Durban Watch

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. Bina D’Costa (Chairperson, Bangladesh)
- Ms. Barbara G Reynolds (Guyana)
-Ms. Catherine S. Namakula (Uganda)
- Ms. Miriam Ekiudoko (Hungary)
- Ms. Isabelle Mamadou (Spain)

The Group concluded its 36th session in April 2025.

Documents from the Thirty-Sixth Session of the Working Group of Experts on People of African Descent (April 21-25, 2025)

• Concept Note/Meeting with Civil society organizations
• Concept Note/Panel discussion
• Program of Work
• Presentations by Members and Panelists at the 36th Session

Documents from the Thirty-Fifth Session of the Working Group of Experts on People of African Descent (December 2-6, 2024)

• Concept Note
• Agenda
• Conclusions and Recommendations
• Submissions at the 35th Session
• Presentations by Members and Panelists at the 35th Session

Thirty-Fourth Session of the Working Group of Experts on People of African Descent (April 22-26, 2024)- Private meeting, no documents available

Thirty-Third Session of the Working Group of Experts on People of African Descent (December 4-8, 2023)- Private meeting, no documents available

Documents from the Thirty-Second Session of the Working Group of Experts on People of African Descent (May 1-5, 2023)

• Concept Note
• Agenda
• Session Schedule
• Conclusions and Recommendations
• Submissions at the 32nd Session
• Presentations by Members and Panelists at the 32nd Session

Thirty-First Session of the Working Group of Experts on People of African Descent (Date unknown)- Private meeting, no documents available

Documents from the Thirtieth Session of the Working Group of Experts on People of African Descent (May 23-27, 2022)

• Concept Note
• Draft Programme of Work
• Call for Inputs: The human rights situation of children of African Descent
• Presentations by Members and Panelists at the 30th Session

Twenty-Ninth Session of the Working Group of Experts on People of African Descent (Date unknown)- Private meeting, no documents available