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Inclusion in the time of COVID-19: addressing racism, discrimination, and exclusion

© UNESCO

The UNESCO series of webinars addressing racism, discrimination, and exclusion aims to exchange experiences and expertise on the measures to address the COVID-19 crisis at global and local levels. These webinars focus on the social dimensions of “leaving no one behind” and on actions against the growing incidents of racism and discrimination.

The webinars target national/local policymakers and stakeholders, international and regional organizations, academics, students and NGOs. The speakers include global experts and city authorities, members of the UNESCO’s International Coalition of Inclusive and Sustainable Cities – ICCAR. Discussions are built around actions of solidarity and assistance to vulnerable populations taken by the cities and possibilities ICCAR and other city networks and actors bring during this difficult time.

70

Speakers participated in the discussions

3700+

Participants gathered from across the world

881

Questions were answered during the webinars

Inclusion in the time of COVID-19

Summary

As COVID-19 continues to spread all over the world, maintaining a sense of inclusion becomes more and more challenging even when research has demonstrated repeatedly that inclusive societies are more effective in response planning.

The first edition of the UNESCO webinar series took place on Monday 20 April 2020 and gathered over 220 participants. 

Full video

Inclusion in the time of COVID-19

Summary

During crises like the current COVID-19 pandemic, women, refugees, migrants, youth and other vulnerable groups are more affected due to their lower socio-economic position in society. The social isolation of quarantine can be also used by abusers to increase violence against their partners. Growing incidents of racism and discrimination are spreading around the world like wildfire.

The second edition of the UNESCO webinar series took place on Monday 27 April 2020 and gathered over 150 participants. 

Full video

Inclusion in the time of COVID-19

Summary

The economic slowdown and the alarming rate of hate speech that we were already experiencing worsened during the COVID-19 pandemic. In this complex landscape, the global health crisis revealed that current social protection mechanisms are insufficient and unjust, mainly affecting the poorest and most vulnerable populations.

The third edition of the UNESCO webinar series took place on Tuesday 28 April 2020 and gathered over 120 participants.

Full video

Inclusion in the time of COVID-19

Summary

The impact of the COVID-19 crisis has been particularly harmful to certain specific groups, such as women, indigenous peoples, older people, migrants, and youth. We must put inclusion and well-being at the centre of our global agenda. To do so means rethinking and advancing current policies and practices toward a more sustainable, equal and safe world for everyone.

The fourth edition of the UNESCO webinar series took place on Thursday 30 April 2020 and gathered over 150 participants.

Full video

The Changemakers at the Forefront of COVID-19 Responses

Summary

The fifth edition of the webinar series focuses on the significant efforts made by women leaders whose cities are members of the International Coalition of Inclusive and Sustainable Cities  - ICCAR at the forefront of COVID-19 responses. The disproportionate impacts of the pandemic on women and girls have been exacerbated by the already existing systemic inequalities against them in societies.

The webinar took place on Thursday 14 May 2020 and gathered 250 participants.

Full video

Why Ethical Considerations Matter in Responding to COVID-19 Pandemic?

Summary

The sixth edition of the webinar series focuses on thematic areas that shed light on the visceral forms of discrimination that exist in our societies. This new series also seeks to unlock a deeper understanding of a number of critical issues underlying the pandemic in order to act in the present and anticipate the future.

The webinar took place on Monday 18 May 2020 and gathered 270 participants.

Full video

Taking Action to End Domestic Violence

Summary

Pandemics have different impacts on women, men, girls, boys and non-binary genders among different socio-economic classes and age groups but every type of emergency is known to hinder women’s and girls’ political, social and economic empowerment and to increase violence, harassment and oppression against them.

The seventh edition of the webinar series focusing on domestic violence took place on Tuesday 19 May 2020 and gathered over 200 participants.

Full video

Art-Lab for Human Rights and Dialogue

Summary

On the occasion of the World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development, UNESCO and the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) organised an “Art-Lab for Human Rights and Dialogue” special edition webinar in response to COVID-19 and beyond. 

The eighth edition of the webinar series took place on Friday 22 May 2020 and gathered over 220 participants.

Full video

Confronting Slavery’s Legacy of Racism

Summary

The ninth edition of the webinar series focused on the issue of "Confronting Slavery’s Legacy of Racism Together". The webinar targets national/local policymakers and stakeholders, international & regional organizations, academics, students and NGOs.

The event took place on Thursday 28 May 2020 and gathered 380 participants. Speakers included global experts & city authorities from UNESCO’s International Coalition of Inclusive and Sustainable Cities – ICCAR.

Full video

Indigenous Peoples during the Pandemic

Summary

The tenth edition of the webinar series focused on the rights of indigenous peoples who are disproportionately affected by the pandemic, exposing them to threats on their health and well-being, and jeopardizing the security of their habitats and environments. The systemic failures of our societies to provide them with adequate protection are even more compounded by the gaps in communication with public institutions on health-related directives in certain communities.

This webinar took place on Friday 5 June 2020 and gathered over 180 participants. 

Full video

Inclusion of People with Disabilities

Summary

The COVID-19 pandemic has revealed the underlying marginalization and systemic inequalities related to access to health, education and employment that are affecting the world’s 1 billion people with disabilities. Disability-specific issues and gaps related to the current context must be highlighted, and disability inclusion efforts enhanced, in order to ensure that the equal rights of people with disabilities are guaranteed.

The eleventh edition of the webinar series took place on Friday 12 June 2020 and gathered over 530 participants.

Full video

Addressing Antisemitism

Summary

The COVID-19 pandemic has sparked another epidemic of rapidly spreading hate speech and misinformation, some of which is motivated by antisemitism. Around the world, Jewish communities are often the target of hate crimes. This reflects a general trend of increasing antisemitism in recent years. The Jewish community is also faced with conspiracy theories that are reinforced in times of crisis.

The twelfth edition of the webinar series, focusing on possible solutions to combat antisemitism in the context of the COVID-19, took place on Tuesday 23 June 2020 and gathered over 270 participants.

Full video

Health: The Hidden Violence of Race

Summary

This webinar brought together the best specialists (Harvard, Princeton, Amnesty International Brazil, West Indies Universities, etc.) in which they provided us with decisive insights in the context of the COVID-19 health crisis and the peaceful manifestations initiated by the Black Lives Matter movement. The legendary jazzman Marcus Miller delivered a message reacting to current events in the United States and the young prodigy Anjali presented an interpretation of Strange Fruit and Amazing Grace.

The thirteenth edition of the webinar series took place on Wednesday 24 June 2020 and gathered over 330 participants.

Full video

Smart and Inclusive Cities

Summary

The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated inequalities, discrimination and marginalization. ICCAR is a city-level platform that undertakes a wide range of initiatives – from policymaking and capacity-building to awareness-raising – and advocates for global solidarity and collaboration to promote inclusive urban development free from all forms of discrimination.

The fourteenth edition of the webinar series took place on Friday 21 July 2020 and gathered over 290 participants.

Full video

Racial Equality and Inclusion in Cities

Summary

Mayors have a critical role to play in disrupting this trajectory by improving welfare, empowering disadvantaged individuals and addressing inequality. It is therefore essential to share best practices from cities around the world to fight all types of inequalities at the local level.

The fifteenth edition of the webinar series took place on Thursday 10 September 2020 and gathered 108 participants.

Full video

International Coalition of Inclusive and Sustainable Cities − ICCAR Full Playlist

 

The series of webinars is organised by UNESCO's Social and Human Sciences Programme. Other activities and programmes of the section addressing racism, discrimination, and exclusion include International Coalition of Inclusive and Sustainable Cities and Master Class Series against Racism and Discriminations, among others.

International Coalition of Inclusive and Sustainable Cities − ICCAR

The International Coalition of Inclusive and Sustainable Cities – ICCAR, was launched by UNESCO in March 2004 following the call made for a common front in the global fight against racial discrimination during the World Conference against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance that took place in Durban, South Africa in 2001. Since its inception, and its revitalization in 2014, ICCAR has grown to become an active global front against racism and discriminations with over 500 members across the globe. 

Learn more

Master Class Series against Racism and Discriminations

Launched by UNESCO in November 2019 as a global “training for trainers” initiative, the Master Class Series against Racism and Discriminations seeks to empower students to become youth champions in their own schools and communities and spread awareness on how to deconstruct the mechanisms underlying racism and discriminations.  

Learn more