UN chief Antonio Guterres calls for action against racial discrimination
March 19, 2022, 11:30 am

UN chief Antonio Guterres calls for action against racial discrimination

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres

The Xinhua reported, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Friday called for action against racial discrimination.

"Realizing the vision of a world free of racism and racial discrimination demands action every day, at every level, in every society," he told a commemorative meeting of the General Assembly on the occasion of the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination. "Today and every day, let us unite around our common humanity and speak as one for equality, respect, justice and dignity for all."

Guterres said that racism continues to poison institutions, social structures, and everyday life in every society. It continues to be a driver of persistent inequality. And it continues to deny people their fundamental human rights. It destabilizes societies, undermines democracies, erodes the legitimacy of governments, and stymies an inclusive and sustainable recovery from COVID-19.

He said that racism is also a catalyst of coarsening public discourse that normalizes hate, denies dignity, and spurs violence. The linkages between racism and gender inequality are unmistakable.

A portrait of African American girl (File photo: Pixabay)

He said, no country is immune from intolerance, nor free of hate. Africans and people of African descent, Asians and people of Asian descent, minority communities, indigenous peoples, migrants, refugees, and so many others -- all continue to confront stigmatization, scapegoating, discrimination, and violence.

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"We all have a responsibility to engage in solidarity with movements for equality and human rights everywhere. And we must extend solidarity to everyone fleeing conflict or persecution without any discrimination based on race, religion or ethnicity. We must speak out against hate speech, offline and online. We must defend civic space by protecting free expression and assembly, the bedrock of pluralist, peaceful and inclusive societies. We need a renewed social contract, based on rights and opportunities for all, to tackle poverty and exclusion, invest in education, and rebuild trust and social cohesion."

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He said that in line with international human rights obligations and commitments, member states must show stronger political will to accelerate action for racial justice and equality.

The International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination falls on March 21.

Source: xinhua

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BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”