Political Declaration of the High-Level Meeting to Mark the 25th Anniversary of the Adoption of the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action

Who adopted this document and its mandates?

A Resolution of the General Assembly, under agenda item 68b Comprehensive implementation of and follow-up to the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action, published in 2026.

What subjects does this mandate have?

6 subjects

Anniversaries Anti-Discrimination Measures Declarations Declarations (Text)Programmes of Action Racial Discrimination

What’s in this document?

1 operative paragraph

Adopts the political declaration of the high-level meeting to mark the twenty-fifth anniversary of the adoption of the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action, held on 28 September 2026 in accordance with resolutions 80/193 of 15 December 2025 and 80/299 of 28 July 2026, entitled “Mobilizing global public support for the full and effective implementation of the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action”, as contained in the annex to the present resolution.

Political declaration of the high-level meeting to mark the twenty-fifth anniversary of the adoption of the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action

Mobilizing global public support for the full and effective implementation of the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action

We, Heads of State and Government and representatives of States and Governments, gathered at United Nations Headquarters in New York on 28 September 2026, on the occasion of the high-level meeting of the General Assembly to mark the twenty-fifth anniversary of the adoption of the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action, under the theme “Mobilizing global public support for the full and effective implementation of the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action”,

¹See A/CONF.189/12 and A/CONF.189/12/Corr.1, chap. I.

Reaffirm that the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action, adopted in 2001, the outcome document of the Durban Review Conference, adopted in 2009, and the political declarations adopted on the occasions of the tenth and twentieth anniversaries of the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action provide a comprehensive United Nations framework and solid foundation for combating racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance, and reaffirm our commitment to their full and effective implementation;

²See A/CONF.211/8, chap. I.

³Resolution 66/3.

⁴Resolution 76/1.

Underscore that racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance constitute a negation of the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations and of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and that equality and non‑discrimination are fundamental principles of international law, and recall the importance of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination as the principal international instrument to prevent, combat and eradicate racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance, as well as the importance of its universal ratification and effective implementation;

⁵Resolution 217 A (III).

⁶United Nations, Treaty Series, vol. 660, No. 9464.

Reiterate our commitment to leaving no one behind and, to that end, the urgency for all countries to come together to fulfil the promise of the United Nations and our determination to implement the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development in full and on time, as well as our commitment to international cooperation and multilateralism and to building trust to ensure the future we want by, inter alia, preventing human rights violations and abuses and addressing the root causes of discrimination in all its forms, and of inequalities within and among countries, as well as their growing manifestations, which contribute to acts of xenophobia, racism, intolerance, hate speech and disinformation;

⁷Resolution 70/1.

Acknowledge with deep concern the rise in discrimination, hate speech, stigmatization, racism, systemic racism, stereotypes, racial profiling, violence, xenophobia and intolerance, both in person and online, directed against, inter alia, Africans and people of African descent, Asians and people of Asian descent, Indigenous Peoples, Roma and persons belonging to other racial, ethnic, linguistic or religious minorities, as well as motivated by prejudices against persons based on their religions or beliefs, such as, among others, Islamophobia, antisemitism and Christianophobia, and against women and children, migrants, refugees, forcibly displaced persons, asylum-seekers, internally displaced persons, persons with disabilities, older persons, young people and other persons in vulnerable situations, and further recognize with deep concern hostile acts and violence against religious communities because of their religious beliefs or racial, national or ethnic origin;

Welcome the progress made in many parts of the world in the elimination of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance since 2001, while acknowledging with concern that, notwithstanding concerted efforts by the international community in the past 25 years, building on efforts of past decades, the scourge of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance, including their new forms and manifestations, persists in all parts of the world and that countless human beings continue to be victims;

Reaffirm the collective recognition of the profound and lasting impacts of the abhorrent regimes of slavery and colonialism and the persistence of racial discrimination and neo-colonialism on Africans and people of African descent, and underline the importance of addressing historical wrongs affecting Africans and people of African descent in a manner that promotes justice, human rights, dignity and healing;

Acknowledge and profoundly regret the untold suffering and evils inflicted on millions of men and women and children as a result of slavery, the slave trade, the transatlantic slave trade, colonialism, apartheid, genocide and past tragedies, noting that some States have taken the initiative to apologize and have paid reparations, where appropriate, for grave and massive violations committed, further call upon those that have not yet expressed remorse or presented apologies to find some way to contribute to the restoration of the dignity of victims, and call upon all the relevant States that have not already done so to dispense reparatory justice, contributing to the development and recognition of the dignity of the affected States and their people;

Recognize that historical injustices, underpinned by racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance, have undeniably contributed to poverty, underdevelopment, marginalization, social exclusion, economic disparities, instability and insecurity, particularly in developing countries, and recognize the need to adopt affirmative or positive action policies, as well as support programmes for social and economic development, including poverty eradication, debt relief, education, training and cultural development, technology transfer, and the restitution of art objects, historical artefacts and documents to their countries of origin, in accordance with bilateral agreements or international instruments, in line with the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action;

Welcome the Second International Decade for People of African Descent as a vital opportunity to accelerate progress in recognition, justice and development, welcome the continued work of the Permanent Forum on People of African Descent, and support the ongoing elaboration of the draft United Nations declaration on the respect, protection and fulfilment of the human rights of people of African descent, with the inclusive participation of people of African descent, their communities and young people;

Express deep concern about the use of new and emerging information and communications technologies, including the Internet and artificial intelligence, for purposes contrary to human rights and universal values, equality, non‑discrimination, respect for others and tolerance, including to propagate racism, racial hatred, xenophobia, racial discrimination and related intolerance, and about the specific impact on women, children and young people, while recognizing that such technologies can assist in the promotion of tolerance, respect for human dignity and the principles of equality and non‑discrimination, and emphasizing the need to respect human rights in the digital environment;

Recognize that the improper or malicious design, development, deployment or use of artificial intelligence systems without adequate safeguards or in a manner inconsistent with international law may reinforce structural inequalities and biases, perpetuate racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance, particularly against women and girls, undermine information integrity and access to information and threaten the protection, promotion and enjoyment of human rights and fundamental freedoms, including the right to privacy;

Urge Member States and the international community to honour the memory of the victims of the past tragedies of slavery, the slave trade, including the transatlantic slave trade, colonialism, apartheid and genocide by considering a structural and comprehensive approach to restore the dignity of the victims, and call upon those States to take appropriate and effective measures to halt and reverse the lasting consequences of those practices, including the persistent structures and inequalities of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance;

Call upon States to ensure that investigations of all acts of racism and racial discrimination, in particular those committed by law enforcement officials, are carried out in an impartial, timely and exhaustive manner, that those responsible are brought to justice in accordance with the law and that victims receive prompt, just and adequate reparation or satisfaction for any damage, and also call upon States not to resort to profiling founded on grounds of discrimination prohibited by international law, including on racial, ethnic or religious grounds, and to prohibit it by law;

Call upon States to establish or strengthen independent national human rights institutions, where they exist, ensure that they are mandated and able to address complaints concerning racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance, and provide them with adequate financial, technical and human resources;

Note with concern and strongly condemn manifestations and acts of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance against migrants and the stereotypes often applied to them, reaffirm the responsibility of States to protect the human rights of migrants under their jurisdiction and to safeguard them against illegal or violent acts, particularly acts of racial discrimination and crimes perpetrated with racist or xenophobic motivation, and call upon States to address racial and ethnic profiling in immigration controls and policing and ensure accountability where it occurs, and to secure the fair, just and equitable treatment of migrants in society and in the workplace;

Urge States, as appropriate, to establish and implement national policies and action plans to combat racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance through an integrated approach, including comprehensive anti‑discrimination legislation, access to justice and effective remedies, education and awareness-raising, measures to combat racial stereotypes, hate speech and incitement to racial hatred, international cooperation and targeted special measures in line with the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action, and to ensure the full, equal, meaningful and effective participation of affected persons and communities in the design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of such laws, policies, programmes and plans;

Urge States to develop and strengthen anti‑racist and gender-sensitive human rights training for public officials, including personnel in the administration of justice, law enforcement, correctional and security services, immigration, border and detention management, healthcare services and schools, with specific attention given to the rights of migrants, refugees and asylum-seekers, in order to prevent acts of racial discrimination and xenophobia and situations in which prejudices lead to decisions based on racism, racial discrimination or related intolerance;

Encourage the collection of data disaggregated, in accordance with national legislation, by race, national or ethnic origin, sex, age and other characteristics relevant in national contexts, to inform laws, policies and practices and to monitor their impact;

Encourage States to address biases and contemporary manifestations of racism and historical racial injustices through quality education at all levels and for all ages, and through relevant educational materials that reinforce anti‑discrimination and anti‑racism components based on non‑discrimination, mutual respect and tolerance;

Urge States to adopt or continue to apply, in concert with Indigenous Peoples, constitutional, administrative, legislative, judicial and all measures necessary to promote, protect and ensure the enjoyment by Indigenous Peoples of their rights, set out in the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and international law, as well as to guarantee them the exercise of their human rights and fundamental freedoms on the basis of equality, non‑discrimination and full and free participation in all areas of society, in particular in matters affecting or concerning their interests, and to promote better knowledge of and respect for Indigenous cultures and heritage, and welcome measures already taken by States in these respects;

⁸Resolution 61/295, annex.

Commit ourselves to promoting effective and internationally interoperable frameworks, standards and practices for the development and use of safe, secure and trustworthy artificial intelligence systems that respect, protect and promote human rights and fundamental freedoms throughout the life cycle of artificial intelligence systems, and prevent and address racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance, including by identifying and mitigating bias and discrimination, including in data sets and algorithms, while supporting equitable access to the benefits of artificial intelligence;

Call upon all States, the United Nations system and international and regional organizations, and invite all relevant stakeholders, including parliaments, civil society, the private sector and academia, to fully commit themselves and intensify their efforts to eliminate all forms of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance;

Call for continued cooperation with all relevant United Nations human rights bodies, welcome the continued engagement of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights in mainstreaming the implementation of the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action throughout the United Nations system, and call for the provision of adequate resources to the Permanent Forum on People of African Descent to enable it to discharge its mandate fully;

Emphasize the critical importance of increasing public support for the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action and of the participation of civil society and other relevant stakeholders, including religious leaders, in its realization, and call for strengthened awareness-raising efforts and public information campaigns, accessible materials and high-visibility initiatives;

Proclaim together our strong determination to mobilize political will at the national, regional and international levels and to accelerate momentum to make the efforts to combat racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance, and the protection of victims thereof, a high priority for our countries.

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