UN panel says slavery reparations are now a legal obligation

UN CERD has urged states to adopt comprehensive reparations for the enduring harms of the transatlantic slave trade, arguing that anti-Black racism persists in law, policy and institutions today. General Recommendation 40 says reparatory justice should include monetary, non-monetary and structural measures. The document marks a paradigm shift from viewing reparations as historical responsibility to a current legal obligation under the 1969 Convention. It notes 182 States parties, including the United States, Britain, France and Portugal, and calls for actions such as restitution, rehabilitation, commemoration and truth-telling. Experts say the guidance can aid judicial claims and policy reform, even as debates over intertemporal legality and accountability continue. The recommendations emphasize addressing ongoing disparities in education, health, wealth and housing as part of a broader reparatory justice agenda.