Last night, the United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution on combating Islamophobia, coinciding with the International Day to Combat Islamophobia. The resolution, formulated and presented by Pakistan on behalf of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, received a vote of approval from 115 countries, with 44 countries abstaining and no countries voting against it. This resolution, titled “Measures to Combat Islamophobia,” calls for the appointment of a United Nations Special Envoy to combat Islamophobia. Before the vote, Pakistan’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Munir Akram, reviewed the resolution, emphasizing its continuation of the first resolution which established the International Day to Combat Islamophobia two years ago. The resolution condemns any call for religious hatred and incitement to discrimination, hostility, or violence against Muslims.
The General Assembly in its resolution appealed to member states to take necessary measures to combat religious bigotry, stereotypes, hatred, incitement to violence against Muslims, and to legally prohibit incitement to violence based on religion or belief. Following the vote, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres spoke, highlighting the malignancy of Islamophobia as a complete denial and ignorance of Islam and Muslims and their undeniable contributions. Guterres pointed out that we are witnessing a rising wave of hatred and intolerance against Muslims worldwide, manifesting in various forms, including structural and systemic discrimination, social and economic exclusion, unequal immigration policies, surveillance and unjust profiling, and restrictions on accessing citizenship, education, and employment.
Guterres warned of institutional barriers violating the international commitment to human rights and dignity, perpetuating a cycle of exclusion, poverty, and deprivation echoing through generations. He emphasized that hate tears apart our societies, undermines equality, understanding, and respect for human rights upon which a peaceful future and world depend. Guterres also underscored the importance of not being bystanders while hate and intolerance spread, reminding us that we all have a responsibility to confront and eradicate the scourge of anti-Muslim bigotry.
He highlighted that for about two billion Muslims around the world, Islam is a foundation of faith and worship that unites people in every corner of the globe, also constituting one of the pillars of our shared history. Guterres acknowledged the significant contributions of Muslim scholars to culture, philosophy, and science, stating, “Muslims represent the wonderful diversity of the human family.”
