About the International Coalition of People of African Descent (ICPAD)
The International Coalition of people of African descent was born in 2019 with the objective to ensure the establishment of the first UN Permanent Forum as a more inclusive and accessible space for people of African ancestry to work together towards dismantling structural racism and demand reparation for and recognition of the crimes committed against Africans during history.
In August 2021, the General Assembly adopted resolution 75/314, which created the Permanent Forum on People of African Descent as “a consultative mechanism for people of African descent and other relevant stakeholders” and “as a platform for improving the safety and quality of life and livelihoods of people of African descent.”
The International Coalition of People of African Descent (ICPAD) is a platform for participation of Afro-descendant organizations in the implementation of the United Nations International Decade for People of African Descent. In close collaboration with partner organizations, The Leadership Conference Education Fund supports the use of this platform to highlight grave human rights abuses and push for the implementation of national and international legal framework, policies, and programs to combat racial discrimination and intolerance and promote equality of dignity and rights.
The founding member organizations and individuals of ICPAD bring to this work a wealth of experience and knowledge. ICPAD complements The Education Fund’s more than 15 years of experience holding the United States accountable for its obligations under the UN’s Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (CERD), including its participation in reviews of the United States in 2001, 2008, 2014, and 2022.
The ICPAD participated in the first Permanent Forum on People of African Descent in December 2022.
About the International Decade for People of African Descent
In December 2013, the United Nations General Assembly proclaimed 2015 to 2024 to be the International Decade for People of African Descent with the theme “People of African descent: recognition, justice and development.”
Resolution 68/237 established objectives for the International Decade, including adopting and strengthening national and international legal frameworks in accordance with the Durban Declaration and Program of Action (DDPA) and the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (CERD), and calls for their full and effective implementation.
Learn more about the International Decade for People of African Descent here.
About the Permanent Forum on People of African Descent
In August 2021, the UN General Assembly operationalized the Permanent Forum on People of African Descent as a “consultative mechanism for people of African descent and other relevant stakeholders as a platform for improving the safety and quality of life and livelihoods of people of African descent, as well as an advisory body to the Human Rights council, in line with the program of activities for implementation of the International Decade for People of African Descent and in close coordination with existing mechanisms.” The first session of the Permanent Forum was held in December 2022 in Geneva.
Learn more about the Permanent Forum for People of African Descent here.