Report on Countering Islamophobia/Anti-Muslim Hatred to Eliminate Discrimination and Intolerance Based on Religion or Belief

Summary

In the present report, the Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief, Ahmed Shaheed examines how Islamophobia/anti-Muslim hatred infringes upon freedom of religion or belief. Perpetuating discrimination, hostility and violence towards Muslim individuals and communities, the phenomenon undercuts the ability of affected Muslims to be Muslim and violates freedom of religion or belief and myriad other human rights. Despite its pervasive impacts, Islamophobia/anti-Muslim hate remains poorly understood and discussions on how to address its impacts are often fraught with tension.

The report: (i) unpacks the concept of Islamophobia, including the processes of essentialization and racialization that propel this form of bias (ii) documents the experiences of affected communities and the human rights impacts (iii) affirms the relevant international human rights framework; and (iv) proposes recommendations to address and mitigate the impacts of Islamophobia consistent with international law.

Additional information

• One-pager summary of the report
• Press release of the report: UN expert says anti-Muslim hatred rises to epidemic proportions, urges States to act
  
• Special Rapporteur’s statement to the Human Rights Council
• Video presentation of the report to the 20^th meeting and 22^nd meeting of the 46^th session of the Human Rights Council

Inputs received

See the Call for Inputs to Public | to Member States

Submission from Member States

• Andorra
  
• Azerbaijan
  
• Belgium
  
• Brazil
  
• Chile
  
• Croatia
  
• Cuba
• Denmark
• Ecuador
  
• Guatemala
• Hungary 1-2-3
  
• India 1-2
  
• Iran
• Ireland
  
• Kyrgyzstan
  
• Malta
  
• Mauritius 1- 2- 3
  
• Mexico
  
• Palestine
  
• Poland
  
• Qatar
  
• Russia
  
• Slovenia
  
• Sweden
  
• Switzerland
  
• United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
  

Submission from Regional Institutions

• European Union
  
• Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (OSCE/ODIHR)
• Secretariat of the European Commission against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI) 1- 2

Submission from National Human Rights Mechanisms

• Australian Human Rights Commission
  
• La Commission nationale des droits de l’homme (CNDH), Togo
  
• Swedish Equality Ombudsman
  

Submission from Submission from Civil Society Organisations or Individuals

• Aakar Patel, Biraj Patnaik and Salil Shetty
  
• Federation of Western Thrace Turks in Europe (ABTTF) 1 - 2
  
• Alliance for Conflict Transformation (ACT)
  
• Action Droits des Musulmans (ADM) 1- 2
  
• Adriana Cupcea, Romanian Institute for Research on National Minorities
  
• ADYAN
  
• Al-Khoei Foundation
• Alliance for Minorities
  
• The Australian Muslim Advocacy Network (AMAN) 1 - 2
• Asociación Musulmana por los Derechos Humanos (AMDEH)
  
• Anti-Muslim Hatred Working Group
  
• Anti-Slavery International
  
• All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community 1 - 2
  
• All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on British Muslims 1 - 2
  
• Article 19
  
• Australia Muslim Advocacy Network
  
• Carter Centre 1 – 2
  
• Center for Danish-Muslim Relations (CEDAR)
  
• Citizens Against Hate
  
• Citizens For Justice and Peace
  
• Center for Migration, Gender, and Justice (CMGJ)
  
• Coalition for Genocide Response
  
• Commission for Freedom of Faith of the Islamic Community
  
• Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW) 1 -2 - 3
  
• Dia Kayyali, Associate Director of Advocacy at Mnemonic, independent consultant on technology and human rights, and co-chair of the Christchurch Call Advisory Network
  
• Ebru Dogru
  
• The European Forum of Muslim Women (EFOMW)
  
• European Network Against Racism (ENAR)
  
• Engy Abdelkader, Scholar based at Rutgers University
  
• Farah Mihlar
  
• FORUM-18
  
• Fundación Al Fanar 1- 2
  
• GIN-SSOGIE 1- 2- 3
  
• Global Project Against Hate and Extremism 1- 2- 3
  
• Hosein Azarniya and Mohammad Hossein Sedehi
  
• Human Rights Centre Clinic, University of Essex
  
• Human Rights Litigation and International Legal Advocacy Clinic Minnesota
  
• Hungarian Helsinki Committee
• Institute on Statelessness and Inclusion
  
• International Observatory Human Rights
• Islamic Council of Victoria
  
• Islamic Foundation in Slovakia
  
• Islamic Human Rights Commission
• Jammu Kashmir Coalition of Civil Society (JKCCS)
  
• Justice for All
  
• Maat for Peace, Development and Human Rights 1 - 2
  
• Media Diversity Institute (MDI)
• Medact 1-2
  
• Muslim for Progressive Value (MPV) 1- 2
  
• Multifaith Alliance for Syrian Refugees 1- 2- 3- 4
  
• Nafisa Gudal
• NGO Legis
  
• International Civil Liberties Monitoring Group, Islamic Social Services Association, and Noor Cultural Centre
  
• Norwegian Uyghur Committee, Uyghur Human Rights Project and World Uyghur Congress
  
• ODVV
  
• Omer Abid
  
• Peter Hopkins, School of Geography, Politics and Sociology, Newcastle University
  
• Professor Imran Awan, Birmingham City University and Dr Irene Zempi, Senior Lecturer in Criminology, Nottingham Trent University 1- 2- 3 - 4
• Anonymous Submission
  
• Razom iz zakonom
  
• Reprieve
  
• Rights and Security International
  
• Ritumbra Manuvie, Lecturer, International Law, Department of Transboundary Legal Studies Faculty of Law, University of Groningen 1 -2- 3
  
• Shoulder to Shoulder Campaign
  
• Sabina Garahan, Human Rights Centre, University of Essex
  
• Sahiyo
  
• Sindre Bangstad
  
• Southall Black Sisters
  
• Tehmina Kazi, Independent FoRB consultant and former Director of the British Muslims for Secular Democracy charity
  
• The International Alliance for Peace and Development
  
• The Polis Project
  
• World Evangelical Alliance (WEA) 1- 2