International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade – Joint Statement by MRE/MDHC/MIR

On the International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade, observed on March 25, Brazil—a country that was the destination of about 45% of all enslaved Africans brought to the Americas—pays tribute to the victims and to all African and Afro-descendant people who continue to suffer today from the harmful legacy of this serious crime against humanity. The transatlantic slave trade and the enslavement of Africans, alongside the massacre of Indigenous peoples, represent the perverse outcomes of colonization, a legacy of exclusion deepened by the structural racism that persists in our society.

As it celebrates the 25th anniversary of the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action, Brazil acknowledges that much remains to be done to reverse the direct and measurable consequences of this legacy, reflected in the economic, social, and political inequalities affecting Afro-descendant populations across all continents, and reaffirms its deep commitment to the protection and promotion of the rights of Afro-descendant people.

The Brazilian government has implemented affirmative action policies and measures to combat and overcome racism. In the global debate on reparative justice, Brazil has shared its experiences and challenges with other countries to strengthen anti-racist strategies.

In this context, Brazil underscores its support for the draft resolution presented by Ghana during the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly, which addresses the severity of the trafficking of enslaved Africans as a crime against humanity, with the aim of strengthening initiatives related to memory and reparative justice.

The International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade was established by United Nations General Assembly resolution 62/122. Adopted in 2007, the resolution also seeks to mobilize educational institutions and civil society to remember the crimes of the slave trade and slavery, thereby guaranteeing that future generations understand their causes and consequences and ensuring that such crimes never happen again.