The post Haiti: UN chief welcomes new government amid ongoing challenges appeared first on News Agency nabakhabar.

The International Day to Combat Islamophobia (15 March) is happening at a time when anti-Muslim hate and bigotry are on the rise globally, warns the UN Secretary-General. This trend is part of a wider pattern of attacks against religious groups and vulnerable populations. We need to confront and root out all forms of bigotry, condemn inflammatory discourse, safeguard religious freedom, moderate hateful content on digital platforms, and combat intolerance and stereotypes. Let’s promote mutual respect and understanding, foster social cohesion, and build peaceful and inclusive societies for all.

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 definition 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 António 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.

In his message for the International Day to Combat Islamophobia, Guterres warns that Muslims face institutional discrimination, barriers and violations of their human rights and dignity. “Divisive rhetoric and misrepresentation are stigmatizing communities. Online hate speech is fueling real-life violence”, he added.

Calling for a strong stance against all forms of bigotry, the Secretary-General urges leaders and individuals alike to condemn inflammatory discourse, safeguard religious freedom and promote mutual respect and understanding, while digital platforms must take a stand against hateful content and protect users from harassment.

Recent measures to combat Islamophobia include the adoption by the General Assembly of a new resolution 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 voiced 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 Türk 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 International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR).

Lack of policies to promote diversity

States have a responsibility to address any hatred based on religion or belief in a manner that complies with human rights, recalls the UN Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief, Nazila Ghane, in her last report on Hatred on the basis of religion or belief.

The expert stresses that advocacy of religious hatred that leads to discrimination, hostility or violence should be prohibited by law. While international norms and standards provide a framework to combat incitement to discrimination and violence, laws are not enough, and States should also adopt policies and programs that promote diversity and freedom of expression, especially in multicultural and interconnected societies, proposed Ghane.

Among her recommendations to the States, the Special Rapporteur proposes that countries could collect data on hate speech, take robust action against discriminatory speech, invest in trust-building, review legislation and policies and ensure no impunity for State actors who engage in hate speech.

Another report by the former UN Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief, Ahmed Shaheed, 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 resolution 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.

The post Let’s unite to combat intolerance and stereotypes against Islamophobia appeared first on News Agency nabakhabar.

Addressing members of the Coalition of Finance Ministers for Climate Action, he highlighted their critical role as the conference date fast approaches.

“As Ministers of Finance, you hold the key to success for COP26 and beyond,” he said in a video message to their latest meeting, held from Washington, DC.

“Your decisions and actions in the coming weeks will determine whether the global economic recovery will be low-carbon, resilient and inclusive or whether it will lock in fossil fuel-intensive investments with high risks of stranded assets,” he added.

Closing the gaps 

COP26 opens later this month in Glasgow, Scotland, and Mr. Guterres outlined three key areas where progress is needed.

Countries must “swiftly close the emissions gap”, he said.  They also must be ready to update climate commitments to get the world back on track to keeping global temperature rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels.

Meanwhile, richer countries must also close “the finance gap” by providing, and exceeding, the $100 billion annually promised to support climate action in developing nations.

“And this is just a starting point,” the UN chief said.  Public and private finance “must align with a net-zero and resilient development pathway,” he added.

“That is why I call on each of you as ministers of finance to take decisive steps to make climate risk disclosures mandatory in line with the recommendations of the Taskforce on Climate-Related Financial Disclosures.”

Support for adaptation 

With climate change increasingly affecting lives and livelihoods each year, “Glasgow must deliver a breakthrough on adaptation”, the Secretary-General said.

He urged the ministers to consider allocating half of all public climate finance in support of developing countries for adaptation.

They were also encouraged to reconsider how Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is calculated, to reflect the true value of nature.

“Nature’s resources still do not figure in countries’ calculations of wealth,” said Mr. Guterres.  “We need nature-based solutions for adaptation and mitigation.  The current system is weighted towards destruction, not preservation.”

Measures to rebuild trust 

The Secretary-General underlined the critical role finance ministers have in the success of COP26 and beyond.  He said urgently improving access to climate and development finance will be key to rebuilding trust among countries at the conference.

“Your representatives at the boards of multilateral development banks could request management to present as soon as possible a set of concrete measures, implementable by the end of next year at the latest, to address red tape issues and improve the speed and efficiency of systems and processes in all development finance institutions,” he added.

As climate change and the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic pose new and unique challenges to low- and middle-income countries, the UN chief it was only logical to revise current thresholds for Official Development Assistance (ODA) to improve access to finance.

He appealed for ministers to instruct their country representatives to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) to review the process for eligibility.

The UN chief further called for ministers to support the development of the Multidimensional Vulnerability Index, aimed at helping Small Island Developing States to access concessional financing.

The post Finance Ministers hold key to COP26 success: UN Secretary-General appeared first on News Agency nabakhabar.