Empowering Voices: UN Calls for Action on Inequities Facing Women of African Descent

In a historic move toward recognition and inclusion, the world marked the first ever International Day of Women and Girls of African Descent last Friday, following a United Nations General Assembly resolution adopted in 2023.

While the day celebrates the vital contributions of women and girls of African descent across the globe as leaders, innovators, caregivers and community builders, it also casts a spotlight on the entrenched inequalities they continue to face at the intersection of race, gender and socioeconomic status.

“These women and girls embody resilience, strength and untapped potential,” said Patricia DaSilva, Senior Programme Adviser at the UN Population Fund (UNFPA). “Yet they remain among the most marginalised globally, not because of lack of education or income, but due to deeply rooted systems of racism and structural inequality.”

Persistent Disparities, Preventable Tragedies

According to UNFPA, women of African descent experience disproportionately high maternal mortality rates, even in wealthier countries with advanced health infrastructure. The agency stresses that these health outcomes often stem not from individual circumstances, but from systemic issues such as racial bias in healthcare and the lingering effects of slavery and colonialism.

“The good news is these things are not irreversible,” DaSilva said. “We can fix them. We already have the solutions to many of these maternal health challenges.”

UNFPA advocates for bolstering health systems, investing in culturally sensitive midwifery programs and enhancing training for healthcare workers to reduce discrimination and improve maternal care. Better data collection is also crucial to understanding and addressing health disparities.

Grassroots Solutions, Global Commitment

One promising model comes from Colombia’s Pacific region, home to large Afro-descendant communities. There, UNFPA has partnered with traditional midwives to blend ancestral birthing knowledge with modern medical practices.

“We’re also working to ensure proper birth registration in remote communities,” DaSilva said. “It may sound simple, but when you’re far from technology or civil registries, it becomes a critical issue.”

The initiative underscores the broader theme of this year’s commemoration: positioning women and girls of African descent as agents of change, not passive recipients of development aid.

“I think it is important that the international community understands that women and girls of African descent are not recipients of aid. They are leaders,” DaSilva emphasized. “We have an obligation to elevate their voices and invest in their solutions.”

A New Decade of Action

The observance also marks the beginning of the Second International Decade for People of African Descent (2025 to 2034). This UN-led initiative seeks to build on the progress made during the first decade, which ended in 2024, by taking tangible steps to dismantle racial discrimination, address historical injustices and guarantee equal rights and freedoms for Afro-descendant populations worldwide.

At its core, the decade aims to address the unfinished business of history, confronting the legacy of slavery and colonialism while supporting reparatory justice and inclusive development.

As the world steps into this new era of recognition and redress, advocates stress that the voices, leadership and lived experiences of women and girls of African descent must be central to the effort.