Youth to the forefront in combatting hate speech

While the crime rate all over the world is intensifying with US President Joe Biden’s son, Hunter Biden, recently being found guilty on three charges related to his possession of a weapon and using it under the influence of drugs, and Former President Donald Trump being convicted of numerous criminal charges with other cases to come, there are also crimes that the world talks little about, and one of them is hate speech.
With the elections due to be held in Sri Lanka this year–casting aside the conflicting reports on which election will be held first–hate speech will be a widely prevalent malady with alternative facts being presented in a twisted or distorted manner. 

On July 18, the United Nations (UN) will mark the International Day for Countering Hate Speech. In a statement, the UN acknowledged that the devastating impact of hatred is nothing new although its scale and impact are amplified today by new technologies of communication, so much so that hate speech has become one of the most frequent methods for spreading divisive rhetoric and ideologies on a global scale. If left unchecked, hate speech can even harm peace and development, as it lays the ground for conflicts and tensions, and wide scale human rights violations.
The UN Plan of Action on Hate Speech defines hate speech as any kind of communication in speech, writing or behaviour that attacks or uses pejorative or discriminatory language with reference to a person or a group on the basis of who they are–in other words, based on their religion, ethnicity, nationality, race, colour, descent, gender or other identity factors.
However, to date there is no universal definition of hate speech under international human rights law, the UN adds. The concept is still under discussion, especially in relation to freedom of opinion and expression, non-discrimination and equality.
In July 2021, the UN General Assembly highlighted global concerns over “the exponential spread and proliferation of hate speech” around the world and adopted a resolution on “promoting interreligious and intercultural dialogue and tolerance in countering hate speech”.
The resolution recognised the need to counter discrimination, xenophobia and hate speech and called on all relevant actors to increase their efforts to address this phenomenon, in line with international human rights law.

The resolution proclaimed June 18 as the International Day for Countering Hate Speech, building on the UN Strategy and Plan of Action on Hate Speech launched on 18 June 2019.
According to the UN, since the spread of hateful rhetoric can be an early warning of violence–including atrocity crimes–limiting hate speech could contribute to mitigating its impact.
The UN recognises that empowering youth to combat hate speech is crucial in today’s world, where they are not only the targets but also influential voices in their communities. With 1.2 billion young people globally, their role in recognising, raising awareness and countering hateful narratives cannot be overstated, the UN says. As peers, they have significant sway over each other and can drive meaningful change by speaking out against hate speech.
By engaging youth leaders and providing them with the resources and platforms they need, we can harness their energy and creativity to foster more inclusive and tolerant societies, the UN observes. There are numerous examples of successful youth-led initiatives in this regard, showcasing the potential for positive change when young people are empowered to take action against hate speech.
Whether as the private sector, the media and internet corporations, faith leaders, educators, actors of civil society, those affected by hate speech, youth, or simply as an individual, we all have the moral duty of speaking out firmly against instances of hate speech and play a crucial role to in countering this scourge.