2024 was a seminal year for discriminated communities across the world: Now, we need your help to sustain the momentum

In October 2024, something historic happened.

The African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR) passed a landmark resolution that explicitly recognised and condemned discrimination based on descent and work. For Communities Discriminated on Work and Descent (CDWD), it wasn’t just a legal breakthrough—it was a long-overdue affirmation of their lived reality. A shift that turned years of silence and marginalisation into momentum, and put the CDWD movement on the global rights map in an unprecedented way.

The resolution—formally titled Resolution on Eliminating Discrimination Based on Work and Descent—was the product of years of advocacy, storytelling, and cross-border solidarity. But it was 2024, especially the 81st Ordinary Session of the ACHPR, that became the inflection point.

A Seismic Shift in Africa

This wasn’t just another piece of paperwork. The ACHPR’s resolution marked the first time the African human rights system publicly acknowledged CDWD as a form of systemic discrimination. That’s a big deal.

It called on African Union member states to roll out laws and policies to eliminate such discrimination, protect affected communities, and ensure they get justice. For a continent where caste-like hierarchies exist but have long been denied or dismissed, this was a major course correction.

Behind this breakthrough were years of grassroots effort—especially from activists and defenders in The Gambia, Mali, Mauritania, and Senegal—countries where CDWD still impacts everyday life. South Asian diaspora groups and global human rights allies played a role too, pushing CDWD into the international spotlight.

Voices from the Margins Are Getting Louder

What’s powerful about this resolution is that it didn’t just come from policy papers or ivory tower meetings—it came from the people.

As highlighted in Giving a Voice to Africa’s CDWD: The Fight for Recognition, Rights and Representation, local movements have been demanding dignity and legal recognition for years, even when it meant facing stigma, backlash, or worse.

2024 was the year those voices were heard. Years of pain, exclusion, and quiet resistance met with political will—and something shifted. A huge reason for that shift? Stories. Testimonies. Real people speaking truth to power.

Spotlight: The Gambia Leads the Way

The Gambia played a crucial role in this moment.

At the ACHPR session in April 2024, activist Halimatou Ceesay delivered a deeply moving presentation on the “silent crisis” of discrimination in her country. Her words brought to life what it means to live with inherited exclusion—how caste determines marriage, education, jobs, and social acceptance.

Soon after, another leading voice, Alima Taal, made a bold public statement calling out the decades of invisibility and inaction. She reminded everyone in the room—and beyond—that justice begins with recognition, and delay only deepens the wounds.

Backing these powerful testimonies were Universal Periodic Review (UPR) Fact Sheets on The Gambia, which laid out how far the country has come—and how far it still needs to go. While there’s been some progress, the absence of clear legal protections means real change is still hanging in the balance.

A Ripple Effect Around the World

The ACHPR resolution didn’t just resonate in Africa—it echoed around the world.

In Brazil, CDWD leaders, many with roots in Dalit and Quilombola communities, celebrated the win as their own. As detailed in Brazil CDWD Leaders Celebrate Landmark Resolution Passed in Africa, it was a moment of shared joy and purpose—proof that global solidarity is more than just a slogan. It’s strategy.

Brazil and other Latin American countries still grapple with caste-like systems that are rarely named or addressed. The African resolution gave hope that naming the problem—and demanding action—could become a continental reality there too.

Fueling this global push was the Global Forum on CDWD. Throughout 2024, the Forum became a digital bridge connecting movements across continents. Whether it was advocacy in Africa, legal battles in South Asia, or cultural resistance in Latin America, the platform offered a space where voices could be heard and movements could grow stronger together.

So, What Comes Next?

This resolution wasn’t just symbolic. It’s already changing how CDWD is talked about, legislated, and resisted.

It opens the door to deeper research, better policies, and more inclusive conversations. More importantly, it tells communities affected by CDWD that they’re seen—and that the fight for their rights has global support.

Looking back, 2024 will be remembered as the year Africa finally began to confront its legacies head-on. It will also be remembered as the year when CDWD communities around the world stopped waiting to be saved—and started shaping the future on their own terms.

Because when the margins speak and are finally heard, everything shifts.

Across continents—from The Gambia to Brazil, Nepal to Senegal—this moment belongs to everyone who said: We are not our work. We are not our caste. We are human. And we deserve justice.

Let’s not just admire their courage.
Support the movement. Share their stories. Invite them into rooms of power. And most of all—follow their leadership.

Scan the QR code to donate now and help us build a future where every voice counts. Every leader matters.