Transforming Our World: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development & International Decade for People of African descent. H. B. A. Olaiya, M.A. Doctoral Researcher University of the West of England Email: Ade.Olaiya@uwe.ac.uk

BACKGROUND UN GA RES. 68/237 approved commencement of the International Decade for People of African Descent in 2015 with objectives of recognition, justice and development. 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development - a human rights based approach to development with fundamental goals; SDG 10 – reduce inequality within and between countries. Limitations – symbolic & not binding, fiscal austerity, nationalism

TRANSFORMING OUR WORLD Aim: to create new knowledge and actionable data. Objectives: a) critically analyse implementation of existing anti-discrimination norms, e.g. ICERD 1965 in EU states. b) critically analyse & evaluate policy development by partnerships between public bodies & civil society, to recognise IDPAD & implement the 2030 Agenda. Can norm implementation and policy building achieve fundamental transformative shifts of poverty alleviation and inclusive sustainable development for PAD ? E.g. the Declaration on Race and Racial Prejudice 1978 asserts the principle of equality in human dignity and rights universally as a principle of international law.

SCOPE to make an original contribution to the paradigm of race equality through critical overview of SDGs linked to recognition of IDPAD & its objectives. engage democratically with major stakeholders in the achievement of fundamental transformative shifts of the SDG Agenda, e.g. public bodies & civil society. a human rights theoretical approach to policy building & norm implementation. E.g. use of equality data to plan, act, observe and reflect on interventions to reduce Afrophobia & race inequality.

PEOPLE OF AFRICAN DESCENT - recognition, justice and development Illustrate local, national and regional outcomes: by monitoring the achievement of SDGs, in relation to Afro-phobia & the Plan of Action for IDPAD. through use of qualitative and quantitative equality data from action research with ngos representing African diaspora communities in EU states. observe & reflect on sustainable development interventions achieved which empower PAD.

ENAR’s Draft EU Framework for national strategies to Combat Afrophobia Advocates disaggregated data collection and analysis to enable policy development & reduce race inequality. E.g. equality data collection for monitoring inclusive access for Afro-Europeans to equitable education and other headline targets for EU2020 & the 2030 Agenda. Highlights Afro-phobia & discriminatory practices violate international human rights norms, e.g. ICERD 1965 & DDPA. Asserts Article 14, ECHR 1950/53 & Article 21, EU Charter for Fundamental Rights also prohibit racial discrimination. Illustrates collaborations are vital to advocate principles of human dignity, race equality and social justice for PAD. Recommends European Commission funding to prioritize reduction of race inequality which disempowers Afro Europeans. General framework specifies a goal or objective but does not address how states should implement/legislate. Directives are the main legal instruments for harmonising national laws into regional regional policy.

ACTION PLANNING Asserts inclusive anti-racist norm implementation, e.g. recognition of IDPAD and its Plan of Action by the EU to fill existing gaps. Advocates disaggregated data collection of empirical evidence to ensure elimination of race inequality for people of African descent in the EU. Recommendations for equality data collection practices, have been endorsed by most anti racism ngos in the network, as well as other stakeholders. Evaluates outcomes of advocacy actions which address Afro-phobia locally, nationally and regionally in the EU. E.g. dissemination of disaggregated data by public bodies; and positive outcomes through disaggregated data analysis by the various stakeholders. Critically analyse & evaluate adoption of inclusive, responsive and participatory policy development, Target 16.7 which ensures PAD become stakeholders, e.g. in Europe 2020. Target 10.2: … empower and promote socioeconomic inclusion; 10.3: reduce inequalities of opportunity and outcome including through eliminating discriminatory laws, policies and practices; 10.4: progressively adopt policies especially fiscal to promote greater equality

Example A Equality data collection, 2001 & 2011 UK pop’n census NATIONAL Student attainment in the UK is generally low in comparison with other EU states. 54.7 % of white applicants received offers from Russell Group Universities, compared to 21.9 % of their Black peers. Affirmative Action vs Positive Action (E.g. to learn from good practice between education authorities). LOCAL Bristol ranked 7th highest for race inequality in UK. housing inequality increased between 2001 & 2011. African students experience highest levels of education inequality in schools. PAD have highest levels of unemployment both in Bristol & nationally. Bristol Manifesto for Race Equality-

Example B Equality data collection in UK HEIs ECU Race Equality Charter Mark advocates disaggregated data collection by ethnicity for staff and students in UK HEIs. Encourages inclusive, representative and participatory involvement of staff and students from underrepresented ethnicities. Highlights gaps e.g. unequal recruitment & progression levels for students & academic staff of African descent. Enables discourse on student satisfaction, curricula, teaching standards, etc. Enables action planning to address issues highlighted

Extracts from letter to Frans Timmermans, 1st V. P Extracts from letter to Frans Timmermans, 1st V.P. of the European Commission, endorsed by Leaders of European Civil Society, dated 9/02/16. “ We call on the EU and each of its Member States to develop an overarching Sustainable Development Strategy with a timeline of 2030 and a concrete implementation plan which coordinates the achievement of the 17 goals, 169 targets and their indicators which goes beyond policy-as-usual ... the implementation plan should be based on the results of the European Commission’s on-going gap analysis, where existing EU policies and processes should be scrutinised (…) to achieve goals and targets, and they should be adapted where appropriate. Detected gaps should be filled with new actions. the Sustainable Development Strategy and associated implementation policies should be subject to broad consultation with all stakeholders through an institutionalised and inclusive process…. the EU will need (…) to ensure that funding mechanisms and budget lines for civil society organisations are aligned with the new needs of global and European challenges, for more (…) holistic approaches. the European Commission should urgently consider designing strong monitoring, review and accountability mechanisms (…) which differentiate between the parts of the 2030 Agenda for which Member States are primarily responsible versus those for which an EU lead is necessary and for which the EU must be held to account. Accountability must also incorporate the concept of Policy Coherence for Sustainable Development.”

BIBLIOGRAPHY Abdikeeva, A., (2014) Measure, Plan, Act: How data collection can support racial equality, ENAR Centre for the Study of Ethnicity & Citizenship (2015) A One Day Symposium on Ethnicity and Educational Inequality: the Role of Aspirations, University of Bristol , 19/08/2015 Ed. Christie, I., (2014) ENAR’s 6th European Annual Equal @ Work Seminar Report: Equality data Collection in Employment & the Workplace, ENAR Equality Challenge Unit (2014) Equality in Education Statistical Report, ECU Khan, O. & Elahi, F. (2015) Addressing Local Ethnic Inequalities in Bristol, The Runnymede Trust Sustainable Development Knowledge Platform (2015) Transforming our world: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/post2015/transformingourworld: United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs [ accessed 21/10/15] United Nations (2015) 2015 – 2024 International Decade for People of African Descent http://www.un.org/en/events/africandescentdecade/ : UN Web Services [20/08/15] UNESCO, Declaration on Race and Racial Prejudice, http://portal.unesco.org/en/ev.php-URL_ID=13161&URL_DO=DO_TOPIC&URL_SECTION=201.html : [17/03/16] UNESCO& UNICEF (2013) Making Education a Priority in the Post-2015 Development Agenda: Report of the Global Thematic Consultation on Education in the Post-2015 Development Agenda, UNESCO