International day to combat Islamophobia - 15th March

By Apoorva Mishra/ GICJ

“Let’s eradicate the scourge of Islamophobia from every country and community” UN Secretary-General António Guterres

Understanding Islamophobia and its Origin 

Islamophobia can be defined as fear, hatred, and discrimination against practisioners of Islam or the Islamic religion as a whole. It is a subtype of xenophobia i.e. the fear of foreigners or foreign things, but specifically in context of the Muslim population. The term is used in relation to negative sentiments and policies towards people and states belonging to  the Muslim community as a whole. 

The term was first used in the early 20th century in French literature and was popularised in English in the late 1990s. However, anti-Muslim attitudes toward the whole community originated much earlier and can be traced back to the practise of European rulers going to Islamic lands to conquer territory [1]. It became more prominent following the rise of the Ottoman Empire but reached its peak following the 9/11 terrorist attacks in the United States. 

Some examples of anti-Muslim attacks and activities include the 2019 attacks on Muslime where they were targeted and killed in the deadly attack of Al Noor Mosque and Linwood Islamic Centre in Christchurch, New Zealand. In the US in 2021, 152 anti-Muslim, 105 anti-Arab and 185 anti-Sikh hate crimes were reported to the FBI by law enforcement agencies marking an increase of 38%, 48% and 108% respectively over the preavious year. Verbal attacks and mental harassment against the Muslims have spread faster through social media platforms and its effect can be felt globally in the form of hijab bans, discriminatory practices towards the community, correlation of terrorism with the Islamic religion and attacks on their right to religious practices. 

United Nations on Islamophobia 

On 17th March 2022, the UN General Assembly adopted a resolution 76/254 [2] to designate March 15th as the International day to combat Islamophobia. This date will be a reminder to keep the growing intolerance towards the Muslim community in mind and the need to curtail religious intolerance in the world. The resolution requests international cooperation and understanding to bring about social cohesion and unity to put an end to all religion-based discrimination. In March 2021, UN Secretary-General António Guterres addressed the issue of global anti-Muslim bigotry and discrimination: “unfortunately, far too often, stereotypes are further compounded by elements of the media and some in positions of power. Anti-Muslim bigotry is sadly in line with other distressing trends we are seeing globally" [3].

Islamophobia does not just create fear in the minds of the people but has repercussions for the Muslim population in the form of economic insecurity, discrimination in workplaces, religious profiling, increased surveillance and much more. These actions are in direct contravention to the principles enshrined under the Charter of the United Nations, Universal Declaration of Human Rights, International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, International Covenant on Economic, Social and Culuratl Rights and the Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discriminations against Women. This mentality endangers social cohesion and is in violation of basic human rights including the right to freedom of religion. 

Action Plans and Measures Combating Islamophobia

Human rights council resolution 16/18 [4] sets out an action plan to address religious intolerance by seeking international cooperation and requesting states to spread awareness amongst their population and train their personnels in effective outreach strategies. The Istanbul process is a dedicated intergovernmental mechanism seeking to implement the HRC Resolution 16/18. 

Rabat Plan of Action was adopted by a group of experts following a series of meetings organized by the OHCHR. It discusses the prohibition of national, racial or religious hatred that constitutes incitement to discrimination, hostility or violence. rin together the conclusions and recommendations from several OHCHR expert workshops [5]. Faith for rights framework [6] adopted under the Beirut declaration is a cross- disciplinary reflection and action on mutual connection between religion and human rights. The Beirut Declaration favours the identification of common ground among all religions and beliefs to uphold the dignity and equal worth of all human beings. 

The UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights has developed a practical guide that brings about comprehensive legislation which can be used by States to protect minority rights [7]. It provides legislators and advocates with the tools to develop anti-discrimination guidelines consistent with international legal standards on the rights to equality and non-discrimination.

Furthermore, in the spirit of combating hate speech, the UN Secretary General, Antonio Guteress launched the United Nations strategy and plan of action on hate speech [8] and the #NoToHate campaign in 2019 [9]. The UN strategy makes a firm commitment to set up coordinated action to tackle hate speech at the national and global level in the form of 13 commitments based on four key principles. While the #The NoToHate campaign is a global initiative that aims to counter hate speech and promote tolerance and inclusion. It's part of a larger UN effort to combat antisemitism, Islamophobia, racism, discrimination, and intolerance, focusing on preventing human rights violations and promoting peace and equality [10].

Current Context: Iran-Israel War 

Israel-Iran war broke out in March 2026 refocusing the attention on differing ideologies based on religion and the existing friction between them. There are reports being heard highlighting the surge in anti-Muslim hate crimes and a rise in Islamophobia globally. This escalation follows a pattern where international conflicts involving Muslim-majority nations often lead to domestic hostility against Muslim and Arab communities. 

Another example is the Israeli attack on Gaza which led to similar incidents of increased Islamophobia globally. As per Australia’s Race Discrimination Commissioner Giridharan Sivaraman, “The war in Gaza has triggered a terrifying surge of antisemitism, anti-Arab racism, anti-Palestinian racism, and Islamophobic hate” [11]. Sivaraman called for government-action with "genuine commitment and political will" to fight racial discrimination in Australia, which is home to more than 800,000 Muslims.

Geneva International Centre for Justice (GICJ) strictly condemns hate-crimes and religion-based discrimination and stands in solidarity with the Muslim community. While it agrees that there is a need to take measures against terrorism and anti-national activities, it requests nation states to not make it synonymous with Islamic community. The world constitutes one big family and respects and honours every person regardless of their religious affiliations. It is time we understand that the Muslim community is as much a part of us as others and strive to put an end to Islamophobic thoughts and practices. 

Bibliography

[1] Many scholars believe a key catalyst to the development of Islamophobia was the limpieza de sangre (Spanish: “purity of blood”) statutes during the Spanish Inquisition that discriminated against anyone with Jewish or Muslim ancestry, regardless of whether they had converted to Christianity. Read more at https://www.britannica.com/topic/Islamophobia

[2] UN General Assembly, International Day to Combat Islamophobia, UNGA Res 76/254 (15 March 2022) https://docs.un.org/en/A/RES/76/254

[3] UN Sets March 15 as International Day to Combat Islamophobia; India Raises Objection’ (The Cognate) https://thecognate.com/un-sets-march-15-as-international-day-to-combat-islamophobia-india-raises-objection/

[4] Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, ‘Combating Intolerance Against Persons Based

[5] Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, ‘Freedom of Expression’ https://www.ohchr.org/en/freedom-of-expression

[6] Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, ‘Faith for Rights’ https://www.ohchr.org/en/faith-for-rights

[7] Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, ‘International Day to Combat Islamophobia: High Commissioner Urges Action Against Hatred’ (March 2024) https://www.ohchr.org/en/statements-and-speeches/2024/03/international-day-combat-islamophobia-high-commissioner-urges

[8] United Nations, ‘UN Strategy and Plan of Action on Hate Speech’ https://www.un.org/en/hate-speech/un-strategy-and-plan-of-action-on-hate-speech

[9] United Nations, ‘Hate Speech’ https://www.un.org/en/hate-speech

[10] United Nations, ‘International Day to Combat Islamophobia’ https://www.un.org/en/observances/anti-islamophobia-day

[11] Anadolu Agency, ‘Israeli War in Gaza Triggers “Terrifying” Surge of Islamophobia in Australia’ https://www.aa.com.tr/en/asia-pacific/israeli-war-in-gaza-triggers-terrifying-surge-of-islamophobia-in-australia/3653127