership

As a prelude to the consultation, on Thursday, September 18, at 4:00 p.m., at the Hotel Suite Jones (Chapinero, Bogotá), a dialogue will be held entitled Voices of the Diaspora: Women of African Descent in Resistance and Global Leadership. This meeting will feature the participation of the aforementioned leaders and Professor Justin Hasford, a member of the UN Permanent Forum on People of African Descent, whose career in the United States and involvement with Afro-descendant movements in the diaspora will allow for a comparative analysis between Latin America and the Global North.

The event, organized by Raza e Igualdad, will have simultaneous English-Spanish interpretation and seeks to consolidate a space for exchange and collective construction, strengthening the link between the historical struggles of Afro-descendant communities in Latin America and those that are developing in other international contexts.



The UN Releases Letter Demanding Information from the Brazilian Government Regarding the Case of Sônia Maria de Jesus 

  • Sônia Maria de Jesus, a Black woman with multiple disabilities, was subjected to decades of domestic servitude by a family with ties to the judiciary. 
  • Four UN Special Rapporteurs and a Working Group sent an official communication to the Brazilian government expressing serious concern over the case, urging immediate action to prevent Sônia’s revictimization and to ensure her rights are upheld. 
  • In late 2024, representatives of Sônia’s family, along with CPT, CEJIL and the Institute on Race, Equality and Human Rights, brought her case to the United Nations, calling for justice and guarantees of non-repetition. 

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil — April XX, 2025. Four UN Special Rapporteurs have requested clarification and an official response from the Brazilian government regarding the case of Sônia Maria de Jesus — a Black woman with multiple disabilities and who is illiterate — who was subjected to conditions akin to modern-day slavery from childhood by a family in the state of Santa Catarina, one of whose members is a judge. 

The UN officials — focused on human trafficking, the rights of persons with disabilities, contemporary forms of racism and racial discrimination, and modern forms of slavery — along with the UN Working Group on Discrimination Against Women and Girls, made public their letter to the Brazilian government. The letter expresses concern over the reported violations, the ongoing risk of revictimization, and the dangerous precedent this case may set. 

The rapporteurs emphasized that the reported facts suggest violations of multiple rights protected under various international treaties. They also highlighted their deep concern over a judicial ruling that ordered Sônia’s return to the same residence where she had allegedly been enslaved — a decision that contradicts both national and international victim protection protocols and risks further revictimization. 

In addition to requesting information, the UN urged the Brazilian government to outline the steps it has taken to protect the human rights of Sônia and her family, to investigate the alleged violations, and to strengthen public policies to combat modern slavery and human trafficking — particularly in domestic work and in cases involving people in heightened situations of vulnerability, such as Black women and persons with disabilities. 

“For us, Sônia’s siblings, it is both a relief and encouraging to see that at least one institution has shown sensitivity and taken a stand,” said Marta de Jesus, Sônia’s sister. “The Brazilian judiciary has failed to respond properly to Sônia’s case or to ours. We are being denied the right to family life, and the courts fail to see how she could be welcomed and rebuild her life with us.” 

In 1982, Sônia was taken to live with a judge’s family in Santa Catarina under the premise of protection, but she was later moved to another state without her biological family’s knowledge. For decades, she was exploited without a formal work record, access to education, or adequate medical care. Her ability to communicate was severely hindered due to a lack of proper stimulation. In 2023, Sônia was rescued following an anonymous report — but her freedom was short-lived. Brazil’s Superior Court of Justice ruled for her return to the home where she had been exploited. Her siblings only learned of her whereabouts after her rescue and have since been denied full contact with her. 

At the end of 2024, Sônia’s family and the organizations CPT, CEJIL, the Institute on Race, Equality and Human Rights, and the Black Lives with Disabilities Matter Movement submitted a formal communication to the UN outlining the violations and requesting action from the Brazilian government. 

While awaiting a response, the UN rapporteurs and working group emphasized the urgency for Brazil to take all necessary steps to stop the violations, prevent their recurrence, and ensure accountability. They also indicated the possibility of publicly expressing their concerns, stressing that this is an issue that demands immediate attention and that the public must be informed of its implications. 

Second Decade for People of African Descent: It Is Time for States to Ratify the Inter-American Convention against Racism 

Washington, D.C., March 21, 2025.– Commemorating yet another year of the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination leads us to reflect on the events that gave rise to this date, but also on the persistence of this evil and the steps that are necessary to combat and eradicate it, such as the ratification and implementation of the Inter-American Convention against Racism, Racial Discrimination and Related Forms of Intolerance (ICRIID). 

On March 21, 1960, 20,000 black people in South Africa protested against a law restricting their movements, leading to the Sharpeville massacre, in which 69 people were killed. In memory of the victims, the United Nations (UN) designated this date as the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination.  

More than seven decades later, structural racism continues to affect people of African descent and Indigenous peoples in Latin America and the Caribbean, resulting in precarious access to education, housing, and work. This is compounded by disproportionate violence by law enforcement and illegal groups. 

For example, data from the 2024 Atlas of Violence show that in Brazil, in 2022, 66.4% of murdered women were black, with a total of 2,526 victims, and 76.5% of registered homicides were of black people.  

Meanwhile, in Cuba, extreme poverty mainly affects people of African descent, according to a study conducted between May and June 2024 by the Cuban Observatory of Human Rights (OCDH), which details that “of the total sample (1,148 surveys), 61% said they had problems to buy the most essential things to survive, while in the Afro-Cuban population the figure stands at 68%”. 

A Key Opportunity to Combat Racism 

On December 17, 2024, the United Nations proclaimed the Second International Decade for People of African Descent. This marks a key opportunity for the Americas to promote concrete actions to combat the legacies of structural racism, slavery, and colonialism. The success of this initiative will depend on the political will of the States, something that was evident during the First Decade (2015-2024), where, despite significant progress, the lack of commitment of governments prevented transformative change. 

Barbara Reynolds, chair of the UN Working Group of Experts on People of African Descent (WGEPAD), was clear that the first Decade “raised awareness of anti-black racism but lacked sufficient political will and investment by Member States”. 

In Latin America and the Caribbean, structural inequalities continue to disproportionately affect Afro-descendant and indigenous communities. Education, health, housing, access to economic opportunities and political representation remain significant barriers. In addition, these populations face compounded vulnerabilities due to the climate crisis, digital exclusion and environmental injustice. 

In this context, if the States really want to eradicate racism in the region, a fundamental step is the ratification of the Inter-American Convention against Racism, Racial Discrimination and Related Forms of Intolerance (ICRIID). 

CIRDI: A Pending Commitment 

CIRDI, adopted by the Organization of American States (OAS) in 2013, is a crucial legal instrument for combating racism in the region. However, few countries have ratified it, leaving millions of Afro-descendants and indigenous people without effective protection against racial discrimination. 

Let us recall that ICRIID establishes clear obligations for States, including: the development of public policies to eliminate racial discrimination, the promotion of equal opportunities for Afro-descendant and indigenous communities, the strengthening of justice systems to avoid the disproportionate criminalization of these populations, and the protection of Afro-descendant human rights defenders, among others. 

Despite its importance, lack of political will remains the greatest obstacle. While some countries have taken significant steps with affirmative action laws and racial equity offices, the absence of a binding regional framework prevents sustainable and coordinated progress. 

The New Decade: A Turning Point 

The Second International Decade for People of African Descent cannot repeat the mistakes of the first. To ensure real structural change, Race and Equality believes that States must: 

  1. Ratify and implement ICRIID. Symbolic speeches and commitments are not enough; it is necessary for countries to incorporate its principles into their national legislation.
  2. Design national action plans with the participation of civil society. Without their voice, policies will continue to ignore the real needs of people of African descent and indigenous peoples. 
  3. Collect disaggregated data on the socioeconomic situation of the Afro-descendant population and indigenous peoples. Without accurate figures, there is no way to design effective policies.
  4. Implement affirmative actions in education and employment. 
  5. Protect Afro-descendant and indigenous human rights defenders. Their work in defense of their territories and environmental justice exposes them to constant risks.
  6. Comply with the recommendations of the Inter-American Human Rights System. The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) has issued key reports on racism in the region, but few States have taken action.

A Call to Action 

Racism and racial discrimination are not abstract concepts, but daily realities for millions of Afro-descendants and indigenous people in the Americas. Combating this injustice requires more than good intentions; it requires concrete political decisions, starting with the ratification of CIRDI. 

Latin America and the Caribbean must lead this fight. There are no excuses for further delaying the adoption of this fundamental treaty. It is time to act. 

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