DOHA: Black Lives Matter and the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) provided the context for a recent discussion organised by the College of Law at Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU).
Titled ‘Racism, Sustainability and the Law’, the webinar drew on legal practices and principles to explain why eliminating racism is essential to developing sustainable societies as envisioned by the SDGs.
Guest speakers addressed how stakeholders in the public and private sectors can achieve the SDGs by protecting the fundamental dignity of all members of society. In this respect, proceedings were primarily informed by Goal 10 of the SDGs, which calls for the reduction of inequality within and among countries.
Mix of experts
The webinar featured a mix of experts from diverse backgrounds, including Dr Amal Al Malki, founding dean of HBKU’s College of Humanities and Social Sciences. She was joined by Dean Adrien Wing, Associate Dean for International and Comparative Law Programmes and the Bessie Dutton Murray Professor at the University of Iowa College of Law.
A private sector perspective was provided by Deborah Majoras, chief legal officer and secretary for Procter & Gamble Company.
The lecture was chaired by Dr Damilola Olawuyi, College of Law associate professor, who is an expert on legal aspects of the SDGs. Damilola provided substantive remarks at the outset of the session that put the SDGs in their appropriate legal context.
Appropriate timing
Speaking after the discussion, Susan L Karamanian, Dean of the College of Law, said: “The timing of this event could not have been more appropriate. Black Lives Matter has prompted lively discussions about racism and efforts to tackle racial inequality. Equality and dignity are defining features of the SDGs.”
She added: “Not only did our panellists effectively join the dots between two seemingly contrasting initiatives, they also reminded us of the equally important role that public and private sector stakeholders have in creating fair and just societies.”
Al Malki said: “Racism is one of the first epidemics that have plagued humanity. Created and circulated by humans and perpetuated by systems they have established to build false sense of prominence of some, and dominance over others.”
She added: ” Racism is integrated in the cultural and social systems, that it has become neutralised and normalised for those who practise it but never for those whom it targets.”