Geneva: Independent experts appointed by the UN Human Rights Council have called for reparations to be paid to individuals and their descendants who were victims of the African slave trade. The experts emphasize that these reparations should encompass ‘compensation, rehabilitation, satisfaction, and guarantees of non-repetition,’ tailored to the historical and country-specific contexts.
According to Ghana News Agency, the Working Group on People of African Descent, established in 2002, has been actively engaged in hearings and formulating recommendations. Their recent meetings took place in December 2024 and April 2025, where they gathered insights and testimonies to inform their report. One notable contributor was US Congresswoman Barbara Lee, who highlighted the ongoing threat of white supremacy and its efforts to undermine progress against systemic racism in the United States.
Human rights lawyer Roger Wareham criticized the US for neglecting the reparations issue, asserting that any reparations must also address the continued presence of systemic racism, beyond the historical context of chattel enslavement. The report underscores that reparations must be comprehensive, as the residual effects of slavery, the trade in enslaved persons, and colonialism continue to impact individuals of African descent.
The report also highlights that the five-member working group, comprising representatives from Bangladesh, Guyana, Uganda, Hungary, and Spain, has advocated for holding states involved in or benefiting from the slave trade and colonialism accountable. The authors of the report argue that these states should be considered the primary responsible actors in addressing the enduring legacies of these historical injustices.