H.Res. 1589

[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 1589 Introduced in House (IH)]

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118th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. RES. 1589

Advancing racial justice and the global rights of people of African 
descent in the next decade.

_______________________________________________________________________

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

November 20, 2024

Mr. Johnson of Georgia (for himself, Ms. Kamlager-Dove, Mr. Davis of 
Illinois, Mr. Grijalva, Ms. Lee of California, Mr. McGovern, Ms. Omar, 
Ms. Tlaib, Ms. Williams of Georgia, and Ms. Wilson of Florida) 
submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee 
on Foreign Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

RESOLUTION

Advancing racial justice and the global rights of people of African 
descent in the next decade.

Whereas the United Nations decade the ``International Decade for People of 
African Descent'' is ending on December 31, 2024;
Whereas, following General Assembly Resolution 75/314, the United Nations 
Permanent Forum on People of African Descent (UNFPAD) held its first 
session in Geneva in December 2022, its second session in New York in 
May and June 2023, and its third session in Geneva in April 2024;
Whereas, in the UNFPAD forums, the critical issues concerning people of African 
descent were raised: global reparatory justice; Pan-Africanism for 
dignity, justice, and peace; sustainable development agenda; evidence-
based approach to addressing systemic and structural racism; 
transnational migration; health, well-being, and intergenerational 
trauma; and offers recommendations for how member states can advance 
these matters;
Whereas recognizing the valuable contributions of high-level officials of 
African descent in their respective countries and the presence and 
reaffirmation of the goals and objectives of the International Decade 
for People of African Descent, which materializes these lofty goals;
Whereas, during the United Nations international decade for people of African 
descent, governments and civil society across the globe just scratched 
the surface of working collectively at the global level to raise 
visibility and act on these issues of priority concern raised in the 
United Nations Population Fund and the United Nations High Commissioner 
for Human Rights;
Whereas governments in concert with civil society must strengthen national, 
regional, and international action and cooperation to facilitate the 
full and equal participation of people of African descent in society, 
promote a greater knowledge of and respect for the diverse heritage, 
culture, and contributions of people of African descent to the 
development of societies, and to strengthen and implement legal 
frameworks that combat racial discrimination;
Whereas further action is required for governments to implement in conjunction 
with civil society effective national action plans and other strategies 
to address racial disparities impacting people of African descent in the 
justice, wealth, education, employment, health, housing, development, 
and other sectors;
Whereas further action is required for governments to integrate into their 
public policies differentiated efforts that elevate, address, and 
advance the rights of Afro-descendant women, children, LGBQTIA+ persons, 
the elderly, and disabled persons;
Whereas the United States Government is a party to the United States-Colombia 
Racial Action Plan and the Brazil-United States Joint Action Plan 
(CAPREE) to Eliminate Racial and Ethnic Discrimination (JAPER), is 
advancing similar agreements with Uruguay and Mexico and is the first 
international accompanier to the Ethnic Chapter of the 2016 Colombia 
peace accord; and
Whereas the people of Haiti continue to face significant challenges, including 
political instability, economic hardship, and the effects of natural 
disasters, which exacerbate the systemic inequalities experienced by 
people of African descent: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
(1) supports the second United Nations International Decade 
for People of African Descent to 2025-2034;
(2) urges the Department of State to proactively support 
and advance the United Nations Declaration on the promotion and 
full respect of the human rights of people of African descent;
(3) supports the United Nations International Independent 
Expert Mechanism to Advance Racial Justice and Equality in the 
context of law enforcement (EMLER) and funding to combat racial 
discrimination worldwide;
(4) supports the expansion of current efforts by the United 
Nations, Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, 
Organization of American States, and other international 
organizations to address the human rights situation of people 
of African descent means of upholding their human dignity and 
equality and promoting societal reconciliation and healing;
(5) calls upon the United States in cooperation with civil 
society (African-descent communities, academics, activists, 
businesses, and philanthropic organizations) to develop and 
implement domestic and global strategies to execute the goals 
and ideals of the second ``International Decade for People of 
African Descent'' and to combat racism, including by expanding 
the transformative work of the Department of State's Race, 
Ethnicity, and Social Inclusion Unit in this regard; and
(6) reaffirms the commitment of Congress to combat racism, 
discrimination, and intolerance with a differentiated gender 
focus in the United States and around the globe.
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