Durban Watch

Post-Durban III

Working Group of Experts on People of African Descent

Paragraph 7 of the Durban Programme of Action requested "the Commission on Human Rights to consider establishing a working group or other mechanism of the United Nations to study the problems of racial discrimination faced by people of African descent living in the African Diaspora and make proposals for the elimination of racial discrimination against people of African descent".

Its mandate is to:
  • study the problems of racial discrimination faced by people of African descent living in the Diaspora and to this end gather all relevant information from Governments, non-governmental organizations and other relevant sources, including through holding public meetings with them;
  • propose measures to ensure full and effective access to the justice system by people of African descent;
  • submit recommendations on the design, implementation and enforcement of effective measures to eliminate racial profiling of people of African descent;
  • elaborate short, medium and long-term proposals for the elimination of racial discrimination against people of African descent, bearing in mind the need for close collaboration with international and development institutions and the specialized agencies of the United Nations system to promote the human rights of people of African descent;
  • make proposals on the elimination of racial discrimination against Africans and people of African descent in all parts of the world;
  • address all the issues concerning the well-being of Africans and people of African descent contained in the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action.
The members of the Working Group are:
- Ms. Dominique Day (Chairperson, United States of America)
-Mr. Ahmed Reid (Jamaica)
-Ms. Catherine S. Namakula (South Africa)
- Ms. Miriam Ekiudoko (Hungary)
- Mr. Sushil Raj (India)

The Group concluded its 28th session in March 2021.

Documents from the Twenty-Eighth Session of the Working Group of Experts on People of African Descent (March 24-26, 2021)
Documents from the Twenty-Seventh Session of the Working Group of Experts on People of African Descent (November 30 – December 4, 2020​)
Documents from the Twenty-Sixth Session of the Working Group of Experts on People of African Descent (Regional meetings with civil society) (November 23 – 25, 2020​)
Twenty-Fifth Session of the Working Group of Experts on People of African Descent (December 9, 2019​)- Private meeting, no documents available

Documents from the Twenty-Fourth Session of the Working Group of Experts on People of African Descent (March 25-29, 2019)
Twenty-Third Session of the Working Group of Experts on People of African Descent (3-7 December 2018 ​)- Private meeting, no documents available

Documents from the Twenty-Second Session of the Working Group of Experts on People of African Descent (March 19-23, 2018)
Twenty-First Session of the Working Group of Experts on People of African Descent (November 20-24, 2017)- Private meeting, no documents available

Documents from the Twentieth Session of the Working Group of Experts on People of African Descent (April 3-7, 2017)
Nineteenth Session of the Working Group of Experts on People of African Descent (November 28-December 2, 2016)- Private meeting, no documents available

Documents from the Eighteenth Session of the Working Group of Experts on People of African Descent (April 11-15, 2016)
Seventeenth Session of the Working Group of Experts on People of African Descent (November 23-27, 2015)- Private meeting, no documents available

Documents from the Sixteenth Session of the Working Group of Experts on People of African Descent (March 30-April 2, 2015)
Fifteenth Session of the Working Group of Experts on People of African Descent (November 17-21, 2014)- Private meeting, no documents available

Documents from the Fourteenth Session of the Working Group of Experts on People of African Descent (March 31-April 4, 2014)
Thirteenth Session of the Working Group of Experts on People of African Descent (November 18-22, 2013)- Private meeting, no documents available

Documents from the Twelfth Session of the Working Group of Experts on People of African Descent (April 22-26, 2013)
Documents from the Eleventh Session of the Working Group of Experts on People of African Descent (April 30-May 4, 2012)