–Resident Coordinator highlights progress at ERC observance, urges continued collective action against discrimination amid emerging digital threats
GUYANA’S progress in combatting racism and promoting social harmony has been recognised by United Nations (UN) Resident Coordinator Jean Njeri Kamau.
On Monday, the Ethnic Relations Commission(ERC) observed International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination along with the current commission’s third anniversary. The UN’s Resident Coordinator acknowledged the efforts of the ERC in promoting dialogue, tolerance and understanding.
With the subject matter at hand being the atrocity of racial discrimination, she highlighted the Sharpeville Massacre. On March 21, 1960, police officers in a Black township in South Africa opened fire on a group of people peacefully protesting oppressive laws. Sixty‐nine protestors were killed. The anniversary of the Sharpeville Massacre is remembered around the world on March 21, the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination.
“This day was subsequently designated to raise awareness to inspire global action against racism and racial discrimination,” Njeri Kamau said.
The event also coincided with the 25th anniversary of the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action, the UN’s most comprehensive framework to combat racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance.
“Guyana has been a proactive supporter of the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action, including through its role in advancing resolutions aimed at strengthening global action against racism. In April 2021, Guyana was a main sponsor of the United Nations resolution entitled ‘A global call for concrete action against racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance,” the UN Resident Coordinator noted.
She further stated that last year, Guyana reiterated its commitment to eliminating racial discrimination during its fourth Universal Periodic Review cycle, otherwise known as the UPR, accepting several recommendations to strengthen measures and the legal framework in this area.
She said: “The UN remains committed to working alongside the government and people of Guyana to advance non-discrimination, equality and inclusion in line with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the principle of leaving no one behind.”
The UN Resident Coordinator made it clear, addressing racial discrimination is not only a human rights imperative, but it is also essential for sustainable development, peace and prosperity.
“In recent years, we have had the opportunity to collaborate with the Ethnic Relations Commission to address hate speech, including in the context of elections, further strengthening efforts to promote respectable dialogue and social harmony. This work is especially important” she said.
With the rise of new technologies, she used the opportunity to warn of the emerging threats, citing recent statements made by UN Secretary General António Guterres.
According to her, a 2026 survey by the Inter-Parliamentary Union revealed that parliamentarians from minority and marginalised groups face disproportionate levels of online abuse, frequently marked by racist and sexist attacks.
It is in this regard that the UN Resident Coordinator called for collective responsibility beyond institutions to combat racism.
“While the Ethnic Relations Commission plays a critical role, each one of us through our workplaces and organisations, must actively support its efforts and take daily steps to advance the principles of the Durban Declaration and programme of action. We must continue to utilise the power of dialogue, active listening, safe spaces and inclusive policies,” she said.
