A UN committee has called on countries to adopt comprehensive reparations for people of African descent, arguing that the legacy of the transatlantic slave trade continues to fuel systemic racism and racial inequality. It says governments have legal obligations to address those lasting effects.
The UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination said the passage of time cannot be used to avoid addressing the enduring consequences of the slave trade and racialised slavery.
In guidance published Monday, the 18-member committee argued that countries party to the international convention against racial discrimination must take action under their current legal obligations, regardless of whether slavery was prohibited under international law at the time it was carried out.
The committee described the approach as a significant shift away from arguments over historical responsibility that have often been used to resist reparations claims.
Calls for comprehensive measures
