During a United Nations forum on people of African descent in New York, Colombian Vice President Francia Marquez, an advocate of slavery reparations, called on former colonial powers to acknowledge and take responsibility for their historical wrongs. Marquez emphasized the need for colonial states to address the legacy of racial domination and restore the human dignity of individuals of African descent.
Highlighting the ongoing challenges faced by Afro-Colombians, Marquez noted the continued lack of basic rights such as health care, housing, and education, attributing these disparities to the lasting effects of the slave trade. While the discussion around reparations has gained traction globally, with increasing calls for action, there has also been resistance from European leaders who oppose the topic.
Marquez, who was elected as Colombia’s first Black woman vice president in 2022 and is renowned for her environmental activism, stressed the importance of addressing systemic racism and the enduring repercussions of historical injustices. She emphasized the necessity of taking concrete steps to rectify these inequalities and ensure a more equitable future for marginalized communities.
The forum also addressed the implications of emerging technologies, such as artificial intelligence, in perpetuating systemic inequities. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres underscored the importance of eliminating bias in AI systems to prevent the replication of historical prejudices and inequalities.
While progress has been made in advancing the cause of reparations, Marquez and other participants at the forum emphasized the need for further action to combat systemic racism and promote equality. The forum served as a platform for discussions on reparations in the digital age and the ongoing struggle for justice and reparative measures for communities impacted by slavery and colonialism.
