UN Marks First International Day of Women & Girls of African Descent

By Latifa Babas

For the first time, the United Nations is officially marking the International Day of Women and Girls of African Descent.

In a joint statement, several UN experts raised the alarm: women of African descent remain largely invisible and continue to face multiple forms of discrimination.

The experts are calling on governments to take real, sustained action: adopt targeted public policies, collect and use detailed data, guarantee access to basic rights, and acknowledge the historical injustices these women have endured. Crucially, they call for Afro-descendant women’s leadership and voices to be placed at the center of decision-making processes.

The statement is backed by prominent UN figures, including Michał Balcerzak (Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination), Joel M. Modiri (Durban Expert Group), Martin Kimani (Permanent Forum on People of African Descent), as well as Tracie L. Keesee, Víctor Rodríguez Rescia, Ashwini K.P., and Bina D’Costa.

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Honouring the contributions of women and girls of African descent | OHCHR

UN marks first International Day of Women and Girls of African Descent