CBESA's Michael MacEchrane visits Columbia with a delegation of the United Nations Permanent Forum on People of African Descent for a Regional consultation for Spanish speaking Latin America on the draft United Nations declaration on the on the respect, protection and fulfilment of the human rights of  people of African descent.

The consultation will take place in Bogotá, Colombia, on 19 September, from 9:00 a.m. to  6:00 p.m., at the main headquarters of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, located at Palacio de  San Carlos, Calle 10 #5-51, in the room Bolívar. 

Overview

Pursuant to General Assembly resolution 75/314 of August 2021, which established the  Permanent Forum on People of African Descent, one component of its mandate is to contribute  to the drafting of United Nations Declaration on the respect, protection and fulfilment of the  human rights of people of African descent (draft UN declaration on the human rights of people  of African descent). In resolution A/RES/76/226 of December 2021, the General Assembly  invited the Permanent Forum on People of African Descent to contribute to the elaboration of a  draft of the declaration. Given the mandate of Permanent Forum, outlined in A/RES/75/314, to  serve as “a consultative mechanism for people of African descent and other relevant stakeholders” and “a platform for improving the safety and quality of life and livelihoods of people of African  descent,” the Permanent Forum is conducting regional consultations to gather input from people  of African descent; to ensure their voices and experiences are meaningfully reflected in the  forthcoming Declaration. 

The first such consultation was held on December 12, 2024 in Bridgetown, Barbados, with the  aim of understanding the human rights situation of people of African descent in the Caribbean region, gathering recommendations and inputs to strengthen the current draft of the Declaration,  and promoting dialogue among stakeholders, including civil society. In this context, the second  global consultation of the Permanent Forum will take place in the Spanish-speaking Latin  American region, with the aim of ensuring that the voices of people and communities of African  descent in this region are heard and that their input as well as contributions help shape the drafting  process of the Declaration. This consultation is being organized with the support of the  Government of Colombia and the Development Bank of Latin America and the Caribbean  (CAF).

In Colombia, the September 2025 consultation is structured to facilitate an inclusive and comprehensive dialogue among  participants. The day will begin with a brief opening to welcome participants and outline the  objectives of the day, followed by an overview of the current draft, covering the key elements,  purpose, principles, and relevance of the draft UN declaration to the region, ensuring all  participants have a shared understanding of the topic. 

III. Objectives 

• To facilitate a platform for dialogue among stakeholders, including civil society, human  rights organizations, activists and representatives of African descent, to reflect on the scope  and content of the draft United Nations Declaration on the human rights of people of  African descent. 
• To gather recommendations and feedback for enhancing the current draft UN declaration  on the human rights of people of African descent, including the formulation of new or  alternative human rights provisions for people of African descent. Special emphasis will be  placed on addressing the needs of women, girls, boys, children, youth, migrants, displaced  persons, older persons, persons with disabilities, LGBTQI+ persons, and other persons in  vulnerable situations. 
• To better understand the human rights situation of people of African descent in Latin  America, with a view toward informing and contributing to the draft declaration. 

1. Expected results 

• Increased awareness within regional communities about the human rights of people of  African descent and the consequences of related forms of intolerance, racism, and  discrimination against them. 
• Greater awareness and understanding of the mandate, and ongoing work of the Permanent  Forum.  
• Greater engagement and participation of civil society, human rights organizations, activists,  and representatives of African descent, including women, girls, boys, youth, migrants,  displaced persons, older persons, persons with disabilities, LGBTQI individuals, and other persons in vulnerable situations, in the drafting process of the United Nations Declaration  on the Human Rights of People of African Descent. 
• A set of recommendations to inform the contributions of the Permanent Forum on People  of African Descent to the Intergovernmental Working Group in the drafting of the  Declaration.