UN to mark 25th anniversary of Durban Declaration with high‑level meeting

The United Nations General Assembly will hold a high‑level meeting on Monday to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the Durban Declaration, a comprehensive framework adopted in 2001 to combat racism and inequality worldwide.

The meeting, organised by the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, will take place at United Nations Headquarters in New York City and be livestreamed via UN Web TV in several languages. Delegates are expected to adopt a political declaration that reflects on progress since the original 153‑page document and to identify strategies for renewed political will.

The Durban Declaration and Programme of Action (DDPA) urges member states to eradicate racism, xenophobia, gender‑based discrimination and oppression of Indigenous peoples. It recognises slavery, the slave trade, apartheid and genocide as sources of contemporary poverty and disparity, and calls for policies on migration to be free from racism and intolerance.

Clause 63 reaffirms the inalienable right of the Palestinian people to self‑determination and an independent state, while also recognising the right to security for all states in the region, including Israel. The declaration’s earlier draft had equated Zionism with racism, a provision later removed after opposition from Israel and its Western allies.

The anniversary event aims to raise public awareness, facilitate dialogue between governments and communities, and reflect on both achievements and ongoing challenges since the 2001 conference.

Source: Al Jazeera. Photo: Laura Tancredi / Pexels.