March 21: International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination

Céline Arétin, head of cultural, women's, and environmental topics, March 21, 2025

Origin of the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination

The International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, celebrated every March 21, was established by the UN in 1966 to commemorate the 1960 Sharpeville massacre in South Africa, where police killed 69 protesters demonstrating against apartheid laws. This day aims to raise public awareness of the dangers of racism and encourage governments to strengthen their policies against discrimination.

Racial discrimination in France

A study by France's Défenseur des droits (Rights Defender) found that a candidate with a name of North African origin had 36% less chance of being called back for an interview compared to a candidate with a French-sounding name. Regarding police checks, Black and Arab men are six times more likely to be stopped, according to a Human Rights Watch study. Some of these facts have led to legal sanctions. In 1997, Jean-Marie Le Pen was convicted of incitement to racial hatred under the Pleven Law. In 2005, SOS Racisme secured the conviction of the real estate agency Foncia for refusing to rent apartments to people of North African origin, in violation of Article 225-1 of the French Penal Code. In 2019, France's Défenseur des droits sanctioned the staffing company Adecco for rejecting applications from people with foreign-sounding names.

Actions taken by the UN

In 1965, the UN adopted the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination, committing signatory states to ban and combat racist behavior. In 1973, the UN officially declared apartheid a crime against humanity, intensifying international pressure on South Africa. In 2001, at the World Conference Against Racism in Durban, the UN adopted a comprehensive action plan to promote racial equality and encourage reparations for the victims of slavery and colonialism. More recently, the UN launched the International Decade for People of African Descent (2015-2024), focused on recognition, justice, and development for people of African descent.