“Youth standing up against racism” is the 2021 theme. It engages the public through #FightRacism, which aims to foster a global culture of tolerance, equality and anti-discrimination and calls on each and every one of us to stand up against racial prejudice and intolerant attitudes.
Young people massively showed their support at the 2020 Black Lives Matter marches, which drew millions of demonstrators worldwide. On the streets, groundswells of youth – mostly teens and twenty-somethings – came together to protest against racial injustice. On social media, they mobilized participation, calling on their peers to speak out, and to stand up for the equal rights of all.
Their activism was all the more remarkable in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, which saw restrictions on public gatherings in many countries. As the virus began to spread in early 2020, a parallel pandemic was unleashed – of hatred, violence and fear against certain ethnicities and nationalities. It quickly became clear that stark inequities, sometimes rooted in racism, had subjected minorities to a significantly higher risk of infection and death.
COVID-19 has heavily impacted young people, including those from minority backgrounds. Many are now grappling with an increase in racial discrimination, in addition to severe disruptions to their education; diminished employment prospects; and limited ability to participate in public life, which stymies their individual and social empowerment.
We pledge ourselves to liberate all our people from the continuing bondage of poverty, deprivation, suffering, gender and other discrimination – Nelson Mandela
Discrimination isn’t the only cause of racial disparities in this world. Indeed, persistent disparity between racial and ethnic groups is the item of complex and multifaceted influences. Racial and ethnic discrimination still occur on a every day premise, preventing advance for millions of individuals around the world. Racism and bigotry can take different shapes – from denying people the fundamental principles of equality to fueling ethnic contempt that will lead to genocide – all of which can devastate lives and break communities. To decrease the racial discrimination, UN celebrates the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination on this day. Besides, Youth have been showing their support for the minorities in this year such as “Black live matters”. That’s why UN has keep the theme of this day basis on youth engagement through standing up against racism which aims to involve everyone.