UNAOC initiative urges media, governments to safeguard citizens’ right to equality, non-discrimination

Today the world is facing the same cultural divide that was experienced following the events of 9/11, but this divide is exacerbated by the prevalence of unconventional media channels that aid the dissemination of wrong information and a rhetoric of hatred, according to Nihal Saad, Chief of Cabinet and Spokesperson for the High Representative of the United Nations Alliance of Civilisations, UNAOC.

Speaking during a workshop held by UNAOC on the second day of the fifth International Government Communication Forum, IGCF 2016, which is currently underway at the Expo Centre Sharjah, Nihal Saad said, "Hate speech is not only found in traditional and unconventional media, but can be found in public spaces as well."

Focused on preventing and countering the agenda of intolerance and hatred, the workshop outlined UNAOC’s initiative that looks to tackle xenophobia, stigmatisation, polarisation and discrimination, which occur as a result of hate speech. UNAOC launched the initiative on hate speech in 2015 to act as a platform for governments, media professionals and civil society groups to share best practices. The initiative has put a specific focus on engaging the global media space, international journalists and those who are well-positioned to report on hate speech, violence and prejudice.

UNAOC Media and Migration Project Specialist, Thibault Chareton, explained that the initiative has been built around three main pillars of global symposia, a strategic media campaign to disseminate and share key media messages, and the drafting and publishing of a complete report on how to counter hate speech, which is to be launched at the end of 2016 or in early 2017.

Chareton added that the initiative’s hashtag, #SpreadNoHate, has reached millions around the world and was able to reach over seven million people just at the UNAOC symposium held in New York in 2015.

However, Chareton pointed to the challenges of tackling hate speech, saying, "Hate speech is one of the most complex areas of freedom of expression. The lack of a systematic approach to tackling hate speech in the international community has created quite a lot of confusion and has not given society and governments the necessary frameworks for handling hate speech properly."

He added, "There is no legal framework under international human rights law that properly captures hate speech. Content that is considered acceptable in one country is considered illegal in others. An individual country’s approach to hate speech is informed by its history, culture and religion, among other things."

Themed ‘Citizens for Prosperity’, IGCF 2016 focuses on the symbiotic relationship between governments and their people, and explores how government communication touches different aspects of people’s everyday life either directly or indirectly through its impact on vital socio-economic sectors. The sectors in focus include education, health care, unemployment, and poverty eradication, among others.

Source:WAM