For the first time, the United Nations is officially marking the International Day of Women and Girls of African Descent. In a joint statement, several UN experts raised the alarm: women of African descent remain largely invisible and continue to face multiple forms of discrimination. «They have built, protected, nurtured, and passed down traditions, often from the shadows», the signatories wrote. Across generations, despite the legacies of slavery, colonialism, and racism, these women have held their communities together. They've preserved the languages, cultures, and memories of their people. «Yet their contributions have long been overlooked, dismissed, silenced, and ignored», the statement emphasized. The declaration also sheds light on the specific forms of violence they face: racist attacks, misogynoir, political harassment, sexual violence against migrants, family separation, and systemic discrimination in healthcare and education. Maternal mortality, early pregnancies, and school dropout rates remain alarmingly high among Afro-descendant girls and women. «Their struggles have been central to movements for racial justice», the experts noted. But the progress achieved should not mask the deep, persistent inequalities. In areas like employment, housing, justice, climate, and digital access, Afro-descendant women continue to be marginalized. Their needs are rarely prioritized, and their voices often go unheard. The experts are calling on governments to take real, sustained action: adopt targeted public policies, collect and use detailed data, guarantee access to basic rights, and acknowledge the historical injustices these women have endured. Crucially, they call for Afro-descendant women's leadership and voices to be placed at the center of decision-making processes. The statement is backed by prominent UN figures, including Michał Balcerzak (Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination), Joel M. Modiri (Durban Expert Group), Martin Kimani (Permanent Forum on People of African Descent), as well as Tracie L. Keesee, Víctor Rodríguez Rescia, Ashwini K.P., and Bina D'Costa.
