The United Nations International Mechanism of Independent Experts on Promoting Racial Justice in Policing calls on Washington to redouble its efforts in terms of the fight against racial discrimination.
United Nations experts wrapped up a 12-day trip to the United States this weekend, where they visited Washington DC, Atlanta, Los Angeles, Chicago, Minneapolis and New York to learn more about various efforts implemented by authorities to combat racism. Discrimination affecting people of African descent.
In a statement, members of the delegation appointed by the United Nations Human Rights Council said they “ I felt an urgency and a moral responsibility to echo the heartbreaking pain of the victims and raising their voice for accountability and support.
“ We’ve seen promising initiatives that focus on the voices of victims and survivors, and law enforcement efforts that can be replicated across America. “, they pointed out.
” We welcome the reparations actions taken so far, including the decrees signed in 2021 and 2022, and individual reparations efforts through civil damages settlements. Mechanism member Tracey Keesy said.
” But we strongly believe that stronger action, including by federal authorities, is needed to achieve stronger accountability measures for past and future violations. “, she added.
To continue further: These include strengthening monitoring mechanisms with binding force, providing adequate resources and ensuring “robust and complete” reparations, as well as support and rehabilitation for victims, including access to justice and health, including mental health services. “.
Slavery left a deep and lasting legacy in the country, seen as a generational trauma, independent experts noted.
Racial discrimination permeates all encounters with law enforcement, from first contact — often in the elementary school years — to racial profiling, arrest, detention, sentencing and, in some U.S. states, disenfranchisement, they added.
” In each of these aspects, the available data indicate a clearly disproportionate impact on people of African descent. “, they have experts.
Moving away from a criminal justice response that focuses on human rights, poverty, homelessness, substance abuse and mental illness, addressing and analyzing the issue of poverty affecting people of African descent is a “compelling priority,” experts said.
” Recognizing that most of these efforts must take place at the local and state level, we urge the federal government and Congress to continue to show leadership by allocating federal funds to state-level policy initiatives and using national standards. Mandating and conducting federal criminal investigations into cases of excessive use of force by law enforcement Another mechanism expert, Juan Mendez, said.
