New York: The fourth session of the UN Permanent Forum on People of African Descent has opened at the United Nations Headquarters in New York. The session is focusing on the challenges of reparations and the impact of Artificial Intelligence (AI) on the development of people of African descent.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, the week-long event is organised by the UN Human Rights Office and runs under the theme: ‘Africa and People of African Descent: United for Reparatory Justice in the Age of Artificial Intelligence.’ The forum aims to amplify global calls for reparations addressing the historical legacies of enslavement and colonialism. Philemon Yang, President of the UN General Assembly, urged attendees to recommit to ending racism in all its forms to uphold the dignity and equality of every human being during his opening remarks.
In a message delivered by his Chef de Cabinet, Courtenay Rattray, UN Secretary-General Ant³nio Guterres highlighted the importance of frameworks for reparatory justice grounded in international human rights law. He noted that colonialism, enslavement, apartheid, and genocide had long impeded the development of African nations and the human rights of people of African descent. The first panel on Tuesday will focus on addressing the continuing consequences of these historical injustices as a critical and urgent global priority.
The second panel will explore how racism and sexism intersect, creating compounded forms of discrimination, particularly affecting women and girls of African descent. Natalia Kanem, Executive Director of the UN Population Fund (UNFPA), noted that women and adolescent girls of African descent face higher risks of maternal mortality and adolescent pregnancy. She stated that the agency actively addresses disparities in reproductive health.
Scheduled for Wednesday, the third panel will examine human rights-based policymaking tools aimed at promoting equality and tackling institutional racism, particularly where it is embedded in laws and policies. Guterres emphasised the need to address racism in all its forms within these frameworks. The forum also highlighted concerns about AI systems misrepresenting or underrepresenting people of African descent due to skewed datasets perpetuating stereotypes and deepening inequality.
In a video message, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Trk called for solidarity against ‘algorithmic bias’ and stressed the importance of unity and respect for human rights. The fourth panel, also on Wednesday, will delve into AI’s dual role as both a means of advancing digital justice and a potential driver of systemic discrimination.
The forum’s closing event on Thursday will commemorate the bicentennial of Haiti’s ‘independence debt,’ a forced payment of 150 million gold francs to France after Haiti’s 1804 independence. This debt burden entrenched poverty and hindered Haiti’s development, serving as a stark reminder of colonial exploitation and its lasting legacy. The forum also marks the end of the First International Decade for People of African Descent, providing an opportunity to reflect on Haiti’s current crisis and ensure its inclusion in the Second International Decade, focusing on justice, recognition, and development.