We have had a very busy half year. Some good news and some not so good, we have pushed forward together, with our eyes always focused on our common goal: a more just world for Black people everywhere in the world.
Find our letter here.
The United Nations Human Rights Council (HRC) renewed the mandate of the International Independent Expert Mechanism to Advance Racial Justice and Equality in Law Enforcement (EMLER) for a second three-year term. The resolution was adopted by consensus
We believe it is important to take a moment to thank you for the work that you did to ensure that this was possible. The importance of the coalition, (meaning each and everyone one of you) cannot be understated. This victory for all communities directly impacted globally by this type of violence has been a collective effort. We firmly believe that by working as a community we can transform even the most rigid structures….
CONGRATULATIONS COALITION!
This side event, held on Juneteenth, focused on EMLER’s contribution to fighting impunity for police brutality in the United States and globally and the imperative of extending EMLER’s mandate and adequately funding its essential work.
Four years after George Floyd’s murder, systemic racism and disproportionate use of lethal force continue to plague the United States’ approach to policing. Police killed at least 1,247 people in 2023, more than any previous year on record. So far this year, there have only been 9 days where police did not kill someone. Has the United States implemented the recommendations issued by EMLER after their visit? If so, to what extent? Why should EMLER`s mandate be renewed? These were some of the questions answered during this in-person side event held at the Palais des Nations in Geneva.
The International Network of Civil Liberties Organizations (INCLO), an international network of 15 national human rights organizations including the ACLU, CELS who are members of our coalition, invited UNARC to be the keynote speaker at their event In Our Hands: Communities rooting out discriminatory policing. In our hands is a collection of very diverse articles written by activists, organizers, academics and researchers that reflect on already existing solutions to reduce the harms that accompany discriminatory policing of their communities and the event aimed to highlight this important discussion.
As part of our activities related to the renewal of the EMLER mandate, we organized a virtual briefing exclusively for States. The objective of the event was to convince States of the need to renew the EMLER mandate and to strengthen its resources. The event was held on 13 June and it had the assistance of over 10 State representatives. Find the concept note here.
During the Human Rights Council session 55, four UNARC members had the chance to deliver video statements to amplify their work on the ground. The statements were made during different debates. Find the statements below:
ALDA’s Jhon Anton Sanchez presented a statement during the annual panel on the Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, commemorated on 21 March. See the statement here.
At a Human Rights Council general debate on racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related forms of intolerance, Marisol Aguilar from Racismo MX delivered a statement highlighting the systemic racial profiling by the Mexican authorities, denouncing the economic stratification of Afro-descendants in the country, and urging Latin American States to act and implement the measures of the DDPA.
Ricardo Lamour prepared a declaration that was not played during the session, but is used as an advocacy tool on behalf of ISHR and Bout du Monde. The statement urged Canada to implement UPR recommendations it received on addressing systemic racism affecting people of African descent. See the statement here.
Joseph Cherubin from MOSCTHA, delivered a powerful statement during the interactive dialogue on the situation of Haiti held by the High Commissioner for Human Rights. See the statement here.
Moses Von Kallon is an activist and defender of the human rights of refugees and migrants in Spain. He is the Founder and President of Aquarius Supervivientes, a nonprofit organization that works for the rights and inclusion of migrants and refugees.
We are happy to announce that he was one of the 16 outstanding human rights defenders selected to attend ISHR hybrid training that brings together human rights defenders from all regions of the world to develop their ability to engage strategically with the UN.
The Human Rights Defender Advocacy Programme was held from 15 April to 22 June.
From 29 November to 8 December 2023, UN experts visited four major Brazilian cities to assess and document the drivers and impacts of structural racism in law enforcement, including instances of excessive use of force and other human rights violations against people of African descent. The experts heard from more than 100 directly impacted people on their experiences with racist policing and its impacts on their communities. The short documentary was created by a Black producer (BPE, Black Pipe Entertainment) with the aim of perpetuating the essence and spirit of the visit over time. It features interviews from Nayara Khaly Silva Sanfo, UNARC’s coordinator and Maria Josés Menezes, representative of Coalizão Negra por Direitos and highlights the statements from some of the family members and people directly impacted by law enforcement violence. The people giving their testimonies have their faces blurred and voices altered in the videos to respectfully protect their identities and avoid reprisals. Watch the documentary here (with English subtitles here) and check more information on our website (Portuguese here/English here).
As part of our efforts for the renewal of EMLER’s mandate, UNARC published a public letter to all States urging them to support the renewal and strengthening of EMLER’s resources. The letter was supported by over 100 families directly impacted by police violence (thanks to the tireless work of Mothers Against Police Brutality) and 65 civil society organizations from different regions of the world.
UNARC had the opportunity to provide small grants in the amount of $5,000 USD to three UNARC member organizations to support their campaigns. See below the campaigns that were voted for this year:
(Proposal link)
Unmasking Police Racial Injustice.
Goal: To raise awareness about the serious problem of police violence in Colombia by making visible the cases of four young Afro-Colombians unjustly killed by the security forces, including a 3-year-old girl, a 16-year-old boy and two young men aged 25 and 26. In addition, we seek to denounce the judicial set-ups used to cover up these crimes and put pressure on the judicial system, highlighting the need for justice and accountability on behalf of the victims and their communities. Follow them on IG here.
Promoting Racial Justice in the city of Montevideo from the strengthening and voices of the Afro-descendant community in general and Afro-descendant women in particular.
Goal: To raise awareness about the serious problem of police violence in Colombia by making visible the cases of four young
To place the issue of Racial Justice in the public agenda, as a first action to raise awareness about the effects of institutional and State violence on Afro-descendant people in general and Afro-descendant women in particular who live in the periphery of the city of Montevideo.
The DEW (Develop, Empower Women) Campaign.
Galvanizing the power of collective action and consensus to address racism and racial discrimination among Grenadian women. The objective of this campaign is to raise awareness on the intersectionality of gender and racism in Grenada. It seeks to engage key stakeholders on a plan of action on how we can contribute to gender-responsive actions. Follow them on facebook here.
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