Hate speech: a threat to global peace
Claudia Ngombet is a journalist, peace and gender activist with around 10 years of experience in the media and nonprofit sectors. She is Founder/Publisher of CNews24, an online news media created to promote peace, by curbing the propagation of hate speech and fake news. She is a part-time lecturer and Communication Officer for Positive Peace Group.
Claudia holds a Masters Degree in International Relations, with specialty in International Communication and Public Action. She is a Rotary Peace Fellow (Makerere University, Uganda) and YALI alumna, and is involved in many other youth leadership programs.
Hate speech is a real and visible threat to social cohesion and global peace. As complex as the term hate speech might be, the practice is becoming more visible in every sphere of life and corner of the world, with both immediate and long term effects on global stability.
The UN Strategy and 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 factor.”
It should be noted that hate speech goes along with fake news, disinformation and sometimes misinformation, which all hinder peace, social cohesion and living together. In Cameroon for instance, this phenomenon has witnessed an upsurge following the ongoing socio-political conflict that has plagued this part of the Aftican continent for almost a decade since the end of 2016.
Hate speech is a real and visible threat to social cohesion and global peace.
It Is regrettable that this phenomenon is been pushed forward by some opinion leaders, intellectuals, elites, artist, bloggers, celebrities and influencers of all kinds.
Technological developments have heightened the scourge, which was intensified during the COVID-19 pandemic and its numerous lockdowns.
The role of the media in publishing hateful content, underreporting or keeping silent concerning hate speech, can not be underrated. Some media organs would rather run for the money or traffic that a hurtful article will bring, or simply play the blind game over a hate message.
Countering hate speech must be at the top of the agenda to strengthen social cohesion, love for humanity, unity and peace. This calls for the contribution of all actors, individuals, public and private institutions, with the media having a pivotal role to change the paradigm and reshape public opinion towards a behavioral change for a sustainable a peace world.
Digitalisation and Hate speech
It is no deniable fact that technological advancement, with the advent of social media, has led to an upsurge in the propagation of hate rhetoric.
The availability of minimal, simplified versions of mobile applications and digital tools, at almost no cost, has further paved the way for the rapid spread of hateful content both online and offline. These hateful contents are disseminated in the form of verbal expression, images, cartoons, memes, objects, gestures and symbols. New communication technologies have even made it possible for individuals to share hate and harmful contents anonymously.
This poses a serious threat to social cohesion and global peace, both in the virtual sphere and in physical communities.
Words bite, words kill, words divide
Gone are those days when we would say that “sticks and stones will break my bones but words will never hurt me”. Our tongue (words) is the most dangerous weapon, the tongue kills without drawing blood. Our actions emanate from our thoughts, then words. Wars, genocides don’t just happen, they start with words, an ideology (hate speech) and spread, radicalizing supporters.
Hate speech has become a new societal cankerworm that if not regulated and/or uprooted, would cause more instability than ever existed. Is this worm or virus of hate speech treatable? YES!
Deconstructing hate speech
First and foremost, countering hate speech begins with us embracing our diversities as a strength for our personal growth and community development. Self-discipline and the love for humanity, awakening the ubuntuism within us. We should always think before we speak or share any hateful content. This will help to curb the rapid spread of misinformation both online and offline.
Furthermore, media and information literacy will encourage young people to question, evaluate, understand and appreciate their multimedia culture. In as much as it might be time-consuming to fact-check information in this information age, it is easy to detect false and hateful messages online by verifying the primary source of the information with the help of keywords or image search. Youth are encouraged to always fact-check or verify information via reliable news sources before believing and clicking the share button. This will help them to become responsible, active, engaged and positive media consumers and users.
Do not remain silent but point out, condemn, in a firm and respectful tone, any hateful content that you come across, even if it is not directed to you. Remember that what goes around comes around.
Sharing a counter-speech message to challenge hateful contents is another great way of countering hate speech in the community. This move will help to paint and portray the other side of the hate content with positive narratives of inclusivity, solidarity, tolerance, love, peace and respect for human dignity.
Any hateful, harmful or divisive narratives that might incite public disorder, should be reported to authorities, administrators, activists or organizations fighting hate speech to the stigmatization of vulnerable communities and strengthen respect for the rule of law.
Human rights and civic education at all levels of education beginning with the basic level will help citizens, the youth, to be able to recognize their rights and those of others, and identify when they are being discriminated upon.
Fighting hate speech is as risky as investigative and rights protection tasks, as such maximum legal support should be provided to protect reporters and activists fighting hate speech in the Society, both online and offline.
Finally, providing support to the media as the fourth estate, with its hypodermic needle effect can play a vital role in reshaping responsible, positive public behavior in countering hate speech and setting the agenda for sustainable global peace.
Want to learn more?
Read The Young Peacebuilders’ Guide to Tackling Harmful Narratives, a resource with a concrete step-by-step methodology and tools to support young peacebuilders in their fight against harmful narratives. The guide also includes four concrete alternative narrative campaigns that were developed by UNOY Peacebuilders members.
