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Addressing Hate Speech Through Education: a guide for policy makers

“Hate speech is a centuries-old problem of acute concern that has gained new levels of traction globally as a result of the digital turn and rise of populism. Today, hatred is thriving, both online and offline, infringing on the individual and collective human rights and undermining social cohesion. 

 

Hate speech has the potential to incite violence and discrimination. It has emerged as a tool of choice for the prejudiced seeking to discriminate against, exclude and harm others that they perceive as different. It has spawned violent extremist ideologies and instigated atrocity crimes, including genocide. 

 

The United Nations Strategy and Plan of Action on Hate Speech provides a framework to better coordinate global action to counter the phenomenon. As the problem is complex, the responses need to be versatile and education has a central role to play in helping to effectively address the root causes of hate speech and build the capacity of learners to oppose it by equipping them with the knowledge and skills to counter the hateful narratives that they are confronted with, whether online or offline.


Countering hate speech does not mean to limit the freedom to speak. On the contrary, it should mean striving to encourage, foster and protect freedom of expression as a universal human right, ensuring that measures to safeguard individuals and groups from being targeted do nothing to curb access to that right. 

 

Education can help to strike this difficult balance by empowering teachers and educators to foster an appreciation of human rights, promote respect for diversity and cultivate active and responsible citizenship. This policy guide seeks to provide guidance and recommendations on how better to frame, develop and implement education policies to address the problem.” (p.6)