{
  "id": 6334659,
  "title": "Durban Conference 25 years on: racism and xenophobia persist — act now",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/08/durban-conference-25-years-on-racism-and-xenophobia-persist-act-now",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-08T22:08:33.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Daily Maverick",
    "slug": "daily-maverick",
    "url": "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/opinionista/2026-09-09-durban-conference-25-years-on-it-didnt-get-rid-of-racism-and-xenophobia-action-now/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Twenty-five years after the third UN Conference Against Racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia, and related intolerance, the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action still stand as crucial instruments for combating racism worldwide. However, its promises have often remained mere words on paper, rather than becoming concrete actions towards equality and justice.\n\nMandi Mudarikwa, a human rights strategic litigator at Amnesty International, emphasizes that human rights are both a promise and a commitment. Despite progress made in rejecting and confronting racial discrimination, colonialism, slavery, and apartheid, discrimination and xenophobia continue to persist. She advocates for using strategic litigation to challenge systemic injustice and shape progressive jurisprudence.\n\nWhile significant strides have been taken, systemic underfunding and underresourcing in schools predominantly serving racialized communities highlight the failure to translate the promise of equality into tangible improvements. This underlines the need for states to adopt the action plan from the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action, turning promises into reality and dismantling the structures that enable racism, discrimination, and xenophobia.\n\nMudarikwa warns against the rise of dehumanising language and ideas that pit people against one another, framing progress towards racial equality as a zero-sum game. This dangerous mindset not only undermines the promise of substantive equality but also turns human rights into a competition. To truly leave racism, discrimination, and xenophobia in the past, states must implement the Durban Declaration's action plan and defend the progress already achieved.",
  "summary": "The third UN Conference Against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance in 2001 was a watershed moment for millions worldwide. The Durban Declaration and Programme of Action became foundational for the global fight against racism. What we need now is for states to use the plan to take clear, concrete actions and turn the promises into reality.",
  "key_points": [
    "Twenty-five years after Durban Conference, racism and xenophobia persist.",
    "Strategic litigation advocated to challenge systemic injustice.",
    "Underfunded schools for racialized communities highlight inequality."
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}