A/76/302 on Drugs and Crime, on behalf of the United Nations Network on Racial Discrimination and Protection of Minorities, explained how 20 United Nations entities had committed to strengthening efforts to combat racial discrimination, protect minorities and target discrimination in the United Nations. Representatives from civil society discussed the risk that discriminatory practices and policies would be embedded in algorithms, coding and data-driven products and expressed support for the establishment of the Permanent Forum of People of Af rican Descent. V. One year later: centring people of African descent as rights holders in the face of systemic racism and impunity A. COVID-19 in the context of a culture of denial and disposability 26. At the outset of the pandemic, the Working Group reported on the rise of police violence against people of African descent in parallel to the risks of COVID -19. 1 The Working Group noted that race was the “through line” connecting COVID -19, police impunity and global protests, noting closely interlin ked variables and considerations. Presumptions of disposability and expendability, which were necessary to the social construct of race historically, continued to license the exploitation of the labour, lives and intellectual property of people of African descent. Frequently, this was evident in the integration of social inferences and signalling, 2 or the seemingly autonomic responses to uncertainty and unprecedented situations that seem to confirm systemic racism, rather than embodying stated commitments to dismantle it. In this, it was possible to see a common root and ongoing links between the expectation of impunity for violence and abuse of authority by law enforcement, the disregard and denial of racial disparities evident in COVID-19, and the racialized differential in how States respond to protest and demonstrations. 27. Lack of consideration of racial disparities and systemic racism in decision making relating to the COVID-19 pandemic remains an immediate concern. The Working Group is especially concerned about the roll-out of vaccination campaigns, with little consideration given to racial disparities and international solidarity. Measures and interventions that appear neutral may have discriminatory outcomes if specific efforts are not made to counter racial bias. As discussed above, the heightened vulnerability of people of African descent to COVID -19 is rooted in the systemic racism that has historically ignored barriers in access to medical care, chronic diseases, and their status as front-line workers. 28. In this regard, the Working Group discussed how taxonomies, or classification systems, are not neutral and reflect racialized priorities. As the Working Group cautioned at the time, “States must recognize the specificity of needs in particular communities, or risk deprioritizing people of African descent as a matter of law and policy.” 3 This includes existing poverty and inequality that would continue to influence outcomes during the pandemic. 4 In the United States, in March 2021, data showed that Black renters faced particular challenges in securing and remaining in housing due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 5 For migrants of African descent, __________________ 1 2 3 4 5 21-11641 See A/HRC/45/44. Tanaz Molapour and others, “Seven computations of the social brain”, Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience, vol. 16, No. 8 (August 2021). A/HRC/45/44, paras. 13–15. For example, according to the National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies (INSEE), in 2018, 40 per cent of the population of Reunion, largely people of African descent, lived below the poverty line. For additional information, see www.childtrends.org/publications/racism-and-discriminationcontribute-to-housing-instability-for-black-families-during-the-pandemic. 9/22