This month marks 60 years since the UN General Assembly adopted the International Convention for the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (ICERD), a landmark treaty that established a global framework for combating racial discrimination. Contrary to the common narrative that Western countries alone shaped human rights, the push for ICERD was largely led by newly independent African states during the decolonisation wave. In 1963, nine African nations called on the UN to draft a treaty addressing racial discrimination, highlighting the persistent injustices in colonial territories and South Africa. The convention, adopted in 1965, explicitly rejected notions of racial superiority as scientifically false, morally indefensible, and socially unjust.
Despite this milestone, racial discrimination continues to affect millions worldwide. In Brazil, a deadly police operation in Rio de Janeiro’s favelas in October 2025 resulted in over 100 deaths, predominantly among Afro-Brazilians living in poverty. In Tunisia, migration policies have targeted Black refugees and asylum seekers with arrests and expulsions. Kenyan female domestic workers in Saudi Arabia endure racism and exploitative working conditions, while in the United States, federal diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives have been dismantled, and migrants face harsh ICE raids and detention practices that often amount to torture.
Technological developments have also amplified systemic racism. Automated digital systems can entrench bias, and social media platforms have been shown to facilitate the spread of racist and xenophobic content, as seen during the Southport riots in the United Kingdom. Even human rights defenders from the Global South face racial discrimination when applying for visas to participate in international forums where key human rights decisions are made.
These ongoing injustices are rooted in the legacies of European colonialism and the racist ideologies that underpinned it, including the transatlantic slave trade and the erasure of Indigenous populations. The resurgence of anti-right movements globally has further fueled racist rhetoric, scapegoating of migrants, and the erosion of anti-discrimination protections. Moreover, some Western states have leveraged international law to shield Israel from accountability in its actions against Palestinians, undermining global human rights norms.
Global South countries continue to play a leading role in confronting racial injustice. South Africa has brought cases against Israel at the International Court of Justice, while Caribbean and African states, alongside Indigenous peoples and people of African descent, have intensified efforts for reparations and justice. CARICOM has pressured European governments to acknowledge colonial legacies, and the African Union has declared 2026-36 as the Decade of Reparations, consolidating efforts to codify colonial crimes under international law.
Despite these efforts, structural and systemic racism persists, and governments must confront the ongoing impact of slavery and colonialism. Grassroots resistance remains strong: in Brazil, hundreds of thousands of Afro-Brazilian women recently led the March of Black Women for Reparations and Wellbeing, and in the US, communities have mobilized against immigration raids to protect migrants. Governments are urged to fulfill their obligations under ICERD and national laws to protect marginalized populations. The fight against racial discrimination continues, with activists demanding that racism become a thing of the past.
