15 March has been proclaimed by the United Nations as the first-ever International Day to combat Islamophobia. The day represents the need for a concrete strategy against crimes of hatred and terror and promotes tolerance, peace, and respect. A special event was held in the General Assembly Hall to highlight the advent of this day and the foreign minister spoke on the occasion.
In his message against rising violence against Muslims, he highlighted that the issue remains underreported and ignored. A practical action plan was proposed that necessitated international measures for the protection of Holy sites and laws that target hate speech. International judicial mechanisms and laws for punishment also have a deterrent effect on the crime and were thus mentioned.
It is commendable that the opening speech rightly emphasized the call to action and included actionable interventions. Likewise, FM’s persistence to the UN to formulate an action plan with the OIC countries indicates the urgency around the issue and presents an avenue for further collaboration.
The day also brings back the 2019 attack in Christchurch, New Zealand, which killed 51 people in two mosques. This is significant to remember as the scale of the issue and the need for intervention must be salient to our collective consciousness.
Several studies have shown that most Americans do not know a Muslim in their personal lives and thus rely on public figures and media for their little knowledge of the religion. Therefore, communities and individuals must be empowered to effectively counter Islamophobic perceptions and anti-Muslim sentiment. The basic tenet of Islam is peace among citizens and this information is kept from the masses as Muslims are wrongfully and routinely associated with terrorists. Days like this in the West, and other areas where Muslims are in a minority, dent public misinformation and hold communities accountable for institutionalized anti-Muslim behavior. For example, it is hoped that with the current awareness, attention will also be directed to rising waves of anti-Muslim sentiment in India.