Human Rights Council calls for extension of mandate of UN anti-racism expert

The mandate of the UN Expert Mechanism on Racism in Law Enforcement will be renewed at the upcoming session of the UN Human Rights Council. Civilized Society There has been a unanimous call from groups and affected communities for its mandate to be strengthened and updated.

United Nations Human Rights Council solve In 2021, the United Nations established the Expert Mechanism on Promoting Racial Justice and Equality in the Context of Law Enforcement (EMLER). George Floyd brutally killed by US policeestablished in May 2020. The agency works to promote and protect the rights of Africans and people of African descent and to prevent excessive use of force and human rights violations by law enforcement as part of the overall fight for racial justice and equality.

On the eve of the Human Rights Council meeting, 65 civil society organizations and 112 individuals and families affected by racial police violence around the world called Calls on Member States and Observer States of the Human Rights Council to support the extension of EMLER’s mandate.

During their three-year term, EMLER experts visited Swedenthis us, Braziland Italyand intervene Nine The experts took an intersectional approach to their mandate, showcasing the multiple layers of discrimination that Black people face. They highlighted ongoing concern The government failed to collect police disaggregated data on race and ethnicity to inform policies to address racial disparities.

The Black Lives Matter movement, which emerged globally in the wake of the killing of George Floyd, has called for an end to systemic racism within law enforcement. pressure Urge governments and international bodies such as the United Nations to finally take action to combat structural racism, including within police forces, and provide victims with avenues to seek accountability and redress.

The Human Rights Council should take the lead in addressing the colonial and slavery legacies that are the root causes of systemic racism. Ensuring that the EMLER experts continue to serve for one term will demonstrate its commitment and investment in protecting the lives of Africans and people of African descent.