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Latin America: Afro-Descendants Darién J Latin America: Afro-descendants Darién J. Davis 1 Terminology in English for people who define themselves as Afro-descent in Portuguese and Spanish remains problematic, particularly in areas with large populations of people of mixed heritage. Afro-descendants speak a variety of languages including Spanish, Portuguese, French, English, Garifuna, Kryol and a variety of dialects. In this essay Afro-descendant, Afro- latin American and black are used as synonyms. The diverse populations of African descent1 in Latin problems but have publicly bemoaned the lack of America, which number approximately 150 million resources to address them. Because the vast majority (some estimates range as high as 250 million) of Afro-Latin Americans constitute part of the continue to face a significant number of challenges, working poor with little access to education, health including discrimination in employment and benefits and transportation, many incidents of racial housing, economic exclusion, and under- discrimination go unreported. Moreover, black Latin representation in government, civil society and in Americans are over-represented in the prison systems the media. One of the major challenges in assessing of Latin America and are often subjected to random the status of black populations is the lack of searches and harassment by police. Not surprisingly, concrete data. The majority of Latin American Afro-descendant communities often view the countries do not collect information on race and policing authorities with suspicion and thus are ethnicity, nor do they document incidents of racial reluctant to report cases of criminal discrimination. discrimination. In addition, any attempt to understand the struggles of Latin Americans of Rights and concerns African descent must take into account economic Afro-Latin Americans fare poorly in areas of and political problems on the global, national and employment, health and education compared to their local levels, whether it is in countries like Brazil, white and mestizo counterparts. According to the Venezuela, Colombia and Cuba where the International Development Bank, for example, Afro- population of African descent is significant, or in Latin Americans have higher infant mortality rates in countries such as Argentina and Mexico, where they many areas of South America. Areas with a higher represent less than 5 per cent of the population. In proportion of Afro-descendants, such as Piura, Peru all Latin American countries, Afro-Latin Americans have historically reported higher infant mortality rates with darker skin complexions continue to face (93 per 1,000 live births), compared to the more greater pressures as they confront societies where mestizo city of Lima (45 per 1,000 live births) in the racist languages and practices continue to be 1990s. Similar ratios have been reported among black accepted in the mainstream. Socio-economic status people in the costal regions of Colombia, compared can often mitigate these pressures, but Afro-Latin to other regions and among black Brazilians Americans are over-represented among the poor. compared to white Brazilians. Afro-Latin Americans According to the UN Human Rights Commission, are over-represented among street children, the the rights of Afro-Latin Americans in 2005 continue homeless and among prisoners in Brazil and to be routinely violated, particularly in the areas of Venezuela; and they continue to live in humiliating employment, health and housing. social and cultural environments in countries such as At the same time, the region as a whole has Uruguay and Ecuador. In Mexico and Argentina, witnessed a proliferation of NGOs dedicated to their historical contributions and actual presence aiding Afro-Latin American communities. Since the continues to be ridiculed, downplayed or even 2001 World Conference Against Racism, ignored. Moreover, Afro-Latin Americans face strong Discrimination, Xenophobia, and Related pressures to assimilate even though assimilation itself Intolerance in Durban, South Africa, Afro-Latin has not garnered them actual economic, political or Americans have succeeded in securing greater social security. Patriotism and nationalism have visibility to highlight their social situation. routinely collaborated to coerce Afro-Latin Americans International agencies such as the UN, the to ascribe to a sense of unified nationhood and to Organization of American States, the World Bank deny their ethnic traits or to ignore group needs in and the Inter-American Development Bank, and favour of national interests. Women of African NGOs such as Minority Rights Group International descent face significant challenges of sexual violence, (MRG) and many others have made commitments rape and access to jobs and education. National to aiding and promoting Afro-Latin American issues media and tourist industries continue to present on the global front. Within the region, many limiting and one-dimensional stereotypical and countries such as Brazil and Colombia have created a sexualized images of black women in places such as number of progressive policy instruments. Others, Bahia, Brazil and Havana, Cuba. Meanwhile, many such as Honduras and Nicaragua, have recognized single black mothers face the daunting task of raising Americas State of the World’s 71 Minorities 2006 their children alone on menial salaries. Only in the created networks to help promote Afro-Latin 2000s is there evidence that black consciousness American issues. Institutions such as the World Bank, movements are beginning to effect change in Latin the Organization of American States, the Inter- American societies, although in many areas American Development Bank (IDB), and the Inter- individuals still do not identify (politically, socially or American Dialogue have become important allies to culturally) with one another on the basis of racial Afro-Latin American NGOs throughout the region. ancestry. Thus, education and consciousness, both Networks in the United States such the Global Afro inside and outside the community, remain critical on Latino and Caribbean Initiative (GALCI), and the many levels. TransAfrica Forum have also played important roles. Regional networks such as AFROAMERICA XXI Global trends comprised of over 60 black NGOs, and Afro-Latin Despite the historical invisibility of Afro-Latin American elected officials in Spanish-speaking Americans on the world stage, the period between countries represent an impressive development, 2000 and 2005 witnessed numerous international although no regional organization to date has conferences which brought their plight to the brought together people of African descent from all forefront. The 2001 World Conference Against the Latin American and Caribbean countries. Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and A number of other regional conferences in Related Intolerance in Durban represented a Central America, Brazil and the Caribbean have watershed in the rights movement in Latin America, discussed ways to meet local, regional and and continues to be an important reference point to international goals, while sharing experiences at the this day. Latin Americans of African descent were same time. In 2003, UNESCO’s 32nd General energized by the historical opportunity to present Conference adopted an international convention to their views to the international community. Almost safeguard intangible cultural heritage and listed all Latin America countries were present and signed specifically at least two Afro-Latin American up to the conference’s resolutions. Representing population cultural practices: the Garifuna language, Brazil, Minister of Justice José Gregori recognized dance and music of Belize, and the rites of the his country’s racist past and pledged dialogue with Congo Kings in the Dominican Republic. On the country’s black movement, for example. 5 August 2005, UNESCO supported the city of Although the Argentine Minister of Justice and Esmeraldas, in collaboration with indigenous and Human Rights Jorge Enrique de la Rua did not black organizations, to create the Esmeraldas mention Afro-descendants by name, the Argentine International Centre for Afro-Indoamerican presence along with other Latin American nations Cultural Diversity and Human Development. It is such as Paraguay, Peru, and Panama, and their also significant that the Organization of American signing of the anti-discrimination measures taken up States’ Inter-American Commission on Human by the conference, marked a new era in Rights (IACHR) now includes the status of Afro- international discussions of race in the region. Afro- Latin Americans as a policy area and has established Latin American NGOs, which had participated in a the position of rapporteur on the rights of people of number of preparatory meetings in dialogue with African descent. Latin American activists and their governments prior to the Durban congress, government signatories to the World Conference were also present in full force in Durban, a week Against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia before government officials arrived. This new and Related Intolerance Declaration also agreed, ‘to consciousness resulted in the historic commitment incorporate a gender perspective in all programmes by some 20 Latin American governments to the idea of action against racism, racial discrimination, that peoples of African descent: ‘should be treated xenophobia and related intolerance …’ with fairness and respect for their dignity and should not suffer discrimination of any kind based At the regional and national
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