'Dismantle' systemic racism, UN urges

United Nations, June 28: The United Nations human rights chief called on Monday for the immediate end of systemic racism around the world to avoid repeating outrages like the killing of George Floyd.

The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet presented a landmark report on racial injustice, laying out a four-point agenda to achieve equality.

"I am calling on all states to stop denying — and start dismantling — racism; to end impunity and build trust; to listen to the voices of people of African descent; and to confront past legacies and deliver redress," Bachelet said in a video statement.

Bachelet's report came just three days after former policeman Derek Chauvin was sentenced to over 22 and years in prison for murdering Floyd in Minneapolis in May 2020.

What did the report say?

The report offers a comprehensive look into the roots of centuries of mistreatment faced by Africans and people of African descent, notably from the transatlantic slave trade.

It seeks a "transformative" approach to address its continued impact today, hoping to build on momentum around the recent worldwide scrutiny about racism.

"There is today a momentous opportunity to achieve a turning point for racial equality and justice,'' the report said.

Source: DW