In a sharp and stirring reflection on the global condition of African-descended communities, Epsy Campbell Barr, the former Vice President of Costa Rica and immediate past chair of the UN’s Permanent Forum on People of African Descent, says the time has come for action, not just words.
“The world has to understand: we are not asking for favors. We are demanding recognition, resources, and respect,” she said, underscoring a message that blends historic memory with urgent policy recommendations.
During an interview conduct with Africa Renewal’s Kingsley Ighobor, Campbell Barr spoke frankly about the deep-rooted struggles of over 200 million people of African descent in the Americas and the Caribbean.
And she wasn’t shy about where the failures lie, including within the African continent itself.
“Today, I presented my report to the UN Third Committee, and not one African country took the floor to participate. We must have a political understanding that our reality is intertwined with that of Africa,” she lamented.
This sense of disconnection, she says, undermines the African Union’s own recognition of the African Diaspora as the continent’s sixth region.
The Permanent Forum on People of African Descent, established by the United Nations in 2021, serves as an advisory body to the General Assembly.
It’s charged with advancing justice and equality for African descendants, worldwide, communities historically shaped by slavery, colonization, and systemic exclusion.
But for Campbell Barr, who made history as the first woman of African descent to serve as Vice President in Costa Rica, the work of the Forum is as personal as it is political.
“When you see me, you see an African woman.” We already identify ourselves as African descendants. We share a common history marked by colonialism. And we are treated as black people all over the world,” she said.
That treatment, she noted, continues to be characterized by poverty, marginalization, and unequal access to political power, even in countries where African descendants have contributed for centuries to national development.
“Despite living in this hemisphere for centuries, we face systemic racism, within our own nations. When I was elected vice president of my country, it surprised many that a Black woman could hold such a position in a non-Black country,” she said.
The Forum’s chair is among the growing number of global voices pushing for reparations for slavery and colonialism. And she sees reparations not just as a matter of moral obligation but of policy urgency.
“I am pleased to have received an invitation from the President of Ghana to attend a major conference on reparations” she said, pointing out that political will is crucial.
“We must confront the enduring legacy of the past, as it continues to impact millions, she added.
But she is also looking forward. One of her most ambitious proposals is the creation of a global fund dedicated to people of African descent.
“We require additional resources to address the challenges faced by millions of people, particularly women and young individuals who represent the present and the future,” she said.
That fund, she believes, should be backed by global cooperation including African countries, and designed to support economic inclusion, health care access, education, and leadership development across the Diaspora.
Although the Forum’s work is largely advocacy-focused, it does have teeth. It is mandated to make policy recommendations and report to the UN General Assembly. And under Campbell Barr’s leadership, it is pursuing a landmark human rights declaration specifically for people of African descent.
“One of our objectives is to achieve the declaration of human rights for people of African descent, which would serve as a framework for their rights. Our role goes beyond dialogue, we gather data, share best practices, and tell the truth about our reality,” she said.
One part of that reality is the racial gap in emerging technologies like artificial intelligence, where unexamined algorithms can reinforce discrimination. Campbell Barr says the Forum is pushing for representation in key global discussions like the UN’s Summit of the Future.
“We must engage in discussions concerning artificial intelligence, considering the racial algorithm gap that disproportionately affects us,” she said.
A core mandate of the Forum is collecting disaggregated data, information broken down by race, age, gender, and ethnicity, to better understand how racism operates across systems. And Campbell Barr says progress is being made.
“Most countries in Latin America have included questions related to self-identification in their censuses,” she said, citing Panama as an example. “In 2010, about 9% of the population identified as people of African descent. In the most recent census, that number jumped to over 30%.”
But she’s quick to point out that more is needed, especially in global health data systems, where the experiences of African descendants are often invisible.
“We still require more disaggregated data, especially within the global health system. You can’t address what you don’t measure, “she said.
Beyond the corridors of the UN, Campbell Barr says civil society and grassroots organizations are essential partners. The Forum has hosted open sessions in Geneva and New York, drawing more than 1,600 civil society groups.
“In December, we plan to hold consultations in Europe, Latin America, the Caribbean, and the Middle East. We cannot rely solely on a small group of experts; we must collaborate with diverse civil society groups worldwide” she noted.
These groups, she says, empower the Forum’s work and keep it grounded in the lived experiences of African-descended communities.
Campbell Barr says success won’t be measured by titles or speeches, but by whether the Forum manages to transform the lives of the people it represents.
“The real legacy is achieving the declaration of human rights for people of African descent. It’s seeing political will behind reparations. It’s establishing a global fund that brings change to millions,” she said.
Her message is clear: “We are not asking for favors. We are demanding what is long overdue, recognition, justice, and equality.”
And for the millions of African-descended people still struggling at the margins of society, that demand may finally be reaching the ears of those in power.
By: Joshua Narh