New York, USA: The United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution today condemning any call for religious hatred and incitement to discrimination, hostility, or violence against Muslims, and calling for the appointment of a special UN envoy to combat Islamophobia.
This came during a meeting held yesterday, Friday, on the occasion of the International Day for Combating Islamophobia.
The resolution, presented by Pakistan on behalf of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), was approved by 115 countries, while 44 countries abstained from voting and no country voted against it.
The General Assembly, in its resolution, urged member states to take necessary measures to combat religious bigotry, negative stereotypes, hatred, and incitement to violence against Muslims, and to legally prohibit incitement to violence and its practice based on religion or belief.
In his speech, United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres described Islamophobia as a vicious epidemic representing complete denial and ignorance of Islam and Muslims and their undeniable contributions.
The Secretary-General warned that these institutional barriers and others violate the common commitment to human rights and dignity. He added that they perpetuate a cycle of exclusion, poverty, and deprivation echoing through generations, and promote divisive and misleading rhetoric.
All of this, the Secretary-General noted, can lead to increased harassment and even explicit violence against Muslims - a phenomenon increasingly reported by civil society groups in countries around the world.
