The United Nations has renewed its call to protect and promote the human rights of people of African descent around the world by declaring 2025-2034 a new International Decade for People of African Descent.

This second decade continues the theme of “people of African descent: recognition, justice and development.” 

CUPE is committed to recognizing and addressing the legacy of slavery and colonialism, and the injustices faced by people of African descent.

The decade is a call to repair harms of past injustices while highlighting and celebrating the important contributions people of African descent make in our workplaces, unions and society.

The decade is also an urgent call to step up the fight against discrimination and anti-Black racism that is a daily reality for many people of African descent. This discrimination includes high rates of police violence, racial profiling, mass imprisonment, and systemic inequities in education, health care, housing and employment.

It’s time for action:

  • Read CUPE’s statement on the decade at the beginning of your local meetings.
  • Learn what the federal government is doing to renew its commitment to the decade.
  • Read the Report of the Working Group of Experts on People of African Descent on its mission to Canada.
  • Organize a lunch and learn on the decade in your local.
  • Add the decade to your local meeting agenda and discuss ways to honor it at your next union event. This can include inviting a speaker to talk about the decade’s significance, organizing a panel of members who are of African descent or allies to talk about their experiences, or screening a documentary.
  • Have a conversation at your next union meeting about how the goals of the decade are reflected in the life of your members. How do they experience these issues in their workplace, their union or society?
  • Look at how your local, committees or district councils acknowledged the last decade and what can be done differently for the next one. Order free materials to promote Black History Month in your local.

  • Organize training about anti-Black racism and other relevant anti-racism training in your workplace or local to educate yourself and fellow CUPE members.