The meeting inaugurated the World Decade for People of African Descent.
A Cuban official highlighted Friday the achievements in the sectors of education, health and other sectors for the Black population of the country, despite the U.S. imposed blockade, during a United Nations meeting on Afro-descendents that took place in the Brazilian capital.
The meeting focused on three topics during the day: political and cultural recognition of its values, justice and development, and sought to foment collaboration between experts, movements from the civil society and the State on the issue.
Cuban Vice-President of the artists union (UNEAC) Pedro de la Hoz also emphasized the role of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) in the political recognition of African descendants, as the regional organization co-organized with the UN Office of the High Commissioner on Human Rights the World Decade for People of African Descent (2015-2024).
According to the UN High Commissioner Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein, “a decade is really little time, but if we set up concrete goals, we can make a difference in the 10 decisive years of a girl or a boy coming from a poor neighborhood.”
According to the United Nations, almost 200 million people in the Americas identify themselves as having African descent. They represent between 20 and 30 percent of the Latin American population and experience disproportionate levels of poverty and discrimination and many aspects of social life.
This content was originally published by teleSUR at the following address:
“http://www.telesurtv.net/english/news/Cuba-Makes-Progress-In-Afro-Descendant-UN-Summit–20151205-0002.html”.
teleSUR, December 5, 2015
