Global unity against Islamophobia: UN adopts Pakistan’s resolution for concerted action
With a resounding majority, the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) adopted a resolution proposed by Pakistan on International Day to Combat Islamophobia, which calls for coordinated action among other things to stop the current violence against Muslims. The resolution calls for the appointment of a special envoy by the UN secretary-general to address Islamophobia.
Pakistan’s initiative
Before passing the new resolution, “Measures to Combat Islamophobia,” the 193-member Assembly rejected two amendments put up by a group of European countries by a vote of 113 in favor to 0 against and 44 abstentions. India refrained from voting on the resolution, as did the majority of European governments. The resolution’s main text, which called for a focal point rather than a UN special envoy and eliminated any mention of the destruction of the Holy Quran, would have been substituted by the suggestions.
A resolution passed by the UN on March 15, 2019, in response to assaults on two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand, which claimed 51 lives, established the International Day. Under the rules of a resolution that Pakistan and other like-minded Member States sponsored, the General Assembly designated March 15 as the International Day to Combat Islamophobia two years ago.
Global support
The permanent representative of Pakistan to the UN, Ambassador Munir Akram, introduced the resolution and stated that, in spite of it and other measures, as well as efforts by leaders to foster interreligious and inter communal harmony, incidents of Islamophobia discrimination, prejudice, and violence against Muslims have increased dramatically on both a societal and state level. “These are demonstrated by the heinous acts of desecration of the Holy Quran, of which there were seven instances last year alone,” he declared.
The lynching of Muslims by ‘cow vigilantes’ is exemplified by the pervasive hate speech directed at Muslims, both online and offline, as well as the prejudice they face in the workplace and in schools. When women who wear the hijab are attacked. in the devastation and vandalism of churches and other places of worship. in profiling based on race and religion. Hatred and racism are being fostered and nurtured in the media. The Pakistani ambassador said, “In the calls for genocide against Muslim minorities who go unpunished.”
Implementation challenges
“Divisive rhetoric and misrepresentation are stigmatizing communities,” according to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, and everyone must band together to battle intolerance, prejudice, and stereotypes. The UN head stated in a statement that hate speech on the internet is stoking violence in real life and that digital platforms need to control hateful content and shield users from harassment. The human rights and dignity of Muslims are being violated by institutional discrimination and other barriers, he continued. This alarming trend is largely a part of a larger pattern of attacks against vulnerable populations and religious groups, such as Jewish people, minority Christian communities, and others.
The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), Volker Turk, declared in Geneva that bigotry and hostility against any religion are intolerable. “Islamophobia has stolen lives,” he said, dehumanizing entire communities and igniting “torrents of hate speech, magnified by social media.” He cited numerous reports on “huge spikes” in incidents of Islamophobia during the ongoing Middle East conflict, with an increase of nearly 600% in certain North American and European countries.
Call to action
States are required to keep track of these instances and immediately intensify their efforts to combat prejudice against individuals on the basis of their religion or beliefs. They can do this by utilizing the various resources at their disposal, such as the OHCHR guidance for creating anti-discrimination laws.
“Faith literacy, or the knowledge and understanding of the values of each religion and belief, is also crucial,” Turk stated, pleading with States to incorporate it into comprehensive training programs for law enforcement, the judiciary, faith-based actors, educators, and media professionals on fighting religious hatred. In addition, Nassima Baghli, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation’s (OIC) Permanent Observer in Geneva, presided over a memorial service and declared that “Islamophobia is on the rise following the Israeli aggression on Gaza.”
Conclusion
In conclusion, instances of desecration of the Holy Quran that occurred some months ago, along with current incidences of anti-Muslim sentiment. People are being dehumanized and deprived of their rights due to discrimination and stereotypes based on religion or belief. The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) on International Day to Combat Islamophobia passed a resolution proposed by Pakistan with a strong majority. The resolution calls for coordinated efforts to combat ongoing acts of violence against Muslims and asks the UN Secretary-General to designate a special envoy to address Islamophobia.
