The UN General Assembly on March 15 adopted a resolution on measures to combat Islamaphobia.
The resolution condemns any advocacy of religious hatred that constitutes incitement to discrimination, hostility or violence. It particularly condemns the incitement to discrimination, hostility or violence against Muslims as manifested in the increasing number of incidents of desecration of their holy book, attacks on mosques, sites and shrines and other acts of religious intolerance, negative stereotyping, hatred and violence against Muslims, Xinhua reports.
The resolution calls on UN member states to take all necessary measures to combat religious intolerance, negative stereotyping, hatred, incitement to violence and violence against Muslims and prohibit by law incitement to violence and violence against persons on the grounds of their religion or belief.
It also calls on member states to engage with all relevant stakeholders to promote the virtues of interreligious and intercultural dialogue and dialogue among civilizations, respect and acceptance of differences, tolerance, respect for religious and cultural diversity, peaceful coexistence and cohabitation, inclusion and respect for human rights, and to reject the spread of hate speech.
The resolution requests the UN secretary-general to appoint a UN special envoy to combat Islamophobia and to submit a report to the General Assembly at the upcoming session on the implementation of the resolution and on measures taken by member states and the United Nations to combat Islamophobia.
The draft resolution, tabled by Pakistan, won 115 votes in favor, none against, with 44 abstentions.
Two amendments to the draft resolution, tabled by the 27 European Union member states and co-sponsored by Britain, were rejected by the General Assembly. One amendment would have removed the reference to the desecration of the holy book. The other would have asked the UN secretary-general to appoint a focal point instead of a special envoy to combat Islamophobia.
The adoption of the resolution coincides with the International Day to Combat Islamophobia.
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