NEW YORK, 28th September, 2026 (WAM) -- UN Secretary-General António Guterres called for intensified action to combat racism and discrimination in all their forms, stressing that eliminating racial discrimination and advancing dignity, human rights and equality are a shared responsibility and moral imperative.
Speaking at the High-level Meeting to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the adoption of the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action, Guterres said the fight against racism was more urgent today than when the Declaration was adopted 25 years ago.
He warned that racism continues to fuel inequalities and deny people their fundamental rights and freedoms, while digital tools and technologies can amplify hate speech, disinformation, harmful stereotypes and violence.
Guterres called on governments to strengthen and effectively enforce anti-discrimination and equality laws, dismantle systemic discrimination and invest in inclusive and equal societies. He also urged businesses to uphold equality and non-discrimination and technology companies to identify, mitigate and address bias in artificial intelligence systems.
He called for concrete measures towards reparatory justice to address the enduring impacts of enslavement, colonialism and racial discrimination, and urged universal ratification and full implementation of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination.
Guterres stressed that the Second International Decade for People of African Descent must be a decade of concrete change, urging continued action to uphold the dignity, rights and belonging of all people and build societies free from racism and discrimination.