UN chief urges unity and concrete steps to fight racism at Durban anniversary meeting

# What happened UN Secretary-General António Guterres opened a high-level meeting marking the 25th anniversary of the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action by calling for unity and tangible action to tackle racism. He framed the UN's purpose as helping build "a more peaceful, just and equal world where the dignity and rights of every person are upheld."

# The central message Guterres said combating racism is a moral imperative and a shared responsibility. He reminded member states of a solemn pledge to eradicate discrimination in all its forms and to protect the dignity and rights of people affected by racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance. He described unity plus concrete measures as the antidote to those harms.

# Concrete actions Guterres called for

• Governments: strengthen and effectively implement anti-discrimination and equality laws and empower the institutions that enforce them. He also urged governments to dismantle systemic discrimination and invest in inclusive, equal societies.
• Businesses: respect the right to equality and nondiscrimination, prevent direct and indirect discrimination in hiring and promotion, and create workplaces where everyone can contribute.

# Reparatory justice and international law Guterres said the world must confront the enduring consequences of slavery, colonialism and racial discrimination. He called for concrete measures to deliver reparatory justice grounded in international human rights law. He also urged universal ratification and full implementation of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (ICERD).

# Why this matters now

# What to watch next Expect follow-up at the UN General Assembly and within member-state capitals: legislation and enforcement mechanisms will be the immediate levers Guterres highlighted. Non-state actors—corporations and technology firms—face public pressure to adopt and publicize policies preventing discrimination and addressing algorithmic bias. Discussions about reparatory justice and the pace of ICERD ratification may be focal points for civil society and delegations.

# Bottom line The UN secretary-general framed tackling racism as a collective task requiring law, institutional reform, corporate policy changes and concrete reparatory measures. The emphasis is on turning commitments into enforceable action across governments and influential private actors.