Excellencies, colleagues, friends,

Every single one of us should have the opportunity to shape our own future.

But for many people of African descent, the right to participate in public affairs remains woefully limited.

The barriers in the way of their meaningful, inclusive and safe participation are multiple, and profoundly bound up with intersecting layers of systemic racism.

This denial of equal participation corrodes the very health of our societies.

It undermines democracy, the rule of law and social inclusion, while entrenching marginalization and discrimination.

Deprives public processes and institutions of legitimacy.

It holds back progress on sustainable development.

And it shuts out ideas and perspectives essential to crafting effective solutions to our most pressing challenges, from deepening inequality to the climate emergency.

Colleagues,

I recognise, with deep admiration, the persistent and inspiring leadership by people of African descent which has resulted in their demands being placed on national, regional and international agendas.

But too often their views and proposals are discredited or dismissed, and their knowledge and lived experience insufficiently considered.

This has profound implications for the scale of change we need in order to build societies that serve the needs of all people without discrimination.

Meaningful participation is essential. It must go hand-in-hand with multipronged, comprehensive and evidence-based legal, policy and institutional approaches to dismantle systemic racism in all areas of life.

Colleagues,

The guidance note I issued this past month charts a pathway for ensuring meaningful, inclusive and safe participation for people of African descent.

The note is grounded in international human rights norms and standards, in particular article 5 of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination and article 25 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, and draws on wide-ranging consultations convened by my Office.

Its focus is the full spectrum of equal participation in public affairs - local and global - outside of the electoral context.

It highlights the many obstacles routinely faced by people of African descent when they try to participate in decision-making processes.

From the cursory nature of many participatory processes - to financial and language barriers, along with surveillance, harassment, intimidation, arrest, unlawful killings and violence against civil society actors of African descent.

The note provides guidance on practical steps that States should follow to eliminate these barriers and ensure that the needs, lived experiences and expertise of people of African descent are central to policymaking, implementation and evaluation.

This includes adopting special measures and institutional arrangements to ensure equal representation and participation, paying particular attention to the situation of women, youth and other groups of African descent who face multiple and intersecting forms of discrimination.

Civic education and capacity building programmes are also needed alongside systematic collection and analysis of data on participation by people of African descent.

And States should back up their intentions with the political will and necessary investment, including adequate budgets for the range of interventions required.

Colleagues,

I hope this guidance note will support all States to develop tailored actions at the national level as a matter of priority.

As a recognition of the right to participate as a fundamental basis for the enjoyment of all human rights.

And as an expression of committed leadership on achieving racial justice and dismantling the painful legacies of enslavement and colonialism that continue to haunt us, perpetuating racial discrimination today.

I also hope that this guidance will serve as a valuable tool for people of African descent as they continue to make their voices heard and take up their important place in public life.

I thank you.