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What is Islamophobia?

Islamophobia is a fear, prejudice and hatred of Muslims that leads to provocation, hostility and intolerance by means of threatening, harassment, abuse, incitement and intimidation of Muslims and non-Muslims, both in the online and offline world. Motivated by institutional, ideological, political and religious hostility that transcends into structural and cultural racism, it targets the symbols and markers of being a Muslim.

This emphasises the link between institutional levels of Islamophobia and manifestations of such attitudes, triggered by the visibility of the victim¡¯s perceived Muslim identity. This approach also interprets Islamophobia as a form of racism, whereby Islamic religion, tradition and culture are seen as a ¡®threat¡¯ to the Western values.

Some experts prefer the label 'anti-Muslim hatred,' fearing that the term 'Islamophobia' risks condemning all critiques of Islam and, therefore, could stifle freedom of expression. But international human rights law protects individuals, not religions. And Islamophobia may also affect non-Muslims, based on perceptions of nationality, racial or ethnic background.

A rising tide of anti-Muslim hate

UN Secretary-General Ant¨®nio Guterres has repeatedly condemned the continuing acts of anti-Muslim hatred and bigotry around the world, warning on several occasions that this worrying trend targets not only Muslims but also Jews, minority Christian communities and others.

This idea is reinforced in his message for the observance when he recalls that this troubling trend poses a threat not only to Muslims but to the rights and freedoms of all groups. To combat it, Guterres believes that it is essential for governments to promote social cohesion and protect religious freedom, for online platforms to tackle hate speech, and for individuals to actively oppose bigotry and xenophobia.

Recent measures to combat Islamophobia include the adoption by the General Assembly of a new requesting the Secretary-General to appoint a United Nations Special Envoy to Combat Islamophobia.

Hate speech and violence online and offline

In response to the alarming trend of rising hate speech around the world, the Secretary-General launched in 2019 the United Nations Strategy and Plan of Action on Hate Speech.

The UN Human Rights Chief also his alarm over the rise in global hatred, including anti-Semitism and Islamophobia, since the beginning of the Israeli military operation in Gaza (7 October) in response to the attack on Israel by Palestinian armed groups.

Volker T¨¹rk strongly condemned the sharp rise in cases of hate speech, violence, and discrimination, both online and offline. He emphasized that states must ensure a safe and enabling space for participation and debate, consistent with the (ICCPR).

The indissoluble link between the right to peace and the freedom of religion

Given the deep connection of religion to many conflicts around the world, the UN , Nazila Ghaneon, that freedom of religion or belief creates the conditions, motivations, rationales and movements for peace to emerge, thereby strengthening conflict prevention, peacemaking and peacebuilding. The human rights expert notes that recognizing this relationship is particularly important given the frequency with which religion is invoked or implicated in conflicts.

Among several recommendations to the States, the Special Rapporteur calls for the harmonization of national laws with international human rights standards, the protection of minority groups from discrimination and the prompt handling of all human rights claims related to religious.

In addition, she also stresses the importance of ensuring equal freedom of religion or belief for all individuals and the need for states to foster an environment that supports the rights of all religious groups.

Another  by the former , , found that suspicion, discrimination and outright hatred towards Muslims had risen to 'epidemic proportions¡¯ following the terrorist attacks of 11 September 2001 and other horrific acts of terrorism purportedly carried out in the name of Islam.

Combating Islamophobia

Many Governments have taken steps to combat Islamophobia by establishing anti-hate-crime legislation and measures to prevent and prosecute hate crimes and by conducting public awareness campaigns about Muslims and Islam designed to dispel negative myths and misconceptions.

The United Nations General Assembly adopted a sponsored by 60 Member-States of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), which designated 15 March as the International Day to Combat Islamophobia. The document stresses that terrorism and violent extremism cannot and should not be associated with any religion, nationality, civilization, or ethnic group. It calls for a global dialogue on the promotion of a culture of tolerance and peace, based on respect for human rights and for the diversity of religions and belief.