The United Nations says the surge in anti-Muslim bigotry has become a thing of concern as racial profiling and prejudiced policies that infringe upon human rights and dignity, to outright violence directed at individuals and places of worship continue to increase.
It described this phenomenon is part of a broader plague of intolerance, extremist ideologies, and assaults on religious groups and marginalised communities.
UN Chef de Cabinet, Courtenay Rattray, urged that as a global society, we must unequivocally reject and eliminate bigotry. Governments must cultivate social harmony and safeguard religious freedoms. Online platforms must take responsibility in curbing hate speech and harassment. And we must all take a stand against bigotry, xenophobia, and discrimination.”
UN Under-Secretary-General and High Representative for the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC), Miguel Ángel Moratinos, said, “Many such manifestations of intolerance and suspicion may not be captured in official statistics – yet they erode human dignity and our shared humanity. Discrimination against Muslims is not an isolated trend. It is symptomatic of the resurgence of ethno-nationalism, neo-Nazi white supremacist ideologies, and acts of violence targeting vulnerable groups, including Muslims, Jews, certain minority Christian communities, and other faith traditions.
Secretary General of the Muslim World League, Mohammad bin Abdulkarim Al-Issa, emphasised that there are no terrorist religions or peoples, only minds consumed by hatred and distorted by misguided ideologies.
On March 15, 2022, the UN General Assembly passed a resolution, co-sponsored by 60 Member States of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), designating March 15, as the International Day to Combat Islamophobia.
The resolution affirms that terrorism and violent extremism must never be attributed to any religion, nationality, civilisation, or ethnic group. It urges a worldwide dialogue to advance a culture of tolerance and peace, anchored in respect for human rights and religious diversity.
