Speaking at the Council’s 63rd regular session, Dabo noted that—five years after the killing of African American George Floyd by a police officer in Minneapolis, USA—it remains concerning that influential leaders fuel overt racism while institutions, laws, and regulatory frameworks are weakened or dismantled.

“Hate crimes, restrictions on civic space, and the repression and criminalization of dissent are on the rise. Our most recent report presents a disturbing picture and provides examples of the phenomenon’s impact across all areas, including segregation and unequal access to housing, education, employment, healthcare, land, social security, and justice,” she stated.

Women and children of African descent face specific challenges, while refugees and migrants of African descent, LGBTQI+ individuals, and persons with disabilities suffer from multiple and intersecting forms of discrimination, she added.

She warned that racist and supremacist movements are entering the mainstream, with some attempting to “cynically distort historical facts and long-entrenched power dynamics.”

Dabo noted that all of this influences the conduct of law enforcement and the criminal justice system, and she denounced the unjustified incarceration and disproportionate use of force against citizens of African descent.

Disparities are exacerbated when armed representatives of the State—police officers, law enforcement, and immigration personnel—feel legitimized by hate speech from leaders, the speaker noted.

Before this framework, the speaker advocated for a paradigm shift toward political and financial investment in racial justice and equality through concrete measures.

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