Caribbean Vulnerable Communities (CVC) is continuing to raise its voice in global human rights spaces, calling for young people of African descent, especially young Black LGBT people and those living with HIV, to be meaningfully included in policies, programmes and protections that affect their lives.
CVC recently participated in the 5th Session of the Permanent Forum on People of African Descent, held in Geneva Switzerland, where Elias Ramos, CVC Programmes Officer, presented a joint statement on behalf of CVC, Proactivity for Cooperation and Social Development – PROACTIVIDAD, and the Dominican Coalition for Human Rights and Racial Justice. The statement focused on “Strengthening the effective participation and leadership of young people of African descent and the LGBT community.”
Addressing the forum, Ramos placed special emphasis on the realities facing young people of African descent in the Dominican Republic and Haiti, particularly in contexts shaped by human mobility, structural inequality and socio-economic vulnerability.
His message was clear: young people of African descent are not only rights holders; they are also agents of change who must be seen, heard and included. “Young people of African descent have historically been rendered invisible, and their experiences have been denied or silenced. The persistence of racial discrimination and the lack of self-identification in the Dominican Republic have hindered the development of inclusive public policies,” Ramos said. He noted that racial discrimination, limited self-identification and exclusion from inclusive public policies. “Limitations on access to education, health services and decent employment contribute to their predominant participation in the informal sector and to high poverty rates,” Ramos argued.
The intervention also highlighted how discrimination is often layered. For many young Black LGBT people, barriers are not only racial, but also linked to sexual orientation, gender identity, health status, poverty and migration. “Discrimination manifests itself through racial profiling, barriers to accessing employment opportunities and services, as well as additional factors related to sexual orientation, gender identity and health
status. In Haiti, the reduction in international funding for health programmes has led to forced migration, particularly among LGBT young people and those living with HIV,” Ramos pointed out.
CVC’s participation in Geneva builds on its growing role in the development of the proposed United Nations Declaration on the Respect, Protection and Fulfilment of the Human Rights of People of African Descent. CVC became involved in this process through the 4th Session of the Permanent Forum, held in New York in April 2025, and later contributed to regional consultations in Bogotá, Colombia, where perspectives from Latin America and the Caribbean were shared.
CVC’s contributions have focused particularly on climate justice for the Caribbean, the inclusion of LGBT people, and the recognition of people living with HIV. These issues are critical because they are often left out of broader discussions on racial justice, even though they deeply affect the lives, safety and dignity of people of African descent across the region.
Putting the issues squarely at the feet of policymakers, Ramos called on governments to support community organisations, promote historical truth, and implement inclusive and anti-racist education. He also urged states to adopt intersectional public policies that directly address racism, homophobia, xenophobia and discrimination against gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people.
“We need states to endorse the Durban Declaration, strengthen positive action and create timely monitoring mechanisms for civil society, thereby contributing to the eradication of racism, discrimination, homophobia and xenophobia.” Ramos urged.
For CVC, the message is simple: any declaration on the rights of people of African descent must reflect the full diversity of black lives. That includes young people, migrants, LGBT people, people living with HIV, and those pushed to the margins by poverty, stigma and discrimination.
