I.96 - Promotion of development in Afro-descendant populations

Promote the development of Afro-descendent populations by implementing public policies, establishing standards and creating institutions to guide and carry forward affirmative action policies, plans and programmes at the sectoral level, whereby the principles of equality and non-discrimination can be incorporated into all levels of government, with organized civil society participating throughout the process of design, implementation and evaluation of those instruments.

Priority measure number

Comments

This measure involves a great number of fields of action, hence the importance of making persons of African descent visible throughout the guide, in the lines of action, targets and disaggregated indicators, and of recognizing the racism and structural discrimination that these persons suffer. In particular, it complements priority measure 77 (on development and well-being in all territories) and priority measure 81 (on territorial and urban planning).

Possible lines of action

1. Prepare laws, policies and programmes of affirmative action to further the exercise of the rights of persons of African descent, with an ethno-racial, gender and generational perspective. 2. Include the situation of persons of African descent explicitly in sectoral policies, particularly those directed towards ensuring the right to health care, employment and education. 3. Establish an institutional mechanism with specific responsibility for Afro-descendent affairs or, if one already exists, strengthen it, so as to articulate and coordinate implementation of the Montevideo Consensus on Population and Development together with that mechanism. 4. Create mechanisms to guarantee full and effective participation by Afro-descendent organizations in development policies and affirmative action. 5. Generate up-to-date knowledge on situations of discrimination and racism that affect persons of African descent. 6. Prepare and implement communication programmes and strategies to combat racism and ethno-racial discrimination. 7. Educate and train public officials, including judges and candidates for judicial positions, in ways and means to combat ethno-racial discrimination. 8. Establish accessible mechanisms through the courts, the administrative authorities, national human rights institutions and/or public defenders’ offices to handle complaints of racial discrimination.

Related instruments, forums and mechanisms

Specific mechanisms, at least those mentioned in priority measure 92.

At the regional level, some aspects are covered by the Santo Domingo Consensus, which makes explicit reference to women, girls, young women and older women of African descent in numerous articles covering various aspects of their rights and their development (articles 7, 30, 34, 35, 38, 40, 42, 62, 73, 74, 98 and 106).

Topic

I. Afro-Descendants