UN rights chief calls for ‘systemic racism’ to be dismantled

A UN report says police use of racial profiling, excessive force entrenched in much of North America, Europe and Latin America.

Racism against people of African descent remains systemic in many parts of the world, the United Nations human rights chief has said, calling for states to dismantle discrimination and prosecute law enforcement officials for unlawful killings. Michelle Bachelet, in a global report on Monday in the wake of the murder of George Floyd by a police officer in Minneapolis in May last year, said the police use of racial profiling and excessive force is entrenched in much of North America, Europe and Latin America. She added that structural racism creates barriers to minorities’ access to jobs, healthcare, housing, education and justice.