We still have to fight for the end of Racial Discrimination

63 years ago, on March 21th of 1960 in South Africa, 20 thousand black people protested against a law that segregated the places where they could be and attend. The UN instituted this day as the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination. This proclamation was held for the memory of the 69 deceased during the Sharpeville Massacre, in Johannesburg, which happened in a protest against anti-black pass laws.

In Brazil never legally existed an apartheid, but where do most black poor people live? In the favelas.

The 1988 Constitution of the Federative Republic of Brazil made racism a non-bailable and imprescriptible crime, subjected to the penalty of imprisonment. But we are far away from achieving equality for all races.

The profile of the prison population is, still, black. Black people continue to have to fight everyday against discrimination, exclusion and racial prejudice and, as if that weren’t enough, have to always prove their capacity. Black poor children, young people and adults continue to be killed, despite the cries of Black Lives Matter.

Racial discrimination perpetuates inequalities and efforts to build a more inclusive and fair society must be intensified, being extremely necessary to debate the matter and condemn prejudice.

This date is important so that the perverse phases of racism are always remembered and the reason for continuing to fight for its eradication.