The fourth session of the Permanent Forum on People of African Descent (PFPAD) took place from 14 April through 17 April at the United Nations Headquarters in New York. QUNO NY, representing Friends World Committee for Consultation (FWCC), submitted a statement to the Forum’s Secretariat sharing the perspective of Quakers worldwide on the thematic discussion on Systemic Racism and Policymaking: A human rights-based approach.  

Through this submission, Quaker values can be woven into the Forum’s preliminary conclusions and recommendations, which inform Governments on best practices for supporting the full political, economic, and social inclusion of People of African Descent.  

FWCC’s statement emphasized Quakers’ ongoing commitment to healing and repairing historical and ongoing injustice experienced by people of African Descent. It included excerpts from the Tapestry document, developed during the 2024 World Plenary Meeting in South Africa, which elevated the global call for reparative and retrospective justice. The statement also provided a recommendation centered on inclusion as a guiding principle in policymaking.  

A PDF of the full statement is available below.