KATHMANDU, JUNE 20

Marking the International Day for Countering Hate Speech, the sub-regional launch of the UNESCO policy guide on 'Addressing Hate Speech through education' was held today amidst a ceremony in Kathmandu.

This publication presents the first policy guidance, co-published in March 2023 by the United Nations' Office on Genocide Prevention and the Responsibility to Protect (OSAPG) and UNESCO, marks a pivotal step in the global effort to tackle hate speech effectively.

Ashok Kumar Rai, Minister of Education, Science and Technology, Nepal, A. Aravindh Kumar, State Minister of Education, Sri Lanka, Fathimath Naseer, Minister of State for Education, Maldives, Ram Krishna Subedi, Secretary of Ministry of Education, Science and Technology and Secretary General of Nepal National Commission for UNESCO and Hanaa Singer-Hamdy, UN Resident Coordinator, Nepal jointly launched the publication for South Asia.

Speaking at the program, Ashok Kumar Rai, Minister of Education, Science and Technology said, 'It is through education that we can effectively address the harmful impact of hate speech and work towards building a society that embraces tolerance, civility, and inclusivity. Therefore, it is essential to integrate media literacy into both formal and non-formal education curricula, ensuring that our educational discourse remains free from the destructive influence of hate speech.'

UNESCO in partnership with the Resident Coordinator Office and United Nations Information Center brought together policymakers, educational stakeholders, and youth leaders throughout South Asia in Kathmandu, Nepal to further disseminate the principles exposed in this new policy guide.

'This guide for policymakers will support more consorted actions in addressing hate speech through education,' said Haana Singer-Hamdy, UN Resident Co-Ordinator to Nepal. 'It calls on us to empower teachers and educators to foster an appreciation of human rights, promote respect for diversity and cultivate active and responsible citizenship. It also guides us to provide learners with the critical thinking skills needed to challenge those that promote hatred,' she said.

The sub-regional event aims to explore the root causes of hate speech and promote global citizenship and digital citizenship based on human rights.

A. Aravindh Kumar, State Minister for Education, Sri Lanka added, 'The role of social media in shaping responsible citizens should not be underestimated. It is imperative that social media platforms understand their influence and actively discourage the promotion of hate speech. By doing so, no one stands to benefit, and instead, we can foster a society that thrives on positivity and mutual respect.'

This policy guide aims to show how hate speech can be addressed as part of a mission to strengthen the inclusiveness of communities and nations and strive for the broader goal of fostering comprehensive societal resilience in the face of hateful ideologies, violent extremism and atrocity crimes while upholding and promoting freedom of expression.

Fathimath Naseer, Minister of State for Education in the Maldives emphasized the significance of nurturing a collaborative decision-making process. She stressed the crucial need for government officials, representatives from the education ministry, law enforcement agencies including the police, and NGOs to come together and address the pressing issue of hate speech that is very common in South Asian countries.

The United Nations Strategy and Plan of Action on Hate Speech, launched in 2019, calls for a coordinated, system-wide response to the upsurge in harmful discourse, online and offline, and for education to be leveraged 'as a tool for addressing and countering' the phenomenon.

In a two-day programme, a multi-stakeholder consultation is being organized to create guidelines for regulating digital platforms. The guidelines aim to support regulators, governments, legislatures and companies, dealing with content that potentially damages human rights and democracy while protecting freedom of expression and the availability of accurate and reliable information.