Fourth session of the Permanent Forum on People of African Descent

Panel #2: Human rights of women and girls of African descent

The panel will take place on Tuesday 15 April from 15:00 to 18:00.

The unequal human rights situation of women and girls are the result of historical patriarchal political, legal, socioeconomic, and cultural structures and practices that ignore their specific experiences. These structures and practices remain across cultures, in both private a public sector, limiting women and girls access to opportunities, leadership, decision-making and power positions and resulting in gender inequalities, sex based discrimination and violence. For women of African descent, the situation is exacerbated by the existence of racism, racial discrimination and related structures and practices inherited from colonialism and enslavement, The compounded effects of racism and sexism result in multiple and intersecting forms of discrimination against women of African descent (misogynoir 1 ) and impedes the full enjoyment of their human rights. This further renders them distinct from men of African descent and from other women who hold similar positions of leadership and power.

Today, the human rights of women of African descent are further impacted by the lack of economic opportunities and autonomy, encompassing credit, land ownership and inheritance, among other issues. In some regions, many women and girls of African descent lack access to quality education, face discrimination in education and in the labour market and are concentrated in undervalued, low-wage and care economy jobs. Systemic racism in health remains a concern for women of African descent as they continue to be at higher risk of death from pregnancy-related causes, face poor health due to chronic diseases and are disproportionately affected by violence at all levels of society, including sexual violence. For women of African descent in political and power spaces, violence, intimidation, harassment, bullying and abuse are real and evident, including in the media. The effect of such intersectional racial violence threatens to eliminate the gains (in education, employment and leadership) made by women of African descent, exclude them from and limit their influence in decision-making and power positions. Political violence against women of African descent reinforces sexual and racial discrimination and hierarchies in politics and further entrenches patriarchy with one privileged group disproportionately influencing politics, economics and culture.

Notwithstanding the broad range of challenges faced by women of African descent in various segments of society, this panel will focus on intersectional racial political violence and its impact on the human rights of Afro-descendant women keeping in mind the global agendas for justice, including reparatory, socio-economic, and digital justice.

1.A term coined by Dr. Moya Bailey to acknowledge the ways Black women are uniquely discriminated against because of their gender and race.