UN experts called on Suriname to address structural racial discrimination against people of African descent, a legacy of their history of enslavement and exclusion, commenting on a report released Wednesday.
The Working Group of Experts on People of African Descent published the report after 10-day visit to the South American country. The experts stated:
Suriname should acknowledge and take measures the current situation of people of African descent in a open, transparent and inclusive manner in order to build a society without discrimination and exclusion … Structural racial discrimination has left most people of African descent with a feeling of not fully belonging to the Surinamese society. People of African descent lag behind in most socio-economic indicators despite being the largest population group.
The report identified three groups of people of African descent living in Suriname: the Maroons, the Creole and Afro-Surinamese. Testimonies collected from these groups showed that they lag behind on both material progress and social integration. The experts specifically noted a lack of quality education, adequate health care facilities and sanitation services, and employment opportunities. The experts said the lack of redressal mechanisms for these issues has created a lack of faith in governmental institutions, and that the prevalence of stereotypes and a lack of recognition of the contribution of the African people to the Surinamese society has further deepened this alienation.
The experts also highlighted the need for Suriname to take these steps in furtherance of the goals of the Second International Decade of People of African Descent (2025-2034) and its obligations under Article 2 of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination.
The report acknowledged that Suriname has recently brought in positive legal changes prohibiting racial discrimination in its constitution and penal code and established special adjudicatory bodies to cater to the concerns of people of African descent, among others. Reports prepared by rights groups also show an improvement in the increased and equitable availability of political and civic rights to the citizens of Suriname. In July 2024, representatives from Suriname’s civil society attended a Human Rights Committee meeting held in Geneva for the review of its fourth periodic report submitted to the committee.
UN agencies have previously drawn attention to Suriname’s poor human rights record and the need to take redressive measures for such issues. The UN Committee on Child Rights expressed concerns over the lack of efforts in countries like Suriname, Nauru, and Sierra Leone to safeguard the rights of children, especially those who seek asylum or are refugees.
The Working Group of Experts on People of African Descent was established in 2002 and is composed of five experts. The group will present a full report to the Human Rights Council in September 2025.
