UN actions against hate speech
The role of the United Nations
As the world’s only truly universal global organization, the United Nations is the foremost forum to address issues that transcend national boundaries and cannot be resolved by any one country acting alone.
World history has shown us many times how hate rhetoric threatens democratic values, tolerance and social stability, and can lead to human tragedies, including genocide.
Hate speech and its consequences goes against fundamental UN values. It also undermines the UN Charter's core principles and objectives, such as respect for human dignity, equality and peace. As advancing human rights and fighting hate are at the heart of the UN’s mission, the Organization has a duty to confront the global scourge of hate speech.
Since its origins, the UN has been working to prevent and combat hatred on many fronts, through its various entities and programmes. In June 2019, in response to the global increase of hateful rhetoric, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres launched the UN system-wide Strategy and Plan of Action on Hate Speech.
This common framework covers a wide range of actions, from monitoring early warning signs of atrocity crimes, to helping States interpret human rights laws and develop national policies, promoting civil society and grass-roots initiatives, partnering with key stakeholders and organizing awareness-raising campaigns.
However, it recognizes that most meaningful action against hate speech will not be taken by the United Nations alone, but by all relevant stakeholders. This includes governments, regional and multilateral organizations, private companies, media, and religious and other civil society actors. The UN calls on States, as the primary duty-bearers, to address and counter hate speech – while respecting the right to freedom of expression – and reaffirms the crucial role that non-State actors, civil society and all citizens play in standing up to hate speech and building the inclusive and peaceful societies we deserve to live in.
“Fighting hate, discrimination, racism and inequality is at the core of United Nations principles and the Organization’s work. It is enshrined in our founding Charter, in the international human rights framework and in our collective efforts to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.”
— United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres, September 2020
Hate speech and the SDGs
Adopted in 2015 by all United Nations Member States, the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are a call to action by all countries – poor, rich and middle-income – to promote prosperity while protecting the planet. They recognize that ending poverty must go hand-in-hand with strategies that build economic growth and address a range of social needs, including education, health, social protection and job opportunities, while tackling climate change and environmental protection.
SDG 4 calls for inclusive and quality education for all and the promotion of lifelong learning to achieve sustainable development. Quality education is fundamental to address hate rhetoric, both online and offline, and to prevent violence. Equipping all learners to counter hateful content lies at the core of Target 4.7 of the SDG 4 – sustainable development and global citizenship. UNESCO’s Education 2030 Agenda equally touches on the power of education to strengthen global citizenship.
SDG 16 is another goal relevant to hate speech, in that it calls for the promotion of peaceful and inclusive societies, access to justice for all and effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels. In particular, its Target 16.10 – ensure public access to information and the protection of fundamental freedoms, in accordance with the law – can help combat misinformation and disinformation.
The world’s efforts to make the SDGs a reality also contribute to addressing hate speech because achieving these interlinked goals will help build peaceful and resilient societies.
Related story
“When it comes to addressing and countering hate speech, Sustainable Development Goals 4 (on quality education), and 16 (on peace, justice and strong institutions) are deeply interlinked.”
— United Nations Special Adviser on the Prevention of Genocide Alice Wairimu Nderitu, October 2021
The Special Adviser on the Prevention of Genocide
In the 1990s, the atrocities in Rwanda and the Balkans demonstrated, in the worst possible way, that the United Nations and the international community had failed to protect certain populations and had to do more to prevent genocide.
Drawing lessons from these tragedies, the UN Security Council requested that the Secretary-General share information and analyses within the UN system on cases of serious violations of international law and on potential conflict situations arising from ethnic, religious and territorial disputes and other related issues.
In 2004, on the tenth anniversary of the Rwanda genocide, the Secretary-General launched an Action Plan to Prevent Genocide and appointed the first Special Adviser on the Prevention of Genocide, tasked with raising awareness of the causes and dynamics of genocide, alerting relevant actors where there are risks, and advocating and mobilizing for appropriate action. The work of the Special Adviser on the Prevention of Genocide is supported by the Office on Genocide Prevention and the Responsibility to Protect, a structure shared with the Special Adviser on the Responsibility to Protect (OSAPG), a body shared with the Special Adviser on the Responsibility to Protect. Both Special Advisers report directly to the UN Secretary-General.
Understanding the root causes of atrocity crimes – particularly genocide and crimes against humanity – is critically important for prevention, as these are not spontaneous acts. They develop over time and there are often warning signs, including hate speech against specific groups. To help detect some of the risks and triggers, OSAPG has developed a Framework of Analysis. The Office is also the focal point for the implementation of the UN Strategy on Hate Speech.
The current Special Adviser on the Prevention of Genocide is Ms. Alice Wairimu Nderitu from Kenya. Both Special Advisors report directly to the United Nations Secretary-General.
“From the perspective of my mandate, history has taught us that hateful narratives often precede the commission of atrocity crimes – genocide in particular.”
— United Nations Special Adviser on the Prevention of Genocide Alice Wairimu Nderitu, October 2021
Getting to the roots of hate speech in Costa Rica
Costa Rica is renowned for its commitment to peace and social cohesion, gender equality, sustainable development and the protection of its environment, summed up in the national slogan ‘pura vida’ (pure life). But in recent years, hate speech, stigmatization and discriminatory narratives have started surfacing on social media and beyond, increasingly creating a divided and toxic atmosphere in the country.
To address this challenge, the UN team in Costa Rica joined hands with the Government, civil society, academia and activists to launch the first research project of its kind in Latin America. To understand the nature and dynamics of hate speech in Costa Rican social media, the study uncovered no less than 548,000 hateful conversations, mostly targeting foreigners, women and LGBTQI+ people. A second study released in June 2022 found more than 937,000 hateful conversations and found that hate speech had increased by 71 per cent between 2021 and 2022.
Not only did this research reveal the high prevalence and the mechanisms of online hate, but it also informed the newly launched Costa Rica Plan against Hate Speech and Discrimination, a nation-wide initiative to raise awareness, educate and combat hate speech. The Plan is the fruit of collaborative efforts between the UN and several Costa Rican State entities, academia and civil society.
This innovative partnership has already led to concrete steps such as the creation of the first national Observatory on Hate Speech in the region (with the University of Costa Rica). It has also fuelled a national campaign to raise public awareness on inclusion, respect for diversity and the fight against hatred and discrimination, among many other actions yet to be rolled out.