This Sunday, March 21, is the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, observed in honor of the 69 people killed by police in 1960 as they demonstrated against apartheid in South Africa. Nearly two decades later, the United Nations General Assembly established a week of solidarity with people struggling against all forms of racism and racial discrimination, beginning on March 21. 

Racial and ethnic discrimination in all forms remains a critical obstacle to the fulfillment of universal human rights, including equal access to justice, in countries around the world. The Rule of Law Collaborative (ROLC) shares the goals of the United Nations in the struggle against racial discrimination and efforts to ensure equal application of the law and access to justice.

In 2017, ROLC held a symposium on Bridging the Divide: African-American Communities and Law Enforcement to address the tensions between African Americans and law enforcement, and how wide-scale restorative justice mechanisms and approaches can innovate solutions. Read more about that project and the work that has been done since.