Working group on rights of communities discriminated on work and descent

NEWYORK: The side event held alongside the meeting of the Global Forum of Communities Discriminated on Work and Descent (GFoD) concluded by forming a working group on the rights of communities discriminated against on work and descent.

“It concluded with a decision to form an informal working group on the rights of communities discriminated on work and descent,” Paul Divakar, Global Convener, GFoD told the Dignity Post following the event.

The event was held at the UN Headquarters in New York on Tuesday.

The Permanent Mission of Nepal to the UN in New York together with the Permanent Missions of different other countries organized the HLPF-2024 side event entitled ‘Good Practices and Challenges in the 2030 Agenda–Showcasing Ongoing Inclusive Strategies of Communities Discriminated on Work and Descent’. 

The co-hosts of the side events are the Permanent Mission of North Macedonia, the Permanent Mission of Canada (TBC), and the Permanent Missions of Austria, Brazil, Sri Lanka, Ivory Coast, Gambia (TBC), and UN Women (Racial Justice) and The Inclusivity Project. 

The event aimed to unite organizations working for the recognition and rights of Communities Discriminated on Work and Descent including the African Network on Discrimination based on Work and Descent and Contemporary Forms of Slavery (ANDS), the Africa GFoD, the Asia Dalit Rights Forum (ADRF), the European Roma Grassroots Organisations Network (ERGO Network) and the National Coordination of Rural Black Quilombola Communities.

According to organizers, the session highlighted the importance of addressing discrimination based on work and descent as a critical step towards achieving the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. 

“Through an exchange of ideas on inclusive and equitable approaches, strengthening partnerships and collaborative practice, the side event is an opportunity for all stakeholders to renew their commitment to the principle of ‘Leaving no one behind’ and reinforce the 2030 Agenda for 270 million people across the world who are discriminated on work and descent,” states the concept note of the event.

The discussion was live-streamed via Zoom. 

Speakers of the event were Ms. Anita Poudel, director of the National Planning Commission of Nepal; Ljubomir Danailov Frchkoski, Ambassador & Representative of the Permanent Mission of North Macedonia to the UN; Mohan Pieris, Permanent Representative of Sri Lanka to the UN; Paula Fernandez-Wulff, General Director of Agenda 2030 in Spain and Gustavo Bolivar Moreno, General Director of the Social Prosperity Department, Colombia.