Elimination of Racial Discrimination
Today is the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, which recognises the victims of the 1960 Sharpeville massacre, when demonstrators peacefully protesting against apartheid were killed. As well as commemoration and remembrance, this day encourages us all to reflect on how we are working to combat racial discrimination and injustice in our societies.
As an organisation, based across the UK, we are critically conscious of the massive amounts of work needed if we are to eliminate racial discrimination in Britain.
This needs to happen at every level and across every sector of British society.
This challenge was exemplified recently by the events, specifically, the racist and sexist comments made towards Dianne Abbott MP and explicitly to Black women as a whole. The harm of this incident was only intensified when, despite standing 46 times, Ms Abbott was not permitted to speak for herself in the House of Commons, when this incident was being discussed.
This instance also highlighted the need to be conscious of an intersectional approach when discussing issues of racism, as its intersection with other forms of discrimination, in this case sexism, produces specific and unique manifestations of detriment.
To mark International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination we’re calling for individuals and organisations to reflect on what you are doing about racial discrimination in our society, and to act. If we’re ever going to eliminate racism we need anti-racists, not just non-racists.
Doing nothing is simply not good enough. We need everyone on board if we are to achieve this goal.
To read more about our It’s About Race training programmes on allyship and becoming anti-racist please visit https://www.diversitytrust.org.uk/training/