UNITED NATIONS: Hate speech poses a grave and growing threat to peace and security, United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has warned, calling for urgent measures to break a cycle that can lead to genocide and other atrocity crimes.
Muscat Plan of Action Launched
The UN chief made these remarks at UN Headquarters in New York on Thursday during the launch of the Muscat Plan of Action. This initiative highlights the role of traditional and Indigenous leaders in promoting peace and strengthening social cohesion. The plan is the outcome of a multi-stakeholder process led by the Sultanate of Oman, the UN Office on Genocide Prevention and the Responsibility to Protect (UNOSAPG), and the Network for Religious and Traditional Peacemakers. The event was co-hosted by the UN Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC), which promotes peaceful, inclusive, and just societies through intercultural and interreligious dialogue.
Hate Speech as a Deliberate Tool
In his address, the Secretary-General emphasized that hate speech "divides communities, dehumanizes entire groups, and sets the stage for bloodshed." He noted that it is deliberate and a core component in the playbook for virtually every genocide and atrocity crime. Breaking this "outrageous cycle" requires action through education, support for targeted individuals, stronger interventions by governments and technology companies, and deeper engagement with traditional and Indigenous leaders.
Role of Traditional Leaders
Guterres highlighted that traditional and Indigenous leaders bring crucial knowledge of local realities and command the respect and trust of their communities. Their authority and influence can help ease tensions before they escalate, and their lived experience makes mediation and dispute settlement more likely to be respected, implemented, and sustained.
Spreading Faster Than Ever
The Secretary-General noted that hate speech is spreading "faster than ever," driven by unregulated platforms and intensified by artificial intelligence (AI). He stressed that while states have the primary responsibility for preventing genocide and other atrocity crimes, all of society has a role to play in combating this threat.
