United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has urged countries, institutions, and communities around the world to intensify efforts to combat Islamophobia and protect Muslim populations from discrimination, hostility, and violence.
Marking the International Day to Combat Islamophobia on Sunday, Guterres warned that prejudice against Muslims threatens social cohesion, undermines human rights, and hampers the pursuit of peaceful and inclusive societies globally.
He emphasized that the world’s two billion Muslims represent a wide array of cultures, languages, and traditions, contributing significantly to global progress through education, commerce, science, culture, and public service.
“Yet they often face institutional discrimination, socio-economic exclusion, biased immigration policies, and unwarranted surveillance and profiling. These worrying trends are fuelled by anti-Muslim rhetoric and outright hate, which can lead to harassment and violence against individuals and places of worship,” he said.
Guterres cautioned that unchecked hate speech, misinformation, and stereotypes could deepen societal divisions and threaten coexistence among different faiths and cultures. He called on governments to take concrete steps to combat hate speech, uphold religious freedom, and address discrimination in accordance with international human rights standards.
