Welcome to the United Nations 
OHCHR 
Third session of the Permanent Forum on People of African Descent
Date
16 - 19 April 2024
LOCATION
PALAIS DES NATIONS OF THE UNITED NATIONS OFFICE IN GENEVA, SWITZERLAND
The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) is pleased to announce that the third session of the Permanent Forum on People of African Descent will take place from 16 – 19 April 2024 in the Palais des Nations of the United Nations Office in Geneva, Switzerland.
Watch videos
- 16 April 2024 – Morning & Afternoon
- 17 April 2024 – Morning & Afternoon
- 18 April 2024 – Morning & Afternoon
- 19 April 2024 – Afternoon
- Special event: Decoding AI Bias: Addressing algorithmic racial discrimination faced by people of African descent
Documentation
Concept note on the thematic discussions (English | Français | Español | Português)
Modalities of participation (English | Français | Español | Português)
Guidelines for the preparation of statements (English | Français | Español | Português)
Statements and contributions
The following statements and contributions were received by the Secretariat in relation to the discussions that took place during the third session of the Permanent Forum. The views and/or opinions expressed in the contributions listed below are those of the authors and do not reflect in any way the views and/or opinions of OHCHR. OHCHR is not responsible for the content of the submissions. The use and posting of the contributions do not provide any legal and/or other status to the contributing organizations or their association with OHCHR.
High Level Opening Segment
H.E. Mr. Dennis Francis, President of the General Assembly
H.E. Mr. António Guterres, Secretary General of the United Nations
H.E. Mr. Omar Zniber, President of the Human Rights Council
H.E. Ms. Nada Al-Nashif, United Nations Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights
H.E. Ms. Anielle Franco, Minister of Racial Equality of Brazil
H.E. Ms. Oneidge Walrond, Minister of Tourism, Industry and Commerce of Guyana
H.E. Ms. Kamal Khera, Minister of Diversity, Inclusion and Persons with Disabilities of Canada
Ms. Desirée Cormier Smith, US Special Representative for Racial Equity and Justice
H.E. Mr. Gilbert F. Houngbo, Director General of the International Labour Organization
H.E. Ms. Natalia Kanem, Executive Director of the United Nations Population Fund
H.E. Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director General of the World Health Organization
H.E. Ms. Gabriela Ramos, Assistant Director-General for Social and Human Sciences at UNESCO
Closing
H.E. Mr. Volker Türk, United Nations High Commissioner for Human Right
H.E. Ms. Francia Marquez, Vice President of Colombia
Dr. Carla N. Barnett, Secretary-general of the Caribbean community
Introductory Statements by Members of the Permanent Forum
Member states
Cabo Verde – Culture & Recognition
Canada – Culture & Recognition
Canada – Reparations, Sustainable Development & Economic Justice
Canada – The Second International Decade
Dominican Republic – Preliminary conclusions and recommendations
Ecuador – Culture & Recognition
Ecuador – Reparations, Sustainable Development & Economic Justice
Ecuador – The Second International Decade
Ethnic Relations Commission of Guyana – Culture & Recognition
Ethnic Relations Commission of Guyana – Reparations
Guatemala - Reparations, Sustainable Development & Economic Justice
Guyana – The Second International Decade
Jamaica – Culture & Recognition
Jamaica – Reparations, Sustainable Development & Economic Justice
Jamaica – The Second International Decade
Kenya – Reparations, Sustainable Development & Economic Justice
Portugal – The Second International Decade
Saint Kitts and Nevis – The Second International Decade
Trinidad and Tobago – Culture & Recognition
Tunisia – The Second International Decade
Unidad de Tratamiento Étnico Racial de Uruguay
United States of America – Education
United States of America – The Second International Decade
Uruguay – Culture & Recognition
Uruguay – The Second International Decade
Venezuela – Culture & Recognition
Venezuela – Reparations, Sustainable Development & Economic Justice
Venezuela – The Second International Decade
General debate
NGOs
Articulação Brasileira de Lésbicas
Asociación de Empresarios y Profesionales Afrodescendientes de Costa Rica
Black Class Action Secretariat
Casa das Africas – joint statement
Centro de Desarrollo de la Mujer Negra Peruana
Coalition des Noir.e.s Francophones de l’Ontario
Comité Vérité et Justice pour Adama
Conselho Nacional de Justiça do Brasil
Geledés – Instituto da Mulher Negra
Instituto de Direitos Humanos e Igualdade Racial – Teodósio Lopes do Nascimento
Malcolm X Center for Self Determination
New Afrikan People’s Organization
Red Departamental de Mujeres Chocoanas
Rede Nacional de Mulheres Negras no combate à violência
Samuel DeWitt Proctor Conference
Southern Center for Human Rights
The Global Centre for Pluralism
Reparations, Sustainable Development & Economic Justice
Panellists
NGOs
Africans for Africa's liberation organization
Africans in America for Restitution and Repatriation
Aging People in Prison Human Rights Campaign
All for Reparations and Emancipation
Black Business Association of BC
Black Women for Liberated Workplaces
Bureau des Avocats Internationaux
Geledés – Instituto da Mulher Negra
Hemispheric Network for Haitian Migrants’ Rights
Hodan Ahmed Mohamed – Joint statement
Instituto Afrodescendiente para el Estudio la investigación y el Desarrollo
Instituto de Direitos Humanos e Igualdade Racial – Teodósio Lopes do Nascimento
International Association for Human Rights and Social Development
International Civil Society Working Group Youth Sub-committee
International Decade of People of African Descent Association- Guyana
Louisiana Organization for Refugees and Immigrants
National Assembly of American Slavery Descendants
Rede Nacional de Mulheres Negras no Combate à violência
The Caribbean Rastafari Organisation Inc
The Lineage Equity and Advancement Project
Tribunal Superior do Trabalho, Brasil
University of Dayton Human Rights Center
Education: Overcoming Systemic Racism and Historic Harm
Panellists
NGOs
Africans for Africa's Liberation Organization
Associação Remanescente da Comunidade Quilombola do América
Australian South Sea Islanders, Port Jackson
Coalition des Noir.e.s Francophones de l’Ontario
Colegio de Abogados y Abogadas de Costa Rica,
Coletivo Baobá fortificando as Raízes
Comité Vérité et Justice pour Adama
Federal School Discipline and Climate Coalition
International Decade of People of African Descent Association- Guyana
Maloca Internationale Declaration
MEaP Academy Community Training & Research Institute
Rede Nacional de Mulheres Negras no Combate à violência
Solitude International Research Consortium for Women and Girls of African Descent
Southern Poverty Law Center II
The Global Centre for Pluralism
Culture & Recognition
Panellists
NGOs
Asociación de Parteras Unidas del Pacífico
Asociación Espacio Afroconciencia
Associação dos Filhos e Amigos do Ilé Ìyá Omi Àsé Ofa Kare
Association Femmes Africaines Francophones, Vancouver
Bandung Africa & Society of Black Lawyers
Comité Vérité et Justice pour Adama
Fondation Mulumba International
International Decade of People of African Descent Association- Guyana
National Assembly of American Slavery Descendants
Rede Nacional de Mulheres negras no Combate à Violência
Rencontre Africaine pour la Défense des droits de l’Homme - Joint statement
The Global Centre for Pluralism
The Second International Decade for People of African Descent: Expectations and Challenges
Panellists
NGOs
Africa Development Interchange Network
African Studies Centre University of Toronto, joint statement
Africans for Africa’s Liberation Organization
All for Reparations and Emancipation
All for Reparations and Emancipation II
Asia Pacific Network of People of African Descent
Centro de Mujeres Afrocosarricenses
Conseil provincial des personnes d’ascendance africaine du Nouveau-Brunswick
Geledés Instituto da Mulher Negra
Instituto Afrodescendiente para el Estudio, la Investigación y el Desarrollo
International Decade for People of African Descent Assembly-Guyana
Norwegian Center Against Racism
People of African Descent Belgium Observatory
Rede Nacional de Mulheres Negras no Combate à violência
TableRonde du Mois Histoire des Noir.e.s
The Dependency Studies Project
The Institute of Black Church Studies
Adoption of the preliminary conclusions and recommendations
NGOs
Africa Non-state Actors Platform on GCM/GFMD
Articulación Latinoamericana para los Decenios Afro – Joint statement
Associação Remanescente da Comunidade Quilombola do América
Caribbean Pan African Network – Joint statement
Colegio de Abogados y Abogadas de Costa Rica
Conferencia Nacional de Organizaciones Afrocolombianas – Joint statement
Corporación Agencia Nacional Étnica – Joint statement
Délégation de la société civile de Haïti – Joint statement
Empowerment Initiative for Women and Youth Uganda
Fondation William et Flora Hewlett
The Global Centre for Pluralism
Registration to participate in the Permanent Forum
All stakeholders advancing the rights of people of African descent are welcome to participate in the sessions of the Permanent Forum. Member States, United Nations specialized agencies and bodies, national human rights institutions, equality bodies, civil society representatives, and organizations of people of African descent are especially invited to attend and contribute to the discussions.
All individuals must register in advance to participate. Please register on this page: https://indico.un.org/event/1004528/
Please be advised that registration to participate in the third session of the Permanent Forum on People of African descent does not entitle participants to receive any financial assistance.
Registration is open until Friday, 5 April 2024, 11:59 pm Geneva.
Guidelines for Organizers of Side Events
The Permanent Forum welcomes all stakeholders interested in organizing side events to expand discussions beyond the plenary of the session.
Please see the detailed Guidelines for organizers of side events (English | Français | Español | Português)
Application for financial support
The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights invites civil society representatives to apply for financial support to participate in the third session of the Permanent Forum on People of African Descent.
Applicants will be selected on the basis of their work representing people of African descent or advocating to protect and promote the human rights of people of African descent. The selection committee will consider the potential of applicants to contribute to specific discussions on the agenda of the Permanent Forum. Due regard will also be made to considerations of geographic and gender diversity.
To apply for financial support, civil society representatives are requested to send the application form (English | Español | Français), completed and signed, together with all supporting documents, in a single e-mail to pfpad@un.org by 21st January 2024, 11:59 pm Geneva.
Call for inputs
OHCHR invites Member States, United Nations agencies, programmes and funds, National Human Rights Institutions, civil society actors, non-governmental organizations, academics, experts on issues related to people of African descent, and all other relevant stakeholders to submit inputs on topics to be considered for discussion during the third session of the Permanent Forum on People of African Descent.
Written inputs should be sent in Word format to pfpad@un.org by 12 November 2023, 23:59 pm Geneva time Please see the call for inputs (English | Français | Español | Português).