UN panel urges states to confront slavery’s legacy with reparations

A UN committee has called on countries to adopt comprehensive reparations for people of African descent, arguing that the legacy of the transatlantic slave trade continues to fuel systemic racism and racial inequality. It says governments have legal obligations to address those lasting effects.

The UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination said the passage of time cannot be used to avoid addressing the enduring consequences of the slave trade and racialised slavery.

In guidance published Monday, the 18-member committee argued that countries party to the international convention against racial discrimination must take action under their current legal obligations, regardless of whether slavery was prohibited under international law at the time it was carried out.

The committee described the approach as a significant shift away from arguments over historical responsibility that have often been used to resist reparations claims.

Calls for comprehensive measures

The experts urged governments to combine financial and non-financial remedies, including compensation, restitution, rehabilitation, official recognition and guarantees that abuses and discriminatory practices will not be repeated.

They called for national action plans with clear deadlines, developed in consultation with people of African descent and communities affected by the legacy of slavery.

The committee also urged governments to repeal or amend laws and policies that perpetuate racial discrimination or obstruct access to reparative justice.

Tackling inequalities that persist today

The committee said the effects of slavery remain visible in systemic discrimination and structural inequalities affecting education, healthcare, economic opportunity and environmental security.

It also pointed to racialised violence, harmful stereotypes and institutional barriers that continue to disadvantage people of African descent.

Pela Boker-Wilson, a Liberian member of the committee who helped draft the guidance, said governments should move beyond expressions of regret and take concrete action to confront policies and laws that perpetuate inequality.

Private institutions also urged to act

The committee said responsibility should not be limited to governments.

Religious organisations, universities, companies, banks, insurers and other financial institutions that participated in, facilitated or profited from the slave trade should also contribute to reparative efforts, it said.

Those institutions should acknowledge their historical roles, make relevant archives accessible and contribute to reparations in proportion to their involvement and the benefits they gained.

Millions affected by forced displacement

The committee estimates that at least 12.5 million Africans were forcibly taken and sold between the 15th and 19th centuries in what it described as the largest forced displacement in history.

The transatlantic slave trade sent millions of men, women and children to the Americas, where many were subjected to brutal and often deadly conditions.

Calls for reparations have gained momentum in recent years, ranging from official apologies and memorialisation to financial compensation and institutional reforms.

Debate over responsibility continues

Supporters of reparations say historical injustices continue to shape present-day inequalities, while opponents argue that modern states and institutions should not be held responsible for acts committed generations ago.

The UN committee rejected that line of reasoning, stressing that the focus should be on the continuing effects of slavery and the obligations states have today under international law.

“The recognition and apologies should be accompanied by concrete measures,” the committee said, insisting that acknowledgment alone cannot replace meaningful reparations.