March 16, (THEWILL) — The Secretary-General of the United Nations, António Guterres, has urged world leaders and technology companies to speak out against Islamophobia and take concrete steps to protect Muslims from discrimination, hostility, and violence.
Guterres made the call in a message marking the International Day to Combat Islamophobia, observed annually by the UN, warning that growing prejudice against Muslims threatens social cohesion, undermines human rights, and weakens efforts to build peaceful and inclusive societies worldwide.
Islamophobia refers to irrational fear, hostility, or hatred directed at Islam or Muslims, often expressed through prejudice, discrimination, stereotyping, and exclusion in many societies.
Experts describe it as a form of religious or cultural bigotry in which Muslims are unfairly portrayed as geopolitical threats or wrongly associated with terrorism.
According to the UN chief, the world’s more than two billion Muslims represent a vast diversity of cultures, languages, and traditions, reflecting the richness of humanity.
He noted that Muslim communities continue to make significant contributions to global development through education, commerce, science, culture, and public service across many countries.
“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,” Guterres said.
He warned that unchecked hate speech, misinformation, and harmful stereotypes could deepen divisions and threaten peaceful coexistence among different faiths and cultures.
Guterres therefore urged governments to take decisive steps to tackle hate speech, safeguard religious freedom, and combat discrimination in line with international human rights law.
The UN Secretary-General emphasised that national policies and laws must guarantee equal rights and protection for people regardless of religion, belief, ethnicity, or background.
He also called on social media companies and digital platforms to strengthen measures against online hate campaigns targeting religious communities.
According to him, technology firms must act responsibly by removing harmful content and preventing harassment based on religion or belief.
“All people must speak out against bigotry, xenophobia, and discrimination wherever they find it,” he said.
He stressed that silence in the face of hate only allows prejudice to spread and undermines collective efforts to build tolerant societies.
Guterres further disclosed that in May 2025 he appointed the head of the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations as the UN Special Envoy to Combat Islamophobia to strengthen international cooperation and coordinate global actions against anti-Muslim hate.
“On this International Day to Combat Islamophobia, let us recommit to equality, human rights, and dignity for every person, regardless of faith. Let us eradicate the scourge of Islamophobia from every country and community,” the UN chief said.
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