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Roundtable: Promoting Racial Representation in Global Decision-Making: The Role of the UN

Roundtable
The world currently faces a multi-layered and overlapping crisis that encompasses environmental, social, political and financial domains. Particularly in the environmental realm, recent studies demonstrate how climate change disproportionately impacts those affected by racial inequality. Global decision-making spaces are where these contemporary challenges can be addressed on an appropriate scale….

20 September 2024@ 10:45am-12:15pm EDT

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Location
In-Person
Hybrid format from Bahá’í International Community United Nations Office - 866 United Nations Plaza, Suite 120. New York, NY 10017.
Host/Contributor
Instituto De Codifica, Plataforma CIPÓ

The world currently faces a multi-layered and overlapping crisis that encompasses environmental, social, political and financial domains. Particularly in the environmental realm, recent studies demonstrate how climate change disproportionately impacts those affected by racial inequality. Global decision-making spaces are where these contemporary challenges can be addressed on an appropriate scale. However, if racial diversity is not adequately considered in the structure of these forums and organizations, multilateralism can end up reproducing the very asymmetric conditions it seeks to combat. Inadequate representation seriously undermines these organizations’ ability to benefit from the experience, knowledge and resources of diverse backgrounds, privileging dominant perspectives. This is why racial diversity in leadership positions and decision-making roles is crucial for enhancing the legitimacy and efficacy of today’s global governance.

The United Nations (UN) is currently the best-positioned multilateral organization to address the social-environmental crisis in our complex world. It is the cornerstone of a wide range of bodies, agencies and mechanisms, some of which are specifically involved in combating racial discrimination. However, balancing the differences and potential conflicts in this complex system is not an easy task. In June 2020, a letter signed by more than twenty senior UN officials of African descent strongly stated that the UN needs to “go beyond and do more” to end racism. Following this call, Secretary-General António Guterres launched a special Task Force to address racism and promote equality within the UN. Since then, the newly established UN Anti-Racism Office has been conducting virtual conversations to discuss the organization’s commitment to racial equality. This demonstrates how the most robust global decision-making forum is engaging in a critical debate about race and racism regarding its own internal affairs.

Plataforma CIPÓ is working to advance this conversation further. In collaboration with the United Nations Association (UNA) – UK and a consultant at Strategy for Humanity, CIPÓ leads Blue Smoke, an initiative aimed at promoting greater accountability and transparency within the UN, with a special focus on elections and appointments to senior positions. As part of Blue Smoke, we conducted policy-oriented research on geographical distribution, gender and regional representation in senior positions of key UN bodies. Following the recent anti-racist efforts from and within the UN, we have conducted a comprehensive study that seeks to analyze the evolution of racial representation across the UN System, aiming to identify challenges and opportunities to promote racial equality in multilateral action.

This effort resonates with the pivotal work carried out by organizations directly and primarily dedicated to promoting racial equality in governance and policy-making. In Brazil, notable examples include Instituto Decodifica, a research laboratory focused on producing data and narratives about favelas and peripheries. By bringing these initiatives together to discuss racial equality in the multilateral system, we can reflect and identify how Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI) can enhance the legitimacy and efficiency of global decision-making. We can go beyond and do more.

Against this backdrop, Plataforma CIPÓ and Instituto Decodifica, with the support of the Bahá’í International Community, are convening a Roundtable on Racial Representation in Global Decision-Making on the sidelines of the UN Summit of the Future. With the aim of highlighting challenges and proposing solutions, the event will debate the current state of racial representation in global governance, with a focus on the UN’s role in promoting inclusive, diverse and participatory decision-making processes. At the event, CIPÓ and Blue Smoke will launch their study on racial representation and equality within the UN System. The Roundtable will offer a unique opportunity to engage in discussions and share insights and recommendations with stakeholders and advocates committed to promoting Diversity, Equity & Inclusion.

Objectives

  1. Discuss challenges and opportunities for promoting racial equality in the institutions of global governance, with a focus on leadership positions within the UN system;
  2. Identity the current state of racial representation within the institutional framework of global governance, particularly in key agencies of the UN system;
  3. Explore strategies to promote full, equal and meaningful participation of individuals from diverse origins and backgrounds in global decision-making.

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