Claiming the Future: The Second UN Decade for People of African Descent (2025–2034)

A Global Declaration with Local Demands

In 2015, the United Nations declared the International Decade for People of African Descent (IDPAD), running from 2015 to 2024, with a focus on recognition, justice, and development. As that first decade comes to a close, the announcement of a second—running from 2025 to 2034—signals a renewed commitment. But this is not just symbolic. It is a call to action.

For over 1.6 billion people of African descent worldwide, the next ten years offer an opportunity to move beyond awareness toward measurable equity. The recognition of this second decade invites governments, institutions, and communities to actively redress the ongoing legacies of slavery, colonialism, and structural racism that continue to shape economic, social, and political life across continents.

Why a Second Decade Matters

Despite the visibility of the first decade, implementation lagged. Many nations failed to fully engage with the framework, and few created national action plans with real funding and accountability. Meanwhile, Black communities around the world continued to face disproportionate barriers—in education, health, housing, policing, and environmental safety.

The second decade matters because the promises of the first remain largely unmet. This next phase must be different: more grounded in measurable policy shifts, driven by community leadership, and backed by sustainable investment.

This decade is also a response to global movements—from #EndSARS in Nigeria to Black Lives Matter in the U.S., from land rights struggles in Colombia to citizenship fights in the Dominican Republic. These are not disconnected issues. They are part of the same demand: that African-descended people be fully seen, protected, and invested in.

Global Action, Local Commitment

The goals of the second UN Decade remain the same: recognition, justice, and development. But the tools for achieving them have evolved. In 2025, digital organizing, global coalitions, and data accountability will play a much larger role.

Recognition must go beyond symbolic representation. That means accurate historical education, fair media representation, and institutional acknowledgment of contributions made by African-descended communities. Justice must address police brutality, mass incarceration, land dispossession, and health inequities. Development must mean real economic opportunity: access to land, loans, infrastructure, and cultural investment.

What sets this decade apart is the insistence that these issues are not isolated. Racial injustice in Brazil is connected to economic exclusion in the U.K., which is linked to post-colonial underdevelopment in the Caribbean. The UN framework encourages countries to adopt intersectional strategies that address race alongside gender, class, and geographic inequality.

Leadership by the People Most Affected

For this decade to succeed, leadership cannot be top-down. Black scholars, activists, farmers, healers, entrepreneurs, and artists must not only be consulted—they must be centered.

Regional action plans should be co-designed with civil society. Youth councils should have voting power in strategy meetings. Funding must go directly to grassroots organizations already doing the work. Too often, resources are funneled to large institutions that do not reach the communities most in need.

In countries like Canada and South Africa, existing models of reparations and reconciliation programs can offer lessons—but only if they are held accountable and scaled equitably. In Canada, a national IDPAD strategy was launched in 2018, though community leaders have raised concerns about funding inconsistencies. Meanwhile, in Colombia, Afro-descended communities have made gains in constitutional recognition and land rights—but face ongoing threats from private developers and paramilitary groups. In countries with little infrastructure, international aid should prioritize local leadership, not replicate colonial models of dependency.

Education, Economy, and Healing

The second decade has three critical pillars that require urgent investment:

1. Education – Decolonized curriculums that teach global Black history truthfully and holistically. Scholarships for African-descended students. Training for teachers to combat bias.

2. Economic Empowerment – Fair access to housing, credit, business ownership, and land. International trade and tourism partnerships that include African-descended entrepreneurs. Reparative economic initiatives.

3. Healing and Culture – Investment in mental health care, spiritual traditions, and cultural preservation. Legal support for reclaiming stolen artifacts and protecting cultural intellectual property.

These pillars are not side issues—they are central to development. A society that does not address the historical and emotional toll of racism will never achieve full democracy or equality.

How to Get Involved Locally

Whether you are in Accra, Atlanta, London, or Lima, this decade invites your participation. Support local Black-led organizations. Pressure your city and national governments to adopt an IDPAD action plan. Advocate for historical truth in schools. Fund scholarships, land trusts, or cultural centers.

Join existing global movements like the Pan-African Council or UN Working Group of Experts on People of African Descent. Use your platforms—digital or physical—to uplift African-descended voices and projects. Insist on accountability, not just celebration.

This decade will only work if it is lived—not only declared.

“The real test is not in the headlines, but in the budgets, policies, and programs that follow.”

The Next Ten Years Begin Now

The second UN Decade for People of African Descent is not a gesture. It is a global policy agenda rooted in justice and repair. It is a reminder that freedom is unfinished—and that its future will be written by those bold enough to demand it.

The real test is not in the headlines, but in the budgets, policies, and programs that follow. If embraced fully, this decade can become more than commemoration—it can be transformation. And that work starts with communities, backed by the will to act, the clarity to plan, and the courage to believe that equity is not a favor, but a right.