Published on: 2026-09-28
Source: United Nations – United Nations –
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September 28, 2026 Human Rights
Racism exacerbates inequality and deprives people of fundamental rights and freedoms. This was stated by UN Secretary-General António Guterres at a high-level event dedicated to the 25th anniversary of the adoption of the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action, held on Monday at the UN headquarters in New York.
UN Chief: everyone can contribute to the fight against racism
“States have made a solemn promise: to fight racism and eradicate discrimination in all its forms,” said the head of the UN.
The declaration adopted in 2001 in Durban (South Africa) is a comprehensive document defining the global strategy for combating racism, racial discrimination, and xenophobia. It is aimed at historical injustice, eliminating inequality, and protecting populations from racial discrimination.
“Governments need to strengthen legislation to combat discrimination and ensure equality,” Guterres said.
“Furthermore, they must make every effort to eradicate systemic discrimination and invest in creating an inclusive society based on the principles of equality,” he added.
The UN chief noted that while governments must play a leading role in combating racism, everyone can contribute. For example, entrepreneurs can create a working environment where every person can realize their talents and ideas.
Technology companies must identify and eliminate biases in artificial intelligence systems, as well as ensure that digital technologies promote equality and inclusivity rather than undermine them.
Khalilur Rahman: the world is still struggling to meet the goals set out in the declaration
The Durban Declaration addresses the issue of the long-term consequences of slavery and the slave trade, including the transatlantic slave trade, colonialism, apartheid, and genocide.
“The Durban Declaration went beyond simply condemning prejudice. It addressed racism as a structural force,” said General Assembly President Khalilur Rahman.
At the same time, he stated that the world is still struggling to cope with the challenges set a quarter of a century ago.
Rahman specifically referred to data from the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination: 78 out of 182 States Parties to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination are significantly behind in submitting reports on the implementation of the provisions of this convention, in some cases by decades.
“To achieve success, we must intensify efforts at the national level, deepen regional cooperation, and strengthen global solidarity by analyzing which areas have already yielded results and which require new approaches,” Rahman said.
Turning commitments into reality
Claudia Fuentes Julio, Assistant Secretary-General for Human Rights, speaking on behalf of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk, warned of increasing discrimination worldwide: almost every fifth person on the planet reports having faced discrimination in the past 12 months.
“This is not abstract statistics – behind it are real-life situations,” she said, emphasizing that the international community must not only reaffirm the commitments made in Durban but also translate them into concrete actions that yield tangible results.
“Let’s turn commitments into real equality,” she urged.
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