Hyderabad: As the political arena across the globe is witnessing a sudden surge in right-wing politics, be it in South Asia including India or whether it is in the European Union as evident in the recently contested EU elections, the debate over the use of 'hate speech' and the effect it generates within the society has become a topic of concern for the policymakers, civil society and others.
On July 18, the world would observe the 'International Day for Countering Hate Speech' which would shine a spotlight on the urgent need to address this burning issue which has become a matter of utmost concern for the welfare of the society and especially for the minority communities.
International Day for Countering Hate Speech 2024
The theme for this year's International Day of Countering Hate Speech is 'The Power of Youth for Countering and Addressing Hate Speech' highlighting the crucial role the youth will have to play in order to combat the insidious spread of hateful rhetoric and foster a more inclusive and harmonious society.
According to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), "Hate speech in the form of xenophobia, racism, antisemitism, anti-Muslim hatred, anti-LGBTQI+ hatred, misogyny and other types of intolerance is on the rise worldwide, spreading faster and further than ever before through social media."
"Both online and offline, hate speech targets and dehumanises people based on who they are – often by actors seeking political gain", it notes. In July 2021, the UN General Assembly highlighted global concerns over "the exponential spread and proliferation of hate speech" around the world and adopted a resolution on "promoting inter-religious and intercultural dialogue and tolerance in countering hate speech".
The resolution proclaimed 18 June as the International Day for Countering Hate Speech, building on the UN Strategy and Plan of Action on Hate Speech launched on 18 June 2019. To observe the Day, the United Nations invites governments, international organisations, civil society groups, and individuals to hold events and initiatives promoting strategies to identify, address and counter hate speech.
Message from the United Nations Secretary-General
António Guterres, Secretary General of the UN in a strong-worded message for June 18 said, "Hate speech is a marker of discrimination, abuse, violence, conflict, and even crimes against humanity. We have seen this play out from Nazi Germany to Rwanda, Bosnia and beyond. There is no acceptable level of hate speech; we must all work to eradicate it completely."
He further notes how the spread of hate speeches creates turbulence within a society and emphasises how recent months have seen an upsurge in both antisemitic and anti-Muslim hate speech online and in public comments by influential leaders. Marking the pivotal role the youth can play in countering hate speech, the top boss of the UN said, "As young people are often most affected by hate speech, particularly online, young people must be part of the solution."
"The participation of young people, particularly girls and young women, Indigenous youth, young people from minority communities, LGBTIQ youth, and young people with disabilities, is crucial to create public and online spaces free from hate speech", he added.
