A/HRC/RES/47/21 use of force and other human rights violations by law enforcement officers,1 the annex thereto entitled “Four-point Agenda towards Transformative Change for Racial Justice and Equality”, and relevant conference room paper,2 and noting that the report is grounded in the lived experiences of families of victims and people of African descent whose courage and determination are encouraging States, the United Nations Organization and others to take bolder steps to address long-standing human rights violations and to achieve racial justice and equality, Acknowledging that slavery and the slave trade, including the transatlantic slave trade, were appalling tragedies in the history of humanity not only because of their abhorrent barbarism but also in terms of their magnitude and organized nature, and especially their negation of the essence of the victims, acknowledging also that enslavement is a crime against humanity and should always have been a crime, and noting that the transatlantic slave trade is among the major sources and manifestations of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance, and that Africans and people of African descent, Asians and people of Asian descent and indigenous peoples were victims of these acts and continue to be victims of their consequences, Acknowledging also that there is an increasing willingness and emerging practice to acknowledge the need to repair the continuing impact of enslavement, the transatlantic trade in enslaved Africans and colonialism, and inviting States to seize opportunities to advance the anti-racism agenda, to prioritize attaining racial equity in implementing the 2030 Agenda, and to ensure that people of African descent are not left behind, Recalling the tragic murder of George Floyd in Minnesota, United States of America, on 25 May 2020, which drew attention to the scourge of systemic and structural racism and galvanized efforts to address this global problem in the United States and around the world, Welcoming the judicial recourse to address this crime in the trial against the perpetrator of the murder of George Floyd in Minnesota Fourth Judicial District Court, on 20 April 2021, and recalling the statement by the High Commissioner on 21 April 2021 on the guilty verdict in that case, Recalling all statements made by the special procedure mandate holders regarding the killing of George Floyd, in particular their joint statement of 5 June 2020, and the statements made by the High Commissioner on 3 June 2020, 1 October 2020 and 19 March 2021, Recognizing that systemic racism needs a systemic response to rapidly reverse denial and alter structures, institutions and behaviours leading to direct or indirect discrimination against Africans and people of African descent in every part of life, Recognizing also that systemic racism is intersectional by nature as it spreads in a variety of societal sectors, and that in order to tackle systemic racism and discrimination, response measures should also be intersectional, Stressing that law enforcement officials, in the performance of their duties, shall respect and protect human dignity and maintain and uphold the human rights of all persons, recalling the Code of Conduct for Law Enforcement Officials and the Basic Principles on the Use of Force and Firearms by Law Enforcement Officials, and bearing in mind the numerous other international standards and norms in the field of the administration of justice, Expressing deep concern at the extent of the challenges that victims and families of victims report in their pursuit of justice, and underscoring that the independence and impartiality of the judiciary, the integrity of the judicial system and an independent legal profession are essential prerequisites for the protection of human rights, the rule of law, good governance and democracy, Stressing that the implementation of robust measures to end impunity and ensure accountability and redress for victims and their families of excessive use of force and other 1 2 2 A/HRC/47/53. A/HRC/47/CRP.1, available at www.ohchr.org/EN/HRBodies/HRC/RegularSessions/Session47/Pages/ListReports.aspx.