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The International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination

March 21, The International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, marks a remembrance of the 1960 Sharpeville Massacre.

United Nations / Facebook

In a town near Johannesburg, South Africa, Afrikaner police killed 69 people, wounding 180 others who were "protesting against the South African government’s restriction of nonwhite travel," according to HISTORY.

In 1979, The United Nations General Assembly implemented a programme of activities that focused on contesting racism, racial discrimination, and apartheid which was to take place during the second part of Decade for Action to Combat Racism and Racial Discrimination, according to the United Nations website.

Apartheid in South Africa has been discontinued.

It was later proclaimed by the General Assembly that 2015-2024 marks The International Decade for People of African Descent, a special time to recognize that "people of African descent represent a distinct group whose human rights must be promoted and protected."

They face obstacles such as systematically structured racism in the workforce, poverty, and have limited access to resources such as health service and educational opportunities.

Because The International Decade for People of African Descent has reached it's midpoint and as part of its 43rd session, the Human Rights Council in Geneva will review the progress in promoting and protecting the rights of this marginalized group and see what other steps can be taken.

Approximately 200 million people in the Americas identify as African descent as well as millions of others who don't live in the African continent.

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