United Nations Strategy
and Plan of Action
on Hate Speech
Detailed Guidance on
Implementation for
United Nations Field Presences
SEPTEMBER 2020
TABLE OF CONTENTS
FOREWORD BY THE SECRETARY-GENERAL ........................... 3
SUMMARY ................................................. 5
I. INTRODUCTION: A COMMON APPROACH .......................... 7
II. UNDERSTANDING HATE SPEECH................................10
A. What is “hate speech” under the Strategy? .......................... 10
B. What types of speech are covered by the Strategy? ..................... 12
C. How should the severity of hate speech be assessed? .................... 17
D. How is the Strategy relevant to United Nations eld presences? ..............19
III. IMPLEMENTATIONOFTHESTRATEGY’STHIRTEENCOMMITMENTS .......23
IV. ACTIONPOINTSANDSPECIFICRECOMMENDATIONSFOR
IMPLEMENTING THE THIRTEEN COMMITMENTS OF THE STRATEGY ......25
COMMITMENT 1: Monitoring and analysing hate speech ...................25
COMMITMENT 2: Addressing root causes, drivers and actors of hate speech .......28
COMMITMENT 3: Engaging and supporting the victims of hate speech ..........30
COMMITMENT 4: Convening relevant actors ..........................32
COMMITMENT 5: Engaging with new and traditional media .................33
COMMITMENT 6: Using technology ...............................38
COMMITMENT 7: Using education as a tool for addressing and countering hate speech .. 40
COMMITMENT 8: Fostering peaceful, inclusive and just societies to address the
root causes and drivers of hate speech ............................. 42
COMMITMENT 9: Engaging in advocacy ............................44
COMMITMENT 10: Developing guidance for external communications ........... 47
COMMITMENT 11: Leveraging partnerships ..........................48
COMMITMENT 12: Building the skills of United Nations staff ................49
COMMITMENT 13: Supporting Member States ........................50
KEY RESOURCES ON HATE SPEECH ................................51
3 UNITED NATIONS STRATEGY AND PL AN OF ACTION ON HATE SPEECH: DETAILED GUIDANCE | SEPTEMBER 2020
Foreword
by the Secretary-General
UNITED NATIONS STRATEGY AND PLAN OF ACTION ON
HATE SPEECH: DETAILED GUIDANCE ON IMPLEMENTATION
FOR UNITED NATIONS FIELD PRESENCES
1 Developed by the Oce on Genocide Prevention and the Responsibility to Protect, in consultations with the United Nations Working
Group and several United Nations eld presences
Fighting hate, discrimination, racism and
inequality is at the core of United Nations
principles and the Organization’s work. It is
enshrined in our founding Charter, in the inter-
national human rights framework and in our
collective efforts to achieve the Sustainable
Development Goals. Hate speech, including
online, has become one of the most frequent
methods for spreading divisive and discrim-
inatory messages and ideologies. This is
why I launched a United Nations Strategy
and Plan of Action to counter this poison.
The Strategy embodies a commitment by the
United Nations to step up coordinated action
to tackle hate speech both globally and at
the national level. It responds to the worrying
growth of xenophobia, racism and intolerance,
including anti-Semitism and anti-Muslim hatred,
around the world. Hate speech undermines
social cohesion, erodes shared values and
can lay the foundation for violence, undermin-
ing peace, stability, sustainable development
and the fulllment of human rights for all.
Implementing the Strategy requires concerted
system-wide efforts. My Special Adviser on the
Prevention of Genocide is coordinating these
efforts in close collaboration with the United
Nations Working Group on Hate Speech, com-
prised of 16 United Nations entities. United
Nations Country Teams and our peace opera-
tions and political missions are also engaged,
since we know that often the most effective
action to address and counter hate speech
happens at the national and grassroots levels.
This Guidance
1
provides detailed information
on how to implement the 13 commitments
set out in the Strategy and options for action
that United Nations staff can take in eld con-
texts, guided by the broad vision of prevention,
and building on good practices from within
the United Nations system as well as from
Member States, civil society and other stake-
holders. The Guidance is a living document
that will be reviewed and updated as needed.
I encourage all Resident Coordinators and heads
of United Nations missions to use this guidance
to develop country-level action plans to tackle
4 UNITED NATIONS STRATEGY AND PL AN OF ACTION ON HATE SPEECH: DETAILED GUIDANCE | SEPTEMBER 2020
hate speech, drawing on existing plans and
programmes, most importantly the Sustainable
Development Cooperation Frameworks.
I also hope this Guidance will inspire
United Nations senior leaders in the eld to
strengthen their collaborative work on this
crucial challenge. We need a collective effort
as each entity has something to contribute
to addressing and countering hate speech
and no single entity can address and counter
hate speech on its own. While States have
the primary responsibility, the United Nations
is well-placed to support such efforts
through technical assistance and capacity
building and by ensuring that national
measures are in line with international
human rights norms and standards.
The United Nations also has an important role in
convening and partnering with others, including
civil society, media and the private sector, in
particular tech and social media companies.
I trust that this Guidance will facilitate
implementation of the Strategy on the ground
and bring us closer to upholding the values of the
Charter of the United Nations that rearms the
dignity and worth of every person, a commitment
to live in tolerance and respect and the shared
promise of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable
Development to leave no one behind.
António Guterres
United Nations Secretary-General
5 UNITED NATIONS STRATEGY AND PL AN OF ACTION ON HATE SPEECH: DETAILED GUIDANCE | SEPTEMBER 2020
Summary
This Guidance is a resource tool for United Nations field presences on
implementing the United Nations Strategy and Plan of Action on Hate Speech.
The Strategy covers three categories or levels of unlawful and lawful expression.
1. AT THE TOP LEVEL, “direct and public incitement to genocide” and “advocacy of national,
racial or religious hatred that constitutes incitement to discrimination, hostility or violence” are
prohibited under international law.
2. AT THE INTERMEDIATE LEVEL, certain forms of hate speech may be prohibited, but only if
restrictions are provided by law, pursue a legitimate aim (e.g. respect of the rights of others, or
the protection of public order) and are necessary and proportionate.
3. AT THE BOTTOM LEVEL, legal restrictions should not be imposed on the dissemination of
lawful expressions that are, for example, offensive, shocking or disturbing.
The primary duty bearers under international
human rights law are State actors, including
Governments, legislatures, State authori-
ties, and courts. States remain at the centre
of the implementation of the Strategy.
The United Nations should support State actors
in discharging their responsibilities under inter-
national human rights law and towards imple-
menting the Strategy. In doing so, the United
Nations should place victims at the centre of
its approach. Civil society organizations are an
indispensable partner to the United Nations.
United Nations eld presences’ responses to
hate speech should be calibrated according
to the level of severity, assessed on the basis
of (a) the social and political context; (b) the
status of the speaker; (c) the intention of the
speaker; (d) the content and form of the speech;
(e) the extent of its dissemination; and (f) the
likelihood of harm, including imminence (the
“six-part test” or the “Rabat threshold test”).
In implementing the Strategy, United
Nations eld presences should note that:
> Only incitement to discrimination, hos-
tility or violence that meets all six
criteria should be criminalized;
> Less severe forms of incitement or hate
speech (i.e. which do not meet all six criteria)
should attract civil or administrative law-
based restrictions, or public policy responses;
> Public condemnation of hate speech,
accountability for attacks on those exercis-
ing their right to freedom of expression, and
the expediting of public policy measures on
6 UNITED NATIONS STRATEGY AND PL AN OF ACTION ON HATE SPEECH: DETAILED GUIDANCE | SEPTEMBER 2020
the promotion of diversity may be especially
important in the immediate aftermath of an
incident of hate speech or incitement, and
when tensions are escalating in a society.
All United Nations eld presences
have a common responsibility
to implement the Strategy.
United Nations resident coordinators, coun-
try teams (UNCT), peacekeeping opera-
tions and special political missions have
responsibilities to protect and promote
2 The United Nations Working Group on Hate Speech at Headquarters includes the following entities: Department of Global
Communications, Department of Peace Operations, Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs, Envoy of the Secretary-General
on Youth, Executive Oce of the Secretary-General of the United Nations, Global Pulse, International Organization for Migration, Oce
of Counter-Terrorism, the United Nations Oce on Genocide Prevention and the Responsibility to Protect, Oce of the United Nations
High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), Oce of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), United Nations
Alliance of Civilizations, United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), United Nations
Educational, Scientic and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of
Women (UN-Women).
freedom of opinion and expression and the
right to equality and non-discrimination, in
addressing and countering hate speech.
United Nations peacekeeping missions with an
explicit mandate on hate speech have a height-
ened responsibility to implement the Strategy.
The United Nations Working Group on Hate
Speech,
2
and the United Nations Oce on
Genocide Prevention and the Responsibility
to Protect, as the designated focal point on
the Strategy, stand ready to provide sup-
port, technical assistance and further direc-
tion to the United Nations eld presences
for the implementation of this Guidance.
7 UNITED NATIONS STRATEGY AND PL AN OF ACTION ON HATE SPEECH: DETAILED GUIDANCE | SEPTEMBER 2020
I. Introduction:
A Common Approach
3 Remarks of the Secretary-General of the United Nations, António Guterres, at the launch of the United Nations Strategy and Plan
of Action on Hate Speech, 18 June 2019. On atrocity crimes generally, see United Nations Oce on Genocide Prevention and the
Responsibility to Protect, Framework of Analysis for Atrocity Crimes (2014) (A/70/741-S/2016/71, annex).
4 A/HRC/39/CRP.2, paras. 1289–1360; and Gert Rosenthal, “A brief and independent inquiry into the involvement of the United Nations
in Myanmar from 2010 to 2018” (29 May 2019), p. 7. See also A/HRC/42/CRP.5, available from www.ohchr.org/EN/HRBodies/HRC/
MyanmarFFM/Pages/ReportHRC42thSession.aspx.
5 United Nations, “United Nations guidance note on addressing and countering COVID-19 related hate speech”, 11 May 2020.
6 Remarks of the Secretary-General at the launch of the United Nations Strategy and Plan of Action on Hate Speech.
7 Ibid.
8 Ibid.; see also the joint open letter on concerns about the global increase in hate speech, signed by 26 special procedure mandate hold-
ers, available at www.ohchr.org/EN/NewsEvents/Pages/DisplayNews.aspx?NewsID=25036&LangID=E.
9 Cherilyn Ireton and Julie Posetti, Journalism, Fake News and Disinformation: Handbook for Journalism Education and Training (Paris,
UNESCO, 2018).
10 Remarks of the Secretary-General at the launch of the United Nations Strategy and Plan of Action on Hate Speech; and Gert Rosenthal,
“A brief and independent inquiry into the involvement of the United Nations in Myanmar from 2010 to 2018”. Most United Nations texts
refer to “incitement to discrimination, hostility or violence” rather than “hate speech” as such, largely because there is no denition in
international law of the latter term and there is a lack of consensus about its meaning. Recent exceptions include General Assembly res-
olution 73/328, A/74/486, and the joint open letter on concerns about the global increase in hate speech, signed by 26 special procedure
mandate holders.
Recent years have witnessed an upsurge in
hate speech around the world, often with grave
implications. Hate speech has been identied
as a common “precursor to atrocity crimes,
including genocide” in many situations, “from
Rwanda to Bosnia to Cambodia”.
3
A campaign of
hate speech that included language dehuman-
izing the Rohingya, combined with the active
silencing of critical voices, has been linked to
the commission of grave human rights viola-
tions in Myanmar, more recently.
4
Moreover, the
coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic has
given rise to a new wave of hate speech and dis-
crimination across the world.
5
Hate speech has
been shown to result in a range of real harms,
attacking tolerance, inclusion, social cohesion
and shared values.
6
It undermines the essential
identity and objectives of the United Nations
as expressed in the Organization’s Charter —
especially respect for human rights without dis-
crimination — laying the foundation for violence,
while “setting back the cause of peace, stability,
sustainable development and the fullment of
human rights for all”.
7
In today’s digital age, hate
speech is further “enabled and amplied expo-
nentially through digital technology, often target-
ing women, minorities, and the most vulnerable”.
8
Hate speech is also often linked to disinforma-
tion, misinformation and malinformation.
9
The United Nations Strategy and Plan of Action
on Hate Speech, launched by the Secretary-
General in June 2019, is the rst system-wide ini-
tiative designed to tackle hate speech as such.
10
8 UNITED NATIONS STRATEGY AND PL AN OF ACTION ON HATE SPEECH: DETAILED GUIDANCE | SEPTEMBER 2020
The United Nations Strategy denes
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”.
While the above is not a legal denition and is
broader than the notion of “incitement to discrim-
ination, hostility or violence”, which is prohibited
under international human rights law,
11
the de-
nition in the Strategy providesasingle,unied
framework for how the United Nations system
should address hate speech globally. Developed
on the basis of a joint effort by 14 United Nations
entities, the Strategy tasks the United Nations
with addressing “the root causes and drivers
of hate speech”, on the one hand, and enabling
effective responses to its impact upon socie-
ties, on the other.
12
The commitments set forth
in the Strategy are not aimed at “preventing”
speech as this could suggest restrictions on
freedom of opinion and expression that would
be problematic in practical terms and contrary to
international human rights law, but are directed
at addressing and countering hate speech.
13
11 Art. 20 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights; and the Rabat Plan of Action on the prohibition of advocacy of national,
racial or religious hatred that constitutes incitement to discrimination, hostility or violence (A/HRC/22/17/Add.4, annex).
12 The following United Nations entities were involved in the drafting of the Strategy: Department of Global Communications, Department
of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs, Envoy of the Secretary-General on Youth, Executive Oce of the Secretary-General of the United
Nations, Global Pulse, Oce of Counter-Terrorism, the United Nations Oce on Genocide Prevention and the Responsibility to Protect,
OHCHR, United Nations Alliance of Civilizations, UNDP, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNICEF and UN-Women. These entities, together with the
Department of Peace Operations, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Violence against Children and the International
Organization for Migration, form the United Nations Working Group on Hate Speech.
13 The language of “prevention” of hate speech would therefore suggest a “prior restraint”. Art. 19 (1) of the International Covenant on Civil
and Political Rights protects “the right to hold opinions without interference”, a right which to which the Covenant “permits no exception
or restriction”; see Human Rights Committee, general comment No. 34 (2011) on the freedoms of opinion and expression, para. 9.
This Guidance has been developed by the United
Nations Oce on Genocide Prevention and the
Responsibility to Protect, the designated United
Nations focal point on the Strategy, to provide
more detailed advice and direction on how the
Strategy should be effectively implemented
byUnitedNationseldpresences. Given the
work of the eld presences at the frontlines of
the United Nations system, their engagement
is critical to the effective implementation of
the Strategy. The Guidance translates each of
the Strategy’s 13 commitments into concrete
actions to be taken by eld presences, and in
doing so, elaborates upon the responsibilities of
key actors. It applies to all personnel in United
Nations eld presences, in both mission and
non-mission settings, including resident coordi-
nators (RCs), humanitarian coordinators, special
representatives, special envoys, personal envoys,
and special coordinators in political and peace-
keeping missions, as well as country teams and
all United Nations staff. It offers examples of
existing good practices on measures to address
hate speech, which should serve to “level up”
existing actions and efforts on the subject.
In eshing out how to implement the Strategy,
this Guidance underlines the importance of
a clear, common and concrete approach to
address and counter hate speech, one that
is coherent, comprehensive and coordi-
nated system-wide, and one that protects
and promotes human rights in accordance
9 UNITED NATIONS STRATEGY AND PL AN OF ACTION ON HATE SPEECH: DETAILED GUIDANCE | SEPTEMBER 2020
with international law. This international legal
framework encompasses both relevant and
binding treaties
14
and soft law (or non-bind-
ing standards), most notably on the right
to freedom of opinion and expression.
15
States are the primary duty bearers under
this international legal framework, and
hence the main responsibility to address
and counter hate speech lies with State
actors. The Strategy provides an essential
framework for how the United Nations —
working with others, including civil society
organizations, media outlets, tech com-
panies and social media platforms — can
support and complement States in their
efforts to address and counter hate speech.
The Guidance reects critical lessons drawn
from past experiences where hate speech and
incitement to discrimination, hostility or vio-
lence have fuelled or exacerbated widespread
violations and provided an environment condu-
cive to the commission of atrocity crimes.
16
14 Art. 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and arts. 19 and 20 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights; and
see Human Rights Committee, general comment No. 34.
15 See, especially, the Rabat Plan of Action; A/74/486; and the joint open letter on concerns about the global increase in hate speech,
signed by 26 special procedure mandate holders.
16 Gert Rosenthal, “A brief and independent inquiry into the involvement of the United Nations in Myanmar from 2010 to 2018”. See also the
Report of the Secretary-General’s Internal Review Panel on United Nations Action in Sri Lanka, of November 2012.
While the Guidance is mostly designed for
action at the national level, much of its con-
tent can be used for cross-border responses.
This is particularly important in situations
where those who disseminate hate speech
have foreign links or are based outside the
country in diaspora communities, or where the
content of hate speech is directed at foreign-
ers, those perceived as foreigners, or others
targeted because of their “foreign” identity.
The circulation of hate speech online on social
media platforms is also borderless. United
Nations country teams and peace operations
are therefore strongly encouraged to discuss
their approaches to the implementation of
the Strategy under this Guidance with their
counterparts, especially in neighbouring
countries or countries with diaspora com-
munities. United Nations regional presences
are also encouraged to explore what role
they can play together, in the implementa-
tion of the Guidance. Furthermore, United
Nations eld presences should consider
opportunities to involve regional multilateral
organizations and networks of independ-
ent national human rights organizations or
non-governmental organizations (NGOs).
10 UNITED NATIONS STRATEGY AND PL AN OF ACTION ON HATE SPEECH: DETAILED GUIDANCE | SEPTEMBER 2020
II. Understandinghatespeech
17 United Nations Strategy and Plan of Action on Hate Speech, p. 2.
18 ARTICLE 19, “Hate Speech” Explained: A Toolkit (London, 2015), p. 10. For examples of various approaches to hate speech, see p. 12.
A. What is “hate speech” under
the Strategy?
The Strategy denes hate speech as the
following:
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. This is often rooted in, and gener-
ates, intolerance and hatred, and in certain
contexts can be demeaning and divisive.
This denitionisforthepurposesofsupporting
a common basis for the implementation of the
Strategy by the United Nations, only. It does not
give rise to any binding obligations upon States.
17
There is no universally accepted denition of
hate speech under international law.
18
Under the
Strategy, hate speech requires that the following
three components be present (see gure1).
1. IT IS “ANY KIND OF
COMMUNICATION”, WHETHER
IN THE FORM OF “SPEECH,
WRITING OR BEHAVIOUR”.
> Hate speech can be conveyed through
any form of expression, including images,
cartoons, memes, art objects, gestures and
symbols.
> Hate speech can be disseminated oine or
online.
> With regard to behaviour, it is important to
distinguish hate speech from hate crimes, as
well as from acts of discrimination (i.e. when
FIGURE 1. THE COMPONENTS OF HATE SPEECH UNDER THE STRATEGY
HATE SPEECH
for the purposes of the Strategy, requires that these three components be present
3. with reference to one or more identity factors
1. Communication
(speech, writing
or behaviour)
2. that attacks or uses pejorative language
11 UNITED NATIONS STRATEGY AND PL AN OF ACTION ON HATE SPEECH: DETAILED GUIDANCE | SEPTEMBER 2020
an individual is treated less favourably than
others in a similar situation, on the basis
of an identity factor). Hate speech neces-
sarily involves expression, whereas most
hate crimes do not, though they are often
preceded by hate speech. Furthermore, all
hate crimes are criminal offences, whereas
hate speech will not always constitute a crim-
inal offence.
2. IT “ATTACKS, OR
USES PEJORATIVE OR
DISCRIMINATORY LANGUAGE”.
> Under the Strategy, hate speech is commu-
nication which is biased, bigoted, intolerant
or prejudiced (“discriminatory”) or contemp-
tuous or demeaning (“pejorative”) of an
individual or group based on their identity.
3. IT MAKES REFERENCE TO
AN “IDENTITY FACTOR”.
> Hate speech is communication that makes ref-
erence to a person or group’s “religion, ethnic-
ity, nationality, race, colour, descent, gender or
other identity factor” — characteristics which
are explicitly recognized in the Strategy.
> However, the list of identity factors (often
called “protected characteristics”) laid
down in the Strategy is clearly non-exhaus-
tive, given that “any other identity factor” is
included. In interpreting the Strategy, United
Nations eld presences should embrace an
inclusive approach, based on the specic
context in which they operate, and encom-
pass such recognized identify factors as:
language; political or other opinion; belief;
19 ARTICLE 19, “Hate Speech” Explained: A Toolkit, p. 14; and Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, general comment No. 20
(2009) on non-discrimination in economic, social and cultural rights, paras. 18–35.
20 Amnesty International, #ToxicTwitter, Violence and Abuse against Women Online, ACT 30/8070/2018, pp. 19–21 and 26–29.
21 See Human Rights Committee, general comment No. 34, paras. 38 and 48. See also ARTICLE 19, “Hate Speech” Explained: A Toolkit, pp.
30–31.
national or social origin; property; birth or
other status, including indigenous origin
or identity; caste; disability; health status;
migrant or refugee status; place of residence;
economic and social situation; marital and
family status; sexual orientation; gender iden-
tity; intersex status; age; albinism; and HIV
status.
19
As a general rule, United Nations
eld presences should focus on those
groups in situations of vulnerability due to
entrenched or historic stigmatization, dis-
crimination, long-standing conicts (e.g. over
land or other resources), and exclusion and
marginalization from the political, economic
and social life of the society.
> Communication that makes reference to two
or more identity factors is common and can
increase the harm suffered by its targets.
For instance, women on Twitter face more
hateful abuse and harassment if they are
of colour and openly lesbian or trans.
20
> The bullying, including cyberbullying, of chil-
dren can be a manifestation of hate speech,
particularly when it involves one of the
above-mentioned identity factors, as it mirrors
how hate speech operates in adult society.
> Hate speech is communication that refers to
the real, purported or imputed identity factors
of an individual or group in a negative way.
But it does not include communication that
refers to the State, its oces or symbols, the
status of public ocials, or religious leaders
and doctrine as well as tenets of faith. These
entities and tenets cannot be the target of
hate speech, which can only be directed
at individuals or groups of individuals.
21
12 UNITED NATIONS STRATEGY AND PL AN OF ACTION ON HATE SPEECH: DETAILED GUIDANCE | SEPTEMBER 2020
B. What types of speech are
covered by the Strategy?
The Strategy covers a range of unlawful and
lawful types of expression
The Strategy’s denition of hate speech cap-
tures a very broad range of both unlawful and
also lawful forms of hateful expression.
The types of hate speech covered by the
Strategy can be divided into three categories,
according to the level of severity. Under inter-
national law, States have different obligations
and/or responsibilities when responding to
these three categories of hate speech. United
Nationseldpresencesshouldbeawareof
the differences between the three categories
and what responses to them (legal and non-
legal) are required and/or permissible. This
is important particularly when engaging with
Governments seeking to adopt legislation that
criminalizes hate speech, which often does
not meet the strict conditions of international
law. United Nations eld presences may also
be faced with State actors and political groups
weaponizing the idea of or the term hate
22 Art. 3 (c) of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide; and arts. 6 and 25 (3) (e) of the Rome Statute of
the International Criminal Court.
23 It is stated in art. 20 (2) that “any advocacy of national, racial or religious hatred that constitutes incitement to discrimination, hostility or
violence shall be prohibited by law”.
speech to justify or endorse repressive meas-
ures against those exercising their freedom of
expression (and other rights, such as the right
to peaceful assembly), such as against human
rights defenders, women’s rights defenders,
journalists, dissenters, civil society activists,
and persons belonging to minority groups.
THE THREE LEVELS OF
HATE SPEECH COVERED
BY THE STRATEGY ARE:
1. TOP LEVEL
The severest forms of hate speech are prohib-
ited under international law. Such expressions
include, most notably: (a) “direct and public
incitement to commit genocide”, as dened
by international criminal law;
22
and (b) “any
advocacy of national, racial or religious hatred
that constitutes incitement to discrimination,
hostility or violence”, as dened in article 20 (2)
of the International Covenant on Civil and
Political Rights.
23
In addition, article 4 of the
International Convention on the Elimination of
FIGURE 2. THE SCOPE OF THE STRATEGY
Lawful
hate speech
Unlawful
hate speech
Incitement
13 UNITED NATIONS STRATEGY AND PL AN OF ACTION ON HATE SPEECH: DETAILED GUIDANCE | SEPTEMBER 2020
All Forms of Racial Discrimination imposes a
duty upon States to criminalize “all dissemi-
nation of ideas based on racial superiority or
hatred, incitement to racial discrimination, as
well as all acts of violence or incitement to
such acts against any race or group of per-
sons of another colour or ethnic origin”.
Incitement requires a triangular relationship
between the hate speaker, an audience and
the target group, as in gure3 below.
24
According to international standards on the
meaning of “incitement to hostility, discrimina-
tion or violence”:
> The terms “hatred” and “hostility” should be
understood to refer to intense and irrational
24 ARTICLE 19, “Hate Speech” Explained: A Toolkit, p. 73.
25 Rabat Plan of Action, para. 21; and ARTICLE 19, The Camden Principles on Freedom of Expression and Equality (London,
2009), principle 12.
emotions of opprobrium, enmity and detesta-
tion towards the target group.
> “Advocacy” should be understood as requir-
ing an intention to promote hatred publicly
towards the target group.
> “Incitement” refers to statements which
create an imminent risk of discrimination,
hostility or violence against persons belong-
ing to targeted groups.
25
United Nations eld presences should be
aware that whether an expression of incite-
ment to discrimination, hostility or violence
is severe enough to amount to a criminal
offencedependsonwhetheritfullsall of
the criteria in the six-part threshold test set
FIGURE 3. THE TRIANGULAR RELATIONSHIP OF INCITEMENT
Public Audience
Advocacy of hatred
based on protected
characteristics
Likely and imminent danger
of acts of discrimination,
hostility, or violence
Hate Speaker Target Group
Hate
Causation
Knowledge of the likelihood
of the audience being incited
to an act of discrimination,
hostility or violence
SOURCE: ARTICLE 19, “Hate Speech” Explained: A Toolkit, p.73
14 UNITED NATIONS STRATEGY AND PL AN OF ACTION ON HATE SPEECH: DETAILED GUIDANCE | SEPTEMBER 2020
out in the Rabat Plan of Action on the prohi-
bition of advocacy of national, racial or reli-
gious hatred that constitutes incitement to
discrimination, hostility or violence, which is
a high threshold.
26
The criteria are: (a) the con-
text of the expression; (b) its speaker, (c) their
intent; (d) its content and form; (e) its extent
and magnitude; and (f) the likelihood, including
imminence, of inciting actual action against the
target group. The meaning of these criteria is
further explained in table 2 of this Guidance.
2. INTERMEDIATE LEVEL
Certain forms of hate speech may be prohib-
ited under international law, even if they do not
reach the above-mentioned threshold of incite-
ment,inspeciccircumstances.Under article
19 of the International Covenant on Civil and
Political Rights, certain types of biased expres-
sion may be restricted if such restrictions meet
certain strict conditions. Such limitations need
to: (a) be provided by law; (b) pursue a legitimate
aim, such as the respect of the rights of others,
including the right to equality and non-discrimi-
nation, or the protection of public order; and (c)
be necessary in a democratic society and pro-
portionate (the “three-part test”).
27
Restrictions
on freedom of expression may therefore be
imposed to protect individuals from hate speech
based on their protected characteristics (or
identity factors) in order to ensure their rights to
equality and non-discrimination, but as long as
the conditions of the three-part test are met.
For instance, restrictions on freedom of
expression may be imposed to protect individ-
uals from threats of violence or harassment
26 See www.ohchr.org/EN/Issues/FreedomOpinion/Articles19-20/Pages/Index.aspx.
27 Art. 19 (3) of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.
28 In general, however, blasphemous expression should not be considered hate speech. Furthermore, under international law, States are
obliged to prohibit incitement to terrorist acts. See ARTICLE 19, “Hate Speech” Explained: A Toolkit, pp. 29–30.
based on their identity (e.g. as women, youth
or migrants) if the three-part test is met. Such
restrictions may be permissible under this test
and especially important at certain times, such
as in the run-up to elections, or in relation to
certain contexts, in the broadcast media or in
educational institutions. Restrictions on speech
that may threaten national security, such as
incitement to terrorism and violent extremism,
which is often conated with hate speech,
also need to meet the same three-part test.
It should be noted that certain speech acts
may constitute discrimination as such (e.g. an
instruction by an employer to an employee to
discriminate against someone because of their
identity) and should be legally proscribed.
3. BOTTOM LEVEL
The least severe forms of hate speech
must not be subject to legal restrictions under
international law. Legal restrictions should not
be imposed on the dissemination of the following
types of speech (even though they may contribute
to spreading hatred):
> Expression that is offensive, shocking or
disturbing
> The condoning or denial of historical events,
including crimes of genocide or crimes
against humanity
> Blasphemous speech, including insult to reli-
gious feelings, lack of respect for a religion
or other belief system, and defamation of
religions
28
15 UNITED NATIONS STRATEGY AND PLAN OF ACTION ON HATE SPEECH: DETAILED GUIDANCE | SEPTEMBER 2020
FIGURE4.ARTICLE19’SHATESPEECHPYRAMID
SOURCE: Based on ARTICLE 19, “Hate Speech” Explained: A Toolkit, p.19
Article 20(2)
ICCPR
Article 19(3)
ICCPR
Article 19
ICCPR
MAY be
restricted
MUST be
restricted
Lawful “hate speech”
raising concerns
in terms of intolerance
Advocacy of
discriminatory
hatred constituting
incitement
to hostility,
discrimination
or violence
Incitement
to genocide
and other
violations of
International Law
Hate speech
which may be restricted
to protect the rights
or reputations of others,
or for the protection of national
security or of public order, or of
public health or morals
Applicable
International
Legal
Instruments
Genocide
Convention
+
Rome Statute
Must be
PROTECTED
Severity of harm
> Disinformation (and misinforma-
tion and malinformation)
29
unless such forms of expression also consti-
tute incitement to hostility, discrimination or
violence under article 20 (2) of the International
Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.
30
Laws banning such expression are likely to
result in the shutting down of public inter-
est debate and civic space, to have a chilling
effect on legitimate expression, and to help
to shield powerful gures from scrutiny and
allow for the targeting of journalists, human
rights defenders, the opposition and minorities.
Though such types of expression do not war-
rant legal restrictions, they may nonetheless
demand non-legal responses if considered as
hate speech under the Strategy (see table 1).
United Nations eld presences should encour-
age States and non-State actors to respond to
such forms of hate speech through a “plurality
of policies, practices and measures nurturing
social consciousness, tolerance and under-
standing change and public discussion”.
31
The commitments in the Strategy require a
comprehensive approach, as indicated by the
actions and recommendations set out in this
Guidance, in order to address the root causes
and counter the impacts of hate speech,
including such forms at the bottom level.
The three levels of hate speech are
reected in ARTICLE 19’s Hate Speech
Pyramid, which is indicated in gure4.
32
29 A recent UNESCO report differentiates three related concepts: misinformation, disinformation and malinformation. Misinformation is
“information that is false, but the person who is disseminating it believes that it is true”. Disinformation is “information that is false, and
the person who is disseminating it knows it is false”. It is “a deliberate, intentional lie, and points to people being actively disinformed
by malicious actors”. Malinformation is information that is based on reality, but that is used to inict harm on a person, organization
or country. See Cherilyn Ireton and Julie Posetti, Journalism, Fake News and Disinformation: A Handbook for Journalism Education and
Training, pp. 45–46.
30 See Human Rights Committee, general comment No. 34, paras. 48–49; and ARTICLE 19, The Camden Principles on Freedom of
Expression and Equality, principle 12.
31 Rabat Plan of Action, para. 35.
32 ARTICLE 19, “Hate Speech” Explained: A Toolkit, p. 19.
Top LevelBottom Level Intermediate Level
The Strategy’s three levels of hate speech
16 UNITED NATIONS STRATEGY AND PLAN OF ACTION ON HATE SPEECH: DETAILED GUIDANCE | SEPTEMBER 2020
TABLE 1. LEGAL RESTRICTIONS AND NON-LEGAL MEASURES
Table 1 distinguishes the circumstances in which legal prohibitions and restrictions are required, possible
or unacceptable under international law. It also provides examples of non-legal measures which may be
taken in response to any kind of hate speech.
Hate speech
Responses possible under international law
Legal
restrictions Other responses
TOP LEVEL
Direct and public
incitement to
genocide
Advocacy of
hatred that
constitutes
incitement to
discrimination,
hostility or
violence
Legal
prohibitions
are required
Sanctions
• Criminal
(if six-part
test is
fullled)
• Civil
• Administrative
The promotion of an enabling environment for the exercise of freedom of
expression, and of the right to equality and non-discrimination, through:
• Anti-discrimination legislation that
is in compliance with international
human rights norms and
standards, and its implementation
• Decriminalization of
blasphemy and defamation
• Accountability (i.e. the absence
of impunity) for attacks on
journalists, human rights
defenders, including women’s
human rights defenders,
activists, civil society actors,
and others exercising their
freedom of expression
• Access to information
• Protection of civic space
• Political and religious leaders,
scholars, and other public
gures avoiding statements
promoting discrimination and
promptly speaking out against
hate speech, including hate
speech targeted at their political
opponents, while making it
clear that violence cannot be
justied by prior provocation and
avoiding statements promoting
discrimination or intolerance
The adoption of public policy measures to promote diversity, including:
The promotion of stakeholders’ initiatives, including:
INTERMEDIATE
LEVEL
Threats of
violence
Harassment
motivated
by bias
Legal
restrictions
may be
imposed if
they meet
strict criteria
of legality,
legitimacy,
necessity and
proportionality
BOTTOM
LEVEL
Offensive
speech*
Blasphemous
speech*
Denial of
historical
events (e.g. of
genocide)*
Disinformation,
misinformation
and malinforma-
tion*
No legal
restrictions
* Such speech is protected expression and should only be considered as hate speech when used as a vehicle for hatred against individuals
or groups based upon protected characteristics.
• A public policy framework for
media pluralism and diversity
• Curriculum reform to promote
the positive value of diversity in
order to ensure understanding
of a broad plurality of peoples
and groups, public education
and information campaigns to
combat negative stereotypes,
and education initiatives to
complement anti-bullying
policies, promote social cohesion,
and celebrate diversity
• Training on freedom of expression
and the right to equality and
non-discrimination for public
ocials, politicians, teachers,
members of the armed forces,
the police and the judiciary, legal
and medical professionals, the
representatives of minorities,
community leaders, and religious
and faith leaders and actors
• Training of journalists and
media professionals on freedom
of expression and the right to
equality and non-discrimination
• Ocial recognition of past
atrocities (such as memorials,
dedication of public sites, and
development of relevant education
and research programmes)
• •Foster individuals’ critical
thinking, social and emotional
skills and responsible
engagement in order to make
them less vulnerable to incitement
(including through tools such as
global citizenship education and
media and information literacy)
• Civil society initiatives (e.g.
human rights education, peer-
to-peer learning, monitoring and
reporting of hate speech, and
storytelling by victims/targets)
• Alliances formed between
State and inuential actors
(such as religious leaders,
faith actors and artists)
• Promotion of an independent and
pluralistic media (with diversity
of content and workforces)
• Internet intermediaries’ initiatives
on addressing hate speech (as
long as they are transparent and
in accordance with international
human rights standards)
• Initiatives to promote
intergroup dialogue and
intergroup understanding
• Supporting children, educators
and the school system broadly to
promote the value of diversity
17 UNITED NATIONS STRATEGY AND PL AN OF ACTION ON HATE SPEECH: DETAILED GUIDANCE | SEPTEMBER 2020
C. How should the severity of
hate speech be assessed?
UnitedNationseldpresences’responsesto
hate speech should be calibrated according to
its severity
The seriousness or severity of hate speech
may be assessed on the basis of six criteria,
originally identied as the “six-part threshold
test” in the Rabat Plan of Action.
33
Though
this test was conceived to identify incite-
ment to discrimination, hostility or violence
that ought to be criminalized, its six criteria
can be drawn upon and applied by United
Nationseldpresencesasaframeworkto
33 Rabat Plan of Action, para. 29.
34 OHCHR, One-pager on “incitement to hatred”, available in several languages from www.ohchr.org/EN/Issues/FreedomOpinion/
Articles19-20/Pages/Index.aspx.
35 It is now easier for the six-part threshold test, or “Rabat threshold test”, to be used as a tool and be disseminated more widely by United
Nations eld presences, as it has now been translated into 32 languages; see www.ohchr.org/EN/NewsEvents/Pages/Hate-speech-
threshold-test.aspx.
36 See www.ohchr.org/EN/Issues/FreedomOpinion/Articles19-20/Pages/Index.aspx.
consistently analyse the nature and measure
the severity of any instance of hate speech
that they might encounter, and to calibrate
their actions and interventions in response.
34
Different degrees of severity call for different
legal and policy responses. To determine the
severity of any instance of hate speech, United
Nationseldpresencesshouldaskthem-
selves the questions indicated in table 2. It is
emphasized that the questions merely provide
a framework for gauging the severity of hate
speech under the conditions of any particular
context. They do not provide a scientic formula
for assessing the severity of the hate speech.
35
TABLE 2. HOW SEVERE IS HATE SPEECH?
A framework for assessing the severity of hate speech, derived from the Rabat Plan of Action: the
Rabat threshold test
36
Criteria of
severity Indicators Questions to ask
1.
Context
The legal,
political, social
and economic
context
> Is there an ongoing conict or are there incidents of violence against
the targeted group?
> Does the law recognize the targeted individual’s or group’s identity?
> Is there any anti-discrimination legislation and is it aligned with inter-
national human rights norms and standards?
> How does the media report on the targeted group, if at all?
> Is the media independent?
> Are there upcoming elections?
> What is the role of identity politics in electoral campaigns?
> Are there any challengers to the hate speech? If so, who are they?
18 UNITED NATIONS STRATEGY AND PL AN OF ACTION ON HATE SPEECH: DETAILED GUIDANCE | SEPTEMBER 2020
2.
Speaker
The position or
status of the
speaker in society
and their authority
orinuenceover
their audience
> Does the speaker have power or inuence in society?
> Are they a national leader, politician, public ocial, religious or faith
leader, or social media inuencer?
> What is their reputation and standing in society?
> What is their relationship with targeted groups?
3.
Intent
The state of mind
of the speaker
> Did the speaker intend to engage in advocacy of hatred against an
individual or group on the basis of a protected characteristic?
> Was there a triangular relationship, that is, did the speaker intend to
incite the audience against the target group? (in the case of incitement
only)
> Was the speaker merely negligent or reckless in their expression?
> Was the speaker’s communication in poor taste or showing a lack of
judgment?
4.
Content and
form
Nature and style of
the expression
> To what extent was the speech provocative and direct?
> What was the form, style and nature of arguments deployed in the
speech?
> Was there any balance of arguments deployed in the expression?
> Was the expression in the public interest?
> Was it artistic or academic expression?
5.
Extent and
magnitude of
the expres-
sion
Reach of the
expression
> How public was the expression when it was made?
> How widely was the expression disseminated?
> How large was the audience that was exposed to the expression?
> Was the expression disseminated oine and/or online?
6.
Likelihood,
including
imminence
Degree of risk of
harm
> Was there a reasonable probability that the speaker’s communication
would succeed in inciting actual action by the audience against the
target group? (in the case of incitement only)
> Was there a reasonable probability that harm would result from the
expression? (e.g. physical and/or psychological harm to an individual
or group, or harm to social cohesion)
> Would the harm have affected particular individuals within the targeted
group (e.g. women, children or youth) more than others?
> Would the harm have a different impact upon women and men?
Table 2 (continued)
19 UNITED NATIONS STR ATEGY AND PLAN OF ACTION ON HATE SPEECH: DETAILED GUIDANCE | SEPTEMBER 2020
D. How is the Strategy relevant
to United Nations eld
presences?
Alleldpresenceshaveacommonrespon-
sibility to implement the Strategy
The Strategy should be considered as part
of the United Nations system’s responsibili-
ties on human rights. In his call to action for
human rights, the Secretary-General empha-
sizes that “human rights are the responsibility
of each and every United Nations actor” and
that “a culture of human rights must perme-
ate everything we do, in the eld, at regional
level and at Headquarters”. In the document,
he calls on United Nations leaders in the eld,
including heads of mission and resident coor-
dinators, to play their part.
37
The Secretary-
General’s call to action reects and builds
upon Human Rights Up Front, the follow-up
to the Rosenthal report,
38
and the Secretary-
General’s broader priorities “which emphasize
prevention, protection and human rights in our
awareness, decision-making and programming
at eld, regional and Headquarters levels”.
39
The responsibility for the implementation of the
Strategy in the eld lies with both the leadership
and staff within United Nations country teams,
including humanitarian country teams, and
United Nations peacekeeping and special politi-
cal missions. The following actors are especially
relevant: (a) resident coordinators and heads
of agencies in United Nations country teams
(including in their role as humanitarian coordina-
tors when there is a humanitarian country team);
and (b) special representatives, special envoys,
personal envoys, representatives and special
coordinators in political and peacekeeping
37 Secretary-General of the United Nations, “The highest aspiration: a call to action for human rights” (2020), p. 4.
38 The report by Gert Rosenthal entitled “A brief and independent inquiry into the involvement of the United Nations in Myanmar from 2010
to 2018”.
39 Secretary-General of the United Nations, “The highest aspiration: a call to action for human rights”, p. 6.
missions. While all these actors have responsi-
bilities to implement the Strategy, the basis of
these responsibilities varies according to their
respective duties or the various components of
the mandates establishing their presence (e.g.
Security Council resolutions for peacekeeping
operations or special political missions). In
addition, the regional oces of entities of the
United Nations system — such as the Oce
of the United Nations High Commissioner for
Human Rights (OHCHR), the United Nations
Development Programme (UNDP), the United
Nations Educational, Scientic and Cultural
Organization (UNESCO) and the United Nations
Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment
of Women (UN-Women) — can play an impor-
tant role in supporting eld presences.
RESIDENT COORDINATORS
AND COUNTRY TEAMS
Resident coordinators and coun-
try teams have responsibilities
to uphold and promote freedom
of expression and the right to
equality and non-discrimination
The United Nations resident coordinators,
their oces (RCOs) and the United Nations
country teams have a clear responsibility to
implement the Strategy, for several reasons.
First, as the highest-ranking representatives of
the United Nations at the country level, resident
coordinators are the designated representa-
tives of, and hence directly accountable to, the
Secretary-General for the implementation of the
20 UNITED NATIONS STR ATEGY AND PLAN OF ACTION ON HATE SPEECH: DETAILED GUIDANCE | SEPTEMBER 2020
Strategy. The resident coordinators are also at
the heart of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable
Development, since they coordinate the United
Nations Sustainable Development Groupagen-
cies, funds and programmes working on
development (i.e. the United Nations country
teams).
40
Second, the resident coordinators and
country teams cover the broadest geographical
scope of the United Nations eld presences.
(As of February 2020, there were 129 resident
coordinators and 131 country teams). Failing
to respond effectively to incidents of hate
speech can undermine the work of the United
Nations in upholding and promoting human
rights, including freedom of expression and
the right to equality and non-discrimination,
in both non-mission and mission settings.
41
The Management and Accountability
Framework of the United Nations Development
and Resident Coordinator System, which
outlines United Nations country teams’
roles and responsibilities, indicates that:
> The resident coordinator works with country
team members to align agency programmes
for development and pooled funding with
national development needs and priorities as
well as with the United Nations Sustainable
Development Cooperation Framework
and international norms and standards;
> The resident coordinator, together with the
country team, builds strategic partnerships
around United Nations collective support for
the 2030 Agenda, enables active, meaningful
participation of local communities, particu-
larly those left behind or at risk of being left
behind, and recognizes the United Nations
system’saccountabilitytothepublic;
40 See https://unsdg.un.org/2030-agenda.
41 United Nations Development Group, Guidance Note on Human Rights for Resident Coordinators and UN Country Teams (January 2017),
p. 10.
42 United Nations Sustainable Development Group, “Management and accountability framework of the UN development and resident coor-
dinator system” (18 March 2019, with editorial revision carried out from 1 to 26 April 2019), pp. 9–11.
> The resident coordinator and country
team promote fundamental values, stand-
ards and principles of the Charter of the
United Nations, including respect for and
protection of human rights and gender
equality, and advocacy on the commit-
ment to “leave no one behind” and reach-
ingthefurthestbehindrst,ensuring
a strategic and coherent approach;
> Country team members promote norma-
tive and advocacy work in the areas of
their mandate, in line with agreed spe-
cicworkingarrangementsandincon-
sultation with the resident coordinator
in exceptional and sensitive cases;
> The resident coordinator leads the country
team in fostering a coherent and strate-
gic engagement on, and pursuance of, the
normative agenda of the United Nations,
as per international and regional treaties
and conventions, and in support of national
capacity development, in accordance with
relevant mandates and responsibilities;
> The performance assessment systems
that apply to the resident coordina-
tor and country team members include
performance indicators relating to pro-
moting norms and gender equality.
42
Consequently, the Strategy should be fully
integrated into the work of the resident
coordinators and country teams, including
with the support of peace and development
advisers, by forming a consistent part of the
common country analysis that they under-
take under the United Nations Sustainable
Development Cooperation Framework.
21 UNITED NATIONS STR ATEGY AND PLAN OF ACTION ON HATE SPEECH: DETAILED GUIDANCE | SEPTEMBER 2020
PEACEKEEPING MISSIONS
Peacekeeping missions with an
explicit mandate on hate speech
have a heightened responsibility
to implement the Strategy
Some Security Council resolutions establishing
or extending the mandates of peacekeeping
missions include explicit language on “hate
speech”,
43
or reference “incitement to eth-
nic and religious hatred and violence” and
“incitement to violence”
44
or “hate speech”
and “incitement to violence”.
45
Such direct
language indicates that these peacekeeping
missions have an obligation vis-à-vis hate
speech in the implementation of their mandate
and in reporting back to the Security Council.
The mandate of the United Nations Mission
in South Sudan, for instance, authorizes it to
“use all necessary means to”, among other
things, “monitor, investigate and report on
incidents of hate speech and incitement to vio-
lence”.
46
The United Nations Multidimensional
Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central
African Republic is authorized “to support
the Panel of Experts established pursuant to
resolution 2127 (2013) in collecting informa-
tion about acts of incitement to violence, in
particular on an ethnic or religious basis, that
undermine the peace, stability or security”.
47
Peacekeeping missions with such explicit
mandates on hate speech may therefore be
43 Security Council resolution 2502 (2019), concerning the mandate of the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the
Democratic Republic of the Congo.
44 Security Council resolution 2499 (2019), concerning the mandate of the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization
Mission in the Central African Republic.
45 Security Council resolution 2459 (2019), concerning the mandate of the United Nations Mission in South Sudan.
46 Ibid., para. 7 (c) (iii).
47 Security Council resolution 2499 (2019), para. 34 (c).
48 Department of Peace Operations, “Policy: the protection of civilians in United Nations peacekeeping” (effective date: 1 November 2019).
49 Ibid., para. 53.
50 Ibid., annex.
reasonably considered to have a heightened
level of responsibility in implementing the
commitments contained in the Strategy.
Yet peacekeeping missions whose mandates do
not contain such explicit language concerning
hate speech or incitement still have an important
role in implementing the Strategy, one that is
reinforced by their mandate on the protection of
civilians.
48
The increase in hate speech within
a peacekeeping context may itself be an early
warning indicator of a growing threat to the
protection of civilians and the onset of serious
human rights violations. The November 2019
policy on the implementation of mandates on the
protection of civilians further states that, as part
of the strategy of protection through dialogue
and engagement, “public information activities
and strategic communications will be used to
inuence behaviour, prevent or stop attacks on
civilians and respond to issues such as hate
speech which may lead to threats to civilians”.
49
It specically indicates that it is one of the core
responsibilities of heads of strategic communi-
cations “to gather and share relevant information
with mission protection-of-civilians coordina-
tion forums… on the use of hate speech”.
50
SPECIAL POLITICAL MISSIONS
Fostering peaceful, inclusive and just societies is
key to addressing the root causes and drivers of
hate speech.
22 UNITED NATIONS STR ATEGY AND PLAN OF ACTION ON HATE SPEECH: DETAILED GUIDANCE | SEPTEMBER 2020
Special political missions,
therefore, play an important role
in identifying, leveraging and
supporting preventive approaches
and responsive mechanisms,
which can curb hate speech at
the regional and national levels.
In keeping with the context in which special
political missions operate, hate speech and its
implications can be integrated across many
of the political and diplomatic tools used in
the implementation of mission mandates:
action- oriented analysis, preventive diplomacy,
mediation, electoral assistance, human rights,
peacebuilding support, capacity-building, and
partnerships.
The next and major part of this Guidance breaks
down each of the Strategy’s 13 commitments
into concrete actions to be taken by United
Nations eld presences. United Nations eld
presences are encouraged to develop and
operationalize their own action plans for the
implementation of the United Nations Strategy
and Action Plan on Hate Speech in line with their
particular mandates and this Guidance. The
United Nations Oce on Genocide Prevention
and the Responsibility to Protect, as the des-
ignated focal point on the Strategy, and the
United Nations Working Group on Hate Speech,
stand ready to provide United Nations eld
presences with expertise and further direction
to aid them in implementing this Guidance.
23 UNITED NATIONS STRATEGY AND PLAN OF ACTION ON HATE SPEECH: DETAILED GUIDANCE | SEPTEMBER 2020
III. Implementation
oftheStrategy’s
thirteen Commitments
51
This guidance is accompanies by an internal annex containing examples of good practices. These examples are intended to be usefulto
United Nations eld presences when consid ering how to implement the Strategy in their particular contexts. The examples may be repli-
cated, adapted and applied in other eld settings.
The Strategy should shape the priorities of all
non-missionandmissioneldpresencesand
provide a basis for the design, development and
delivery of programmatic activities, in particular
in contexts where hate speech has been identi-
edasathreattoUnitedNationsnorms,princi-
ples and values. In countries where hate speech
hasnotbeenidentiedasapressingissue,the
Strategy should have a preventive function.
In prioritizing their implementation of the
Strategy’s 13 commitments, individual
United Nations eld presences should be
informed by factors such as: the type of
eld presence (non- mission or mission,
and the mandate); the context and hate
speech trends in the country, and the
opportunities for strategic engagement
with government and stakeholders.
51
THE STRATEGY’S 13 COMMITMENTS
COMMITMENT 1 Monitoring and analysing hate speech
COMMITMENT 2 Addressing root causes, drivers and actors of hate speech
COMMITMENT 3 Engaging and supporting the victims of hate speech
COMMITMENT 4 Convening relevant actors
COMMITMENT 5 Engaging with new and traditional media
COMMITMENT 6 Using technology
COMMITMENT 7 Using education as a tool for addressing and countering hate speech
COMMITMENT 8 Fostering peaceful, inclusive and just societies to address the root causes and drivers
of hate speech
COMMITMENT 9 Engaging in advocacy
COMMITMENT 10 Developing guidance for external communications
COMMITMENT 11 Leveraging partnerships
COMMITMENT 12 Building the skills of United Nations staff
COMMITMENT 13 Supporting Member States
24 UNITED NATIONS STRATEGY AND PLAN OF ACTION ON HATE SPEECH: DETAILED GUIDANCE | SEPTEMBER 2020
In order to ensure that this Guidance is as
useful as possible and that the actions to
implement the Strategy are cohesive, the doc-
ument will be updated on a regular basis so as
to reect new practices and emerging trends,
as they appear from the United Nations sys-
tem’s growing body of practice on the issue.
The eld-level implementation of the Strategy’s
13 commitments critically relies upon key United
Nations personnel, and more specically:
> Those occupying leadership functions in
the eld, who have a primary responsibil-
ity — in non-mission settings, this means
the resident coordinator, while in mission
settings, this means special representatives
of the Secretary-General, and special or
personal envoys (heads of mission), who
should direct and coordinate the implemen-
tation of the Strategy at the eld level;
> Key staff in United Nations country teams or
peacekeeping operations or special political
missions, who have operational responsibil-
ities to implement the Strategy — especially
human rights advisers/heads of components,
peace and development advisers, protection
of civilians ocers, human rights ocers,
civil affairs ocers, and public information
ocers/strategic communications ocers,
as well as others with functions relevant
to the implementation of the Strategy at
the country level (e.g. staff in the United
Nations information centres (UNICs) and the
United Nations communication groups).
The United Nations Oce on Genocide
Prevention and the Responsibility to Protect,
as the designated focal point for the Strategy,
and the United Nations Working Group on
Hate Speech, will continue to provide direct
technical assistance and support for the
design and the delivery of the implemen-
tation of this Guidance at the eld level.
This Guidance signposts which United Nations
actors and entities are considered to be the
most relevant to the implementation of each
of the action points, in parentheses after each
numbered action point. It is recognized, how-
ever, that other United Nations actors and
entities may also be valuable for the effec-
tive implementation of each action point and
should be identied in the specic context.
25 UNITED NATIONS STRATEGY AND PL AN OF ACTION ON HATE SPEECH: DETAILED GUIDANCE | SEPTEMBER 2020
IV. Actionpointsand
specicrecommendations
for implementing the thirteen commitments
of the Strategy
TheactionpointsandspecicrecommendationsbelowareintendedtopresentUnitedNationseld
presences with a “menu” of options to consider in the implementation of the Strategy, including
throughtheirownnationalplans.UnitedNationseldpresencesarefreetodeterminewhichamong
thischoiceofoptionstoemphasizeandthespecicworkactivitiesthattheycarryoutunderthem.
COMMITMENT 1:
MONITORING AND ANALYSING HATE SPEECH
Relevant United Nations entities should be able to recognize, monitor, collect data on and analyse hate
speech trends
ACTION 1: Recognition of hate speech, and of trends and impacts
Action1:SpecicRecommendations
1. Ensure that relevant staff have a good understanding of the Strategy and the appropriate responses
to hate speech under international human rights law, as reected in section II of this Guidance (and
indicated in the Rabat Plan of Action and the Camden Principles on Freedom of Expression and
Equality) and specically (RC/head of mission) with regard to:
1.1 The meaning and scope of the Strategy’s denition of hate speech;
1.2 The three levels of hate speech;
1.3 The range of legal and other actions that must and may be taken by States in response to hate
speech under international human rights law;
1.4 The criteria to assess the severity of hate speech.
2. Ensure that a clear organizational and communications framework underpins the implementation of
the Strategy, including through (RC/UNCT/head of mission/peacekeeping operation or special politi-
cal mission/UNIC/United Nations communication group):
2.1 Initial and subsequent regular communications stressing the importance of the implementation
of the Strategy;
2.2 Setting priorities and SMART (i.e. specic, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-bound)
goals for the implementation of the Strategy at the country level;
26 UNITED NATIONS STR ATEGY AND PLAN OF ACTION ON HATE SPEECH: DETAILED GUIDANCE | SEPTEMBER 2020
ACTION1:SpecicRecommendations
2.3 Establishing an internal inter-agency task force (in larger eld presences) or a focal point
(in smaller eld presences) on the implementation of the Strategy at the country level, which
should ideally encompass staff with monitoring, protection and public information functions,
and meet regularly as needed in order to report progress on actions taken to implement the
Strategy;
2.4 Designating, within the task force or the focal point, a particular position (“contact point”) to
serve as the key interlocutor between the United Nations eld presence and Internet compa-
nies, particularly social media platforms (this role should be occupied by an individual with
a high level of training and expertise on international human rights norms, standards and
policies concerning hate speech or who is advised by an international human rights expert on
hate speech);
2.5 Ensuring training for communications ocers on international human rights norms and
standards on hate speech;
2.6 Ensuring regular presentations by key staff of data, information and analysis on hate speech
to effectively inform the programmatic activities, non-programmatic activities and advocacy
of the United Nations country team, or the activities of the peace operation, on an ongoing
basis at country level as part of the common country analysis;
2.7 Ensuring the dissemination of updated material on the Strategy and its implementation
through relevant tools;
2.8 Consistently including updates on the state of hate speech in regular communications with
the Secretary-General and as needed;
2.9 Reporting (through the task force or the focal point) to key United Nations entities, includ-
ing the United Nations Working Group on Hate Speech at Headquarters, and the Oce on
Genocide Prevention and the Responsibility to Protect as the designated focal point for the
Strategy, on the implementation of the Strategy at the country level in order to establish the
United Nations as a convenor, as regards monitoring and data collection and analysis of
hate speech, at the country and global levels (RC/head of mission/the Oce on Genocide
Prevention and the Responsibility to Protect /United Nations Working Group on Hate Speech).
Action 1 (continued)
27 UNITED NATIONS STRATEGY AND PL AN OF ACTION ON HATE SPEECH: DETAILED GUIDANCE | SEPTEMBER 2020
ACTION 2: Monitoring and collection of data
ACTION2:SpecicRecommendations
3. Conduct a review of existing activities at the country level on the monitoring of hate speech online
and oine (RCO/UNCT/peacekeeping operation or special political mission).
4. Drawing on the assessment and risk analysis in the common country analysis, undertake a baseline
study of the context of hate speech at the country level, which includes historical, political and socio-
economic grievances, and intergroup tensions and violence (RCO/UNCT/peacekeeping operation or
special political mission).
5. Adopt a clear, specic and systematic methodology based on the six criteria and indicators derived
from the Rabat Plan of Action (as reected in table 2) in order to track trends in and impacts of hate
speech, in ocial and local languages, on mainstream, public service, State and local media, and
also on the most relevant online platforms, and in doing so, use big data and articial intelligence
tools, including data analytics tools (including off-the-shelf commercial tools), as appropriate (RCO/
UNCT/peacekeeping operation or special political mission/UNIC/OHCHR).
6. Monitor hate speech in a way that is context-specic, including by monitoring in local languages, and
in doing so, draw on existing in-house expertise, the guidance provided by United Nations human
rights mechanisms, and the contributions of independent national human rights institutions, civil
society organizations, experts and stakeholders (RCO/UNCT/peacekeeping operation or special
political mission/UNIC/OHCHR).
ACTION 3: Analysis
ACTION3:SpecicRecommendations
7. Undertake quantitative and qualitative analysis of hate speech trends in order to identify patterns in
the country, regional and local contexts (RCO/UNCT/peacekeeping operation or special political mis-
sion/OHCHR/Global Pulse).
8. Consistently integrate analysis of hate speech trends in regional monthly and quarterly reviews and
as part of early warning and conict prevention mechanisms, including on conict-related sexual
violence (RCO/UNCT/peacekeeping operation or special political mission/relevant United Nations
entities).
9. Conduct a gender analysis of hate speech trends, in terms of the identity of instigators, targets/
victims, audiences and challengers, and of the impact of the hate speech (RCO/UNCT/peacekeeping
operation or special political mission/UN-Women/United Nations Population Fund/relevant United
Nations entities).
10. Share good practices regarding effective strategies to combat hate speech, including in relation to
the efforts undertaken by social media platforms (RCO/UNCT/peacekeeping operation or special
political mission/relevant United Nations entities).
28 UNITED NATIONS STRATEGY AND PL AN OF ACTION ON HATE SPEECH: DETAILED GUIDANCE | SEPTEMBER 2020
COMMITMENT 2:
ADDRESSING ROOT CAUSES, DRIVERS AND ACTORS OF HATE SPEECH
The United Nations system should adopt a common understanding of the root causes and drivers of
hate speech in order to take relevant action to best address and/or mitigate its impact. Relevant United
Nations entities should also identify and support actors who challenge hate speech.
ACTION 4: Identication of causes, drivers and actors
Action4:SpecicRecommendations
11. Ensure that the Strategy is integrated into existing United Nations political and human rights analy-
sis and reporting (RC/head of mission/relevant United Nations entities).
12. Identify leading instigators/speakers/disseminators of hate speech based on results of monitor-
ing, whether State or non-State actors, and determine their motivations or the underlying drivers
behind their hateful expressions in the particular country context (e.g. political objectives, inequal-
ity based on identity factors or protected characteristics, impunity, historical or current grievances,
economic inequality within the country, absence of free and secure civic space, and online disinhi-
bition), which may be symptoms of deeper structural issues that should be addressed by the State
(RCO/United Nations country team/peacekeeping operation or special political mission).
13. Identify causes, drivers and actors furthering gender-related hate speech (RCO/UNCT/peacekeep-
ing operation or special political mission).
14. Identify patterns of intersectional hate speech (i.e. hate speech that targets individuals or groups
on the basis of more than one identity factor).
15. Identify leading actual and potential challengers to hate speech, both State and non-State actors,
their position in society and their ability to inuence change (RCO/UNCT/peacekeeping operation
or special political mission).
ACTION 5: Addressing causes, drivers and actors
Action5:SpecicRecommendations
16. Identify and support existing State and non-State initiatives to address and counter hate speech,
including those organized by women’s and youth civil society organizations, and school clubs
(RCO/UNCT/peacekeeping operation or special political mission).
17. Support projects, programmes and activities that aim to (RCO/UNCT/peacekeeping operation or
special political mission):
17.1 Address the underlying drivers of hate speech (as set out above);
17. 2 Promote mutual respect, social cohesion, inclusion, and diversity;
17. 3 Provide a forum for the discussion on controversial opinions;
17.4 Promote the communication of counter and alternative narratives (i.e. speech that discredits
and deconstructs the narratives on which hate speech is based, by proposing narratives based
on human rights and democratic values), and in doing so, assess and mitigate the risks for
individuals addressing and countering hate speech.
29 UNITED NATIONS STRATEGY AND PLAN OF ACTION ON HATE SPEECH: DETAILED GUIDANCE | SEPTEMBER 2020
Action5:SpecicRecommendations
18. Address hate speech in engagements across the peace and security pillars, when and as appropri-
ate, through good oces work, conict prevention, dialogue, condence-building, electoral assis-
tance and peacebuilding, including women’s and youth empowerment, to help address the root
causes of hate speech (RCO/UNCT/peacekeeping operation or special political mission/relevant
United Nations entities).
19. Encourage individuals who have credibility and inuence over an audience or population (e.g.
religious leaders and actors, community leaders, political leaders, State authorities, social media
inuencers, and thought leaders) to call out hate speech (i.e. to serve as challengers), while being
mindful of the possibility of any negative repercussions for speaking out against hate speech
(RCO/UNCT/peacekeeping operation or special political mission/relevant United Nations entities).
20. Encourage political parties to adopt and enforce ethical guidelines in relation to the conduct of
their representatives, particularly with respect to public speech, and encourage independent
bodies monitoring elections to impose penalties for hate speech during public campaigns (RCO/
UNCT/peacekeeping operation or special political mission/relevant United Nations entities).
21. Where relevant, support projects and programmes on the promotion of transitional justice and
social cohesion, including by drawing on the Peacebuilding Fund and on the UNDP and Department
of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs programme on supporting national capacities (RCO/UNCT/
peacekeeping operation or special political mission/relevant United Nations entities).
22. Support the capacity of civil society groups at the national level on countering hate speech, includ-
ing by providing technical expertise and seed funding (RCO/UNCT/peacekeeping operation or spe-
cial political mission/relevant United Nations entities).
23. Explore synergies, as appropriate and possible, with national efforts to prevent and counter violent
extremism conducive to terrorism, including the development of national strategies and actions
plans, especially where the United Nations country team is involved in providing support (RCO/
UNCT/peacekeeping operation or special political mission/relevant United Nations entities).
Action 5 (continued)
30 UNITED NATIONS STRATEGY AND PL AN OF ACTION ON HATE SPEECH: DETAILED GUIDANCE | SEPTEMBER 2020
COMMITMENT 3:
ENGAGING AND SUPPORTING THE VICTIMS OF HATE SPEECH
United Nations entities should show solidarity with the victims of hate speech and implement human
rights-centred measures aimed at countering retaliatory hate speech and escalation of violence and at
empowering the targeted people or communities. They should also promote measures to ensure that
the rights of victims are upheld, and that their needs are addressed, including through advocacy for
remedies, access to justice and psychological counselling.
ACTION 6: Solidarity with victims
Action6:SpecicRecommendations
24. Promptly express solidarity with victims (or targets) of hate speech and, especially in cases of
incitement to discrimination, hostility or violence, by (RC/head of mission):
24 .1 Meeting with victims’ representatives and hearing their testimonies or views;
24.2 If deemed appropriate in the context, issuing public statements through traditional and online
media which recognize the harms of hate speech to individual victims (including psychological
harms), to targeted and vulnerable communities and to society as a whole.
25. Promote the meaningful voice of victims, including by inviting them to participate in and develop
the agendas of public forums, intergroup dialogues and consultations on tackling hate speech,
especially incitement to discrimination, hostility or violence (RCO/UNCT/peacekeeping operation
or special political mission).
ACTION 7: Countering retaliatory hate speech and escalation of violence
Action7:SpecicRecommendations
26. In the aftermath of a major incident of hate speech, especially incitement to discrimination,
hostility or violence, terrorism or another crime, conduct a risk assessment as to the possibility
of retaliatory hate speech and the escalation of violence (RCO/UNCT/peacekeeping operation or
special political mission).
27. Seek to reduce any threat of violence and calm societal tensions by prioritizing initiatives that
recognize the contextual drivers for hate speech, promote intergroup dialogue and understanding,
and acknowledge the internal diversity of groups (intragroup diversity) (RCO/United Nations
country team/peacekeeping operation or special political mission).
31 UNITED NATIONS STR ATEGY AND PLAN OF ACTION ON HATE SPEECH: DETAILED GUIDANCE | SEPTEMBER 2020
ACTION 8: Ensuring that victims’ rights and needs are upheld
Action8:SpecicRecommendations
28. Analyse existing national laws or legislative proposals on hate speech from the perspective of international
human rights law on freedom of expression (drawing on the expertise of OHCHR and UNESCO) and, if
necessary, advocate for reform of legislation to ensure compliance (RCO/UNCT/peacekeeping operation or
special political mission/OHCHR/UNESCO).
29. Encourage the strengthening of the framework of anti-discrimination law to ensure that it complies with
international human rights law and standards (RCO/UNCT/peacekeeping operation or special political
mission/OHCHR/ the Oce on Genocide Prevention and the Responsibility to Protect).
30. Encourage independent and impartial investigation into any reported instance of incitement to
discrimination, hostility or violence, especially when it may amount to a criminal offence, and the criminal
prosecution of alleged perpetrators (RCO/UNCT/peacekeeping operation or special political mission).
31. Promote standards of due process and on the protection of victims and witnesses from victimization for
giving evidence in relation to any criminal trials of individuals for incitement to discrimination, hostility or
violence (RCO/UNCT/peacekeeping operation or special political mission).
32. Promote the protection of victims and witnesses of hate speech and avoid exposing them to additional harm
for speaking out (RCO/UNCT/peacekeeping operation or special political mission).
33. Where appropriate, support strategic litigation:
33.1 In cases concerning incitement to discrimination, hostility or violence which is deemed to meet the high
threshold of the six-part test in the Rabat Plan of Action (RCO/UNCT/peacekeeping operation or special
political mission/OHCHR/);
33.2 Concerning laws which do not meet international human rights standards on freedom of expression
(RCO/UNCT/peacekeeping operation or special political mission/OHCHR/UNESCO).
34. Promote, in compliance with international human rights law, the application of civil and administrative
sanctions, including by media regulators, which may result in the awarding of pecuniary or non-pecuniary
damages and public apologies, in cases in which incitement to hostility, discrimination or violence has been
identied, but is not severe enough to constitute a criminal offence (RCO/UNCT/peacekeeping operation or
special political mission).
35. Promote non-legal remedies in support of victims of hate speech, which should not be subject to any legal
restrictions, as indicated in table 1 of this Guidance (e.g. events symbolically recognizing historical violations,
public apology, or civil society initiatives promoting victims’ storytelling or intergroup dialogue) (RCO/UNCT).
36. Support the ongoing review of existing and proposed laws and government policies on tackling hate speech,
by legislative committees, independent national human rights institutions and civil society organizations,
from the perspective of the State’s obligations under international human rights law on freedom of expres-
sion and equality (RCO/UNCT/peacekeeping operation or special political mission/UNESCO).
37. Support public discussion of the impact of hate speech upon victims and of the range of remedies possible
under international human rights law (RCO/UNCT/peacekeeping operation or special political mission).
38. Encourage the national Government to provide adequate resources for services for victims of hate speech
(especially those belonging to at-risk populations and those who have faced incidents of hate speech and
especially incitement to discrimination, hostility or violence over a long period), including psychological
counselling, and medical, housing and social services (RCO/UNCT/peacekeeping operation or special
political mission).
32 UNITED NATIONS STR ATEGY AND PLAN OF ACTION ON HATE SPEECH: DETAILED GUIDANCE | SEPTEMBER 2020
COMMITMENT 4:
CONVENING RELEVANT ACTORS
When relevant to the context, the United Nations should support the convening of key actors, reframe
problems in ways that make solutions more attainable, introduce independent mediation and expertise,
and build coalitions.
ACTION 9: Convening and reframing
Action9:SpecicRecommendations
39. Establish the United Nations as a convenor for addressing and countering hate speech at the coun-
try level through its role in bringing together and empowering key State and non-State actors —
including government ministries, parliamentarians, independent national human rights institutions,
media regulators, and civil society organizations — for the effective implementation of the Strategy
(RC/head of mission).
40. Identify which key actors (e.g. the media, representatives of political parties, religious leaders, civil
society representatives, representatives of the private sector, inuencers, and grass-roots organi-
zations), in which congurations, could be effective in addressing and countering hate speech, and
create opportunities for those actors to discuss the challenges and opportunities of addressing
hate speech in accordance with the Strategy and international human rights law (RCO/UNCT/
peacekeeping operation or special political mission).
41. Encourage the reframing of hate speech concerns and appropriate responses in a way that (RCO/
UNCT/peacekeeping operation or special political mission):
41.1 Is in accordance with international human rights law;
41.2 Acknowledges the challenges of addressing hate speech in accordance with international
human rights law;
41.3 Recognizes the rights of victims, and particularly their rights to freedom of opinion and
expression;
41.4 Acknowledges the underlying societal and structural factors which make people susceptible to
hate speech in the particular context;
41.5 Uses local vernacular and language that is appropriate in the particular country context.
ACTION 10: Introducing mediation and expertise, and building coalitions
Action10:SpecicRecommendations
42. Identify and promote the role of independent mediators and experts at the national level to
facilitate the resolving of intergroup disputes and conicts that may heighten tensions and
increase the likelihood of hate speech and incitement to discrimination, hostility or violence
(RCO/UNCT).
43. Encourage the building of coalitions and networks between key actors, by drawing on United
Nations convening power in the eld (RCO/UNCT/peacekeeping operation or special political
mission).
33 UNITED NATIONS STR ATEGY AND PLAN OF ACTION ON HATE SPEECH: DETAILED GUIDANCE | SEPTEMBER 2020
COMMITMENT 5:
ENGAGING WITH NEW AND TRADITIONAL MEDIA
The United Nations system should establish and strengthen partnerships with new and traditional media
to address hate speech narratives and promote the values of tolerance, non-discrimination, pluralism,
and freedom of opinion and expression.
ACTION 11: Building partnerships with media
Action11:SpecicRecommendations
44. Build partnerships at the country level, both with traditional media outlets (also known as “legacy”
or “mass” media outlets, such as the print media, and radio and television) and “new” media, par-
ticularly online platforms, and with journalists’ associations and unions, and civil society organiza-
tions working in the elds of media freedom and Internet freedom, in order to address hate speech
oine and online, while respecting freedom of opinion and expression and the right to equality
and non-discrimination (RCO/UNCT/UNIC/peacekeeping operation or special political mission/
UNESCO).
45. Draw on the global Media Compact to leverage partnerships at the local level through the provision
of information, participation in global events, and media opportunities (RCO/UNCT/UNIC/peace-
keeping operation or special political mission/UNESCO).
46. Forge connections with national media regulators, particularly independent media regulators
(RCO/UNCT/UNIC/peacekeeping operation or special political mission/UNESCO).
ACTION 12: Promoting media independence and pluralism
Action12:SpecicRecommendations
47. Support and raise public awareness of the importance of an independent, plural, diverse and inclu-
sive media, online as well as oine, at the national level (RCO/UNCT/UNIC/UNESCO).
48. Support the national authorities in providing an enabling environment for freedom of expression,
including by supporting (RCO/UNCT/peacekeeping operation or special political mission/UNIC/
UNESCO):
48.1 The adoption and implementation of legislation on the right of access to information;
48.2 The provision of universal access to the Internet, irrespective of any identity factors or group
characteristics, especially gender;
48.3 The protection of privacy and personal data online, while opposing any restrictions on encryp-
tion and anonymity tools and any unlawful or arbitrary surveillance techniques, including
hacking;
48.4 Laws and practices protecting the condentiality of journalists’ sources, including
whistle-blowers;
48.5 The repeal of criminal defamation laws and measures to ensure that civil defamation laws do
not provide for or result in disproportionate damages awards.
34 UNITED NATIONS STRATEGY AND PLAN OF ACTION ON HATE SPEECH: DETAILED GUIDANCE | SEPTEMBER 2020
Action12:SpecicRecommendations
49. Encourage the national Government to protect media freedom, including by delegating regula-
tion to an independent body and/or to courts, and to ensure an enabling environment for media
freedom, including by (RCO/UNCT/peacekeeping operation or special political mission/UNIC/
UNESCO):
49.1 Encouraging respect for journalistic freedom and editorial independence;
49.2 Opposing the imposition of any direct or indirect restrictions on the media, including controls
and pressure on the press, broadcasters and online platforms;
49.3 Encouraging the protection of the media’s right to report freely during election periods and
periods of national or global crisis (e.g. the COVID-19 pandemic).
50. Encourage the adoption and implementation by the national Government of a public policy and a
regulatory framework that promotes independence, pluralism and diversity of the media, includ-
ing by promoting or supporting (RCO/UNCT/peacekeeping operation or special political mission/
UNIC/UNESCO):
50.1 The independence, public accountability and transparency of bodies that exercise regulatory
control over the media — mechanisms that should be fully in compliance with international
human rights standards on freedom of expression;
50.2 Universal and affordable access to the media and media resources, especially by disadvan-
taged and excluded groups;
50.3 The principle of non-discrimination in relation to the right to establish media outlets or online
platforms;
50.4 Media ownership by minority, indigenous and other groups;
50.5 The allocation of nancial and other resources (such as broadcasting frequencies) to public
service, local and community media which is representative of the plurality of different groups
within the community;
50.6 The plurality of media ownership and the absence of any undue concentration of media
ownership;
50.7 The production of diverse content which promotes intergroup dialogue;
50.8 The repeal of any restrictions on the use of minority languages;
50.9 The recognition of diversity, including in terms of media reecting the perspectives of different
groups, as one of the criteria for assessing broadcasting licence applications.
Action 12 (continued)
35 UNITED NATIONS STRATEGY AND PL AN OF ACTION ON HATE SPEECH: DETAILED GUIDANCE | SEPTEMBER 2020
ACTION 13: Promoting self-regulation and ethical journalism
Action13:SpecicRecommendations
51. Avoid and actively discourage the use of the term “responsible journalism”, since it can serve as
the pretext for arbitrary and unlawful restrictions on journalism (RC/RCO/UNCT/head of mission/
peacekeeping operation or special political mission/UNESCO).
52. Promote self-regulation of the media where it is effective, and the development and effective
implementation of voluntary professional codes of conduct for the media and journalists
52
(RCO/
UNCT/peacekeeping operation or special political mission/UNESCO).
53. Encourage all public and private media, as a moral and social responsibility and through self-regu-
lation, to take steps to (RCO/UNCT/peacekeeping operation or special political mission):
53.1 Ensure that their workforces are diverse, inclusive, and representative of society as a whole;
53.2 Seek a multiplicity of sources and voices from within different communities;
53.3 Take care to report in context and in a factually sensitive manner, while ensuring that acts of
discrimination are brought to the attention of the public;
53.4 Be alert to the dangers of furthering discrimination against or negative stereotypes of individu-
als and groups in the media, avoiding unnecessary references to identity factors or group char-
acteristics that may promote discrimination and intolerance;
53.5 Report on diverse groups and communities in society, giving their members an opportunity to
speak and to be heard in a way that promotes a better understanding of them, while reecting
their perspectives;
53.6 Raise awareness of the harm caused by discrimination and negative stereotyping;
53.7 Consider including critical coverage of disinformation and propaganda, especially during elec-
tions, in relation to matters of public interest and regarding intergroup relations.
54. Encourage public service broadcasters to avoid negative stereotypes of individuals and groups,
and to promote intergroup understanding, including through the airing of programmes which por-
tray different communities as equal members of society (RCO/UNCT/peacekeeping operation or
special political mission/UNIC/UNESCO).
55. Encourage private media organizations and tech companies, particularly online social media plat-
forms, to put in place and implement policies that are in keeping with international human rights
law and the Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, including the principle of due dili-
gence (RCO/UNCT/peacekeeping operation or special political mission/UNESCO).
53
56. Encourage media outlets and online platforms to cooperate with initiatives that offer fact-check-
ing services to users, and to review their advertising models to ensure that they do not adversely
impact on diversity of opinions and ideas (RCO/UNCT/peacekeeping operation or special political
mission/UNESCO).
52 See International Federation of Journalists, Global Charter of Ethics for Journalists, adopted at the thirtieth International Federation of
Journalists World Congress held in Tunis on 12 June 2019, available from www.ifj.org/what/press-freedom/ethics.html.
53 Report of the Secretary-General, “Roadmap for digital cooperation” (June 2020).
36 UNITED NATIONS STRATEGY AND PL AN OF ACTION ON HATE SPEECH: DETAILED GUIDANCE | SEPTEMBER 2020
ACTION 14: Promoting the protection of journalists and media workers
Action14:SpecicRecommendations
57. Promote the implementation of the United Nations Plan of Action on the Safety of Journalists and
the Issue of Impunity at the national level by State authorities, media outlets, professional asso-
ciations and civil society organizations (RCO/UNCT/peacekeeping operation or special political
mission/UNESCO).
58. Condemn unequivocally through public statements and private diplomacy (RC/RCO/head of mis-
sion/UNCT/peacekeeping operation or special political mission/UNESCO):
58.1 All attacks and violence against journalists and media workers, including torture, killings,
enforced disappearances, arbitrary arrests and arbitrary detentions, expulsions, intimidation,
threats and harassment, online and oine, as well as attacks on, or the forced closure of, their
oces, and media outlets, in both conict and non-conict situations;
58.2 The misuse of defamation and libel laws, in particular through excessive criminal sanctions, to
illegitimately or arbitrarily censor journalists and interfere with their mission of informing the
public;
58.3 Specic attacks on women journalists and media workers in relation to their work, such as gen-
der-based discrimination, including sexual and gender-based violence, threats, intimidation and
harassment, online and oine;
58.4 Any intimidation of or threats against the media, including against individual journalists, by politi-
cal leaders, public ocials, the authorities or public gures.
59. Support national Governments and State authorities in fullling their international human rights
obligations on the safety of journalists and media workers (and others exercising their freedom of
expression in the public interest, such as bloggers, human rights defenders, including women human
rights defenders, and political activists), including by (RCO/UNCT/peacekeeping operation or special
political mission/UNESCO):
59.1 Ensuring accountability through the conducting of impartial, prompt, thorough, independent
and effective investigations into all alleged violence, threats and attacks against journalists and
media workers falling within their jurisdiction, in order to bring perpetrators, including those who
command, conspire to commit, aid and abet or cover up such crimes to justice, and to ensure
that victims and their families have access to appropriate remedies;
59.2 Releasing immediately and unconditionally journalists and media workers who have been arbi-
trarily arrested or arbitrarily detained, or have been taken hostage, or have become victims of
enforced disappearance;
59.3 Ceasing, and refraining from adopting, any measures that prevent or disrupt access to or dissem-
ination of information online and oine and hence undermine the work of journalists in informing
the public, including measures to unlawfully or arbitrarily block or take down media websites,
such as denial of service attacks;
59.4 Ensuring that measures to prevent and combat terrorism, or to preserve national security, public
order or public health, such as in the COVID-19 emergency, are in compliance with their obliga-
tions under international law and do not arbitrarily or unduly hinder the work and safety of jour-
nalists, including through arbitrary arrest or detention, or the threat thereof.
60. Support the freedom of movement of national, local and foreign journalists (RCO/UNCT/peacekeep-
ing operation or special political mission/UNESCO).
37 UNITED NATIONS STRATEGY AND PL AN OF ACTION ON HATE SPEECH: DETAILED GUIDANCE | SEPTEMBER 2020
ACTION 15: Building media capacity
Action15:SpecicRecommendations
61. Encourage and support relevant media capacity-building strategies, such as professional develop-
ment programmes, for media professionals to raise their awareness about how to respond to hate
speech and promote intergroup understanding, including and especially during electoral processes
(RCO/UNCT/peacekeeping operation or special political mission/UNIC/UNESCO).
62. Encourage and support media capacity-building strategies on conict- and gender-sensitive
reporting — especially reporting that encourages collaboration and role modelling within political
spaces, facilitates a constructive dialogue between conicting parties, conveys information in
such a way as to de-escalate tensions, and challenges negative stereotypes about groups in soci-
ety (RCO/UNCT/peacekeeping operation or special political mission/UNIC/UNESCO).
38 UNITED NATIONS STRATEGY AND PL AN OF ACTION ON HATE SPEECH: DETAILED GUIDANCE | SEPTEMBER 2020
COMMITMENT 6:
USING TECHNOLOGY
United Nations entities should keep up with technological innovation and encourage more research on
the relationship between the misuse of the Internet and social media for spreading hate speech and
the factors that drive individuals towards violence. United Nations entities should also engage private
actors, including social media companies, on steps that they can take to support United Nations prin-
ciples and action to address and counter hate speech, encouraging partnership between government,
industry and civil society.
ACTION 16: Technological skills and research on hate speech in the country context
Action16:SpecicRecommendations
63. Enhance skills, expertise and resilience of key staff — particularly those involved in monitoring and data
collection and analysis of hate speech trends — in technological innovations and communication security
tools (e.g. encryption and anonymizing tools), including through training, reciprocal staff exchanges and
the recruitment of staff with requisite technological and digital skills (RC/head of mission).
64. Enhance the security and condentiality for stakeholders interacting with United Nations entities through
digital communications by supporting the use of communication security tools (resident coordinator/
head of mission).
65. Encourage research on the online dissemination of hate speech and the factors that drive individuals
towards violence in the national context through collaborations with news media organizations, academic
institutions and NGOs (RCO/UNCT/peacekeeping operation or special political mission/UNESCO).
66. Regularly assess the risks of the dissemination of hate speech through digital media at the country level
through engagement with relevant United Nations agencies and social media platforms (RCO/UNCT/
peacekeeping operation or special political mission/OHCHR/ the Oce on Genocide Prevention and the
Responsibility to Protect).
ACTION 17: Engaging private actors
Action17:SpecicRecommendations
67. Identify which tech and social media companies are most relevant in the particular country context and
prioritize building partnerships on the implementation of the Strategy accordingly, especially in relation
to the monitoring and collection of data on hate speech (RCO/UNCT/peacekeeping operation or special
political mission/OHCHR/UNESCO/ the Oce on Genocide Prevention and the Responsibility to Protect).
68. Through their interactions with representatives of social media platforms, and bearing in mind the impar-
tiality of the United Nations, encourage these companies to (RCO/UNCT/peacekeeping operation or special
political mission/OHCHR/UNESCO/ the Oce on Genocide Prevention and the Responsibility to Protect):
68.1 Respect human rights as required under the Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights and,
in doing so, evaluate how their products and services affect the human rights of their users and the
public, through periodic and publicly available human rights impact assessments;
68.2 Align their content policies on hate speech with international human rights norms and standards,
including the Rabat Plan of Action;
39 UNITED NATIONS STRATEGY AND PLAN OF ACTION ON HATE SPEECH: DETAILED GUIDANCE | SEPTEMBER 2020
Action17:SpecicRecommendations
68.3 Ensure the greatest possible transparency in their policies, standards and actions relating to freedom
of expression and other fundamental rights;54
68.4 Ensure that any enforcement of their own rules (including terms of service and standards) involves an
evaluation of such factors as context and the harm of the content, including by ensuring that any use
of automation or articial intelligence tools involves a human in the loop;
68.5 Ensure that contextual analysis involves groups most affected by content identied as hate speech
and that such groups are involved in identifying the most effective tools to address harms caused on
the platforms;
68.6 Develop tools that promote individual autonomy, security and free expression, and involve
de-amplication, de-monetization, education, counter-speech, reporting and training as alternatives,
when appropriate, to the banning of accounts and the removal of content.
55
69. Support the capacity of civil society groups at the national level on countering hate speech, including
by supporting data analytics tools to inform their advocacy in relation to social media platforms (RCO/
UNCT/peacekeeping operation or special political mission).
ACTION 18: Flagging content that constitutes incitement
Action18:SpecicRecommendations
70. Through the designated contact point, and in conjunction with OHCHR and the Oce on Genocide
Prevention and the Responsibility to Protect, establish direct communications with the most relevant
tech and social media companies in the country context, and, in particular, apply or continue to be part
of social media platforms’ urgent reporting channels (e.g. Facebook’s Trusted Partner Channel) (RCO/
UNCT/peacekeeping operation or special political mission/OHCHR/ the Oce on Genocide Prevention
and the Responsibility to Protect).
71. In a situation where the contact point deems that an incident of online hate speech may constitute incite-
ment to genocide or incitement to discrimination, hostility or violence under international human rights
law (i.e. “top level” hate speech under the present Guidance), including if that expression is deemed to
meet the Rabat Plan of Action threshold test, the contact point should (RCO/UNCT/peacekeeping oper-
ation or special political mission/OHCHR/ the Oce on Genocide Prevention and the Responsibility to
Protect):
71.1 Promptly alert the relevant social media platform of the case, highlighting the factors informing the
severity of the hate speech and, when and as appropriate, recommend action, while simultaneously
alerting OHCHR and the Oce on Genocide Prevention and the Responsibility to Protect that they
have agged the problematic content;
71.2 Promptly follow up with the relevant social media platform as to the outcome of the case and the
justication for its decision;
71.3 Report to the task force or focal point on the Strategy, OHCHR, and the Oce on Genocide Prevention
and Responsibility to Protect, on the outcome and decision in the case and online hate speech trends.
54 A/HRC/32/38, p. 22.
55 A/74/486, p. 23.
Action 17 (continued)
40 UNITED NATIONS STRATEGY AND PLAN OF ACTION ON HATE SPEECH: DETAILED GUIDANCE | SEPTEMBER 2020
COMMITMENT 7:
USING EDUCATION AS A TOOL FOR ADDRESSING AND COUNTERING
HATE SPEECH
United Nations entities should take action in formal and informal education to implement Sustainable
Development Goal 4, promote the values and skills of Global Citizenship Education, and enhance media
and information literacy.
ACTION 19: Promoting Global Citizenship Education
Action19:SpecicRecommendations
72. Support the national Government in providing teacher training and student briengs on human rights
values and principles, to promote tolerance, and in strengthening intergroup dialogue and under-
standing as part of the school curriculum for pupils of all ages (RCO/UNCT/peacekeeping operation
or special political mission/UNIC/UNICEF/UNESCO).
73. Support civil society initiatives that engage and empower people, especially young people, to rec-
ognize and reject hate speech while safely and responsibly navigating online content (RCO/UNCT/
peacekeeping operation or special political mission/UNICEF/UNESCO).
74. Promote a leading role for women, girls and youth who are members of targeted and vulnerable
groups in the development and delivery of educational campaigns and curricula to address and
counter hate speech (RCO/UNCT/peacekeeping operation or special political mission/UN-Women/
UNESCO).
75. Initiate and support programmes and projects, particularly those involving school clubs and youth
groups, which facilitate or include intergroup dialogue in order to build social cohesion and social
resilience to hate speech (RCO/UNCT/peacekeeping operation or special political mission/UNESCO).
76. Support educational programmes, projects and activities that address hate speech indirectly, includ-
ing those that seek to (RCO/UNCT/UNESCO):
76.1 Eliminate bias in educational materials, including those used in the teaching of history;
76.2 Prevent violent extremism, strengthen the rule of law, teach about violent pasts, including past
instances of atrocity crimes, and safeguard religious sites;
76.3 Advance respect for human rights, democratic values and the rule of law, as well as to foster
peaceful co-existence and social cohesion, and diverse and inclusive societies;
76.4 Promote critical thinking, social and emotional skills, and responsible engagement through
Global Citizenship Education, in accordance with target 4.7 of Sustainable Development Goal 4
on “inclusive and equitable quality education and promoting lifelong learning opportunities for
all”, including through the mainstreaming of gender equality and human rights in national educa-
tion policies, curricula, teacher education and student assessment, and the use of digital technol-
ogies for distance and remote education.
41 UNITED NATIONS STR ATEGY AND PLAN OF ACTION ON HATE SPEECH: DETAILED GUIDANCE | SEPTEMBER 2020
ACTION 20: Promoting media and information literacy
Action20:SpecicRecommendations
7 7. Support programmes, projects and activities on media and information literacy, including digital
or technological literacy, that encourage people’s critical thinking and critical competencies and
promote, among other things (RCO/UNCT/peacekeeping operation or special political mission/
UNESCO/UNIC):
77.1 Competencies to search for, critically evaluate, use and contribute information and media con-
tent wisely;
77.2 Awareness that the same human rights that people have oine must also be protected online;
77.3 Understanding of how to address and counter online hate speech;
77.4 Understanding of how to combat cyberbullying;
77.5 Understanding of the ethical issues surrounding access to and use of information.
42 UNITED NATIONS STR ATEGY AND PLAN OF ACTION ON HATE SPEECH: DETAILED GUIDANCE | SEPTEMBER 2020
COMMITMENT 8:
FOSTERING PEACEFUL, INCLUSIVE AND JUST SOCIETIES TO ADDRESS
THE ROOT CAUSES AND DRIVERS OF HATE SPEECH
The United Nations system should raise awareness about respect for human rights, non-discrimina-
tion, and understanding of other cultures and religions, as well as about gender equality, including
in the digital world. It should promote intercultural, interfaith and intrareligious dialogue and mutual
understanding.
ACTION 21: Raising awareness about respect for human rights
Action21:SpecicRecommendations
78. Initiate and support initiatives that raise awareness more generally about how to address and coun-
ter hate speech oine and online in keeping with international human rights standards (especially
on freedom of expression and on the right to equality and non-discrimination), such as (RCO/UNCT/
peacekeeping operation or special political mission/UNIC/UNESCO):
78 .1 Poster campaigns at the local or national level
78.2 Messaging and programming on mission radio and/or television
78.3 Media interviews
78.4 Social media posts
78.5 Public campaigns
78.6 Community-level dialogues
78.7 Peer-to-peer exchanges and training seminars
78.8 Student outreach and briengs
78.9 Leveraging opinion leaders, inuencers, experts and community leaders
79. Ensure that awareness-raising activities and communications consistently identify the importance
of addressing and countering hate speech for the achievement of the Sustainable Development
Goals — particularly those on ending poverty (Goal 1), ensuring quality education (Goal 4), gender
equality (Goal 5), reducing inequality (Goal 10), promoting peaceful and inclusive societies (Goal 16)
and enhancing global partnerships for sustainable development (Goal 17) (RCO/UNCT/peacekeeping
operation or special political mission).
43 UNITED NATIONS STR ATEGY AND PLAN OF ACTION ON HATE SPEECH: DETAILED GUIDANCE | SEPTEMBER 2020
ACTION 22: Promoting intergroup dialogue and understanding
Action22:SpecicRecommendations
80. Promote intergroup (i.e. intercultural, interfaith and intrareligious) dialogue and understanding
by supporting or facilitating initiatives that are consistent with the Plan of Action for Religious
Leaders and Actors to Prevent Incitement to Violence that Could Lead to Atrocity Crimes and with
the Faith for Rights framework, including (RCO/UNCT/peacekeeping operation or special political
mission/UNIC/the Oce on Genocide Prevention and the Responsibility to Protect /OHCHR):
80.1 Exchange programmes between different groups, especially during key events (e.g. religious
and cultural festivals)
80.2 The building of coalitions between groups (e.g. between leaders of different religious groups,
or between religious leaders and non-religious/humanist groups)
80.3 Joint activities to strengthen community cohesion and convey powerful messages of inter-
group collaboration and solidarity (e.g. joint retreats or celebrations)
80.4 Activities to identify and develop shared alternative and positive narratives
80.5 The release of intergroup press statements in response to hate speech incidents (e.g.
interreligious press statements)
44 UNITED NATIONS STR ATEGY AND PLAN OF ACTION ON HATE SPEECH: DETAILED GUIDANCE | SEPTEMBER 2020
COMMITMENT 9:
ENGAGING IN ADVOCACY
The United Nations should use advocacy, both private and public, to highlight hate speech trends of
concern, as well as to express sympathy and support to targeted individuals or groups.
ACTION 23: Using private and public advocacy
Action23:SpecicRecommendations
81. Establish and expand the space to address future incidents of hate speech, especially incitement
to discrimination, hostility or violence, by engaging with political leaders, State authorities, affected
communities, the media, religious and faith leaders, civil society organizations, the private sector and
diaspora communities, well before having to take a position on specic hate speech issues or trends
(RCO/UNCT/head of mission/peacekeeping operation or special political mission).
82. Through private and public advocacy responses, establish the United Nations as a strong and credi-
ble voice against hate speech, especially against incitement to discrimination, hostility or violence, as
a part of its commitment to standing up for and promoting human rights (RC/head of mission).
83. Calibrate advocacy responses in accordance with the severity of the hate speech (to be assessed
applying the criteria indicated in table 2), and in doing so, draw on a range of private and public advo-
cacy options, including (RC/head of mission):
83.1 Acknowledging, rejecting and condemning the instance of hate speech itself, and the prejudice
of which it is a symptom
83.2 Expressing sympathy and support to the targeted individuals or groups
83.3 Framing such incidents as harmful to the interests of the whole of society, including its funda-
mental values and its economic and political strategic interests
84. Be willing to apply private and public advocacy tools sequentially, and if necessary, be willing to move
to a stronger response at short notice (RC/head of mission).
85. Make a decision about whether to publicly comment on an instance of hate speech on the basis of
the following (RC/head of mission):
85.1 An assessment of the background facts surrounding the hate speech, based on credible informa-
tion and reports
85.2 An assessment of the severity of the hate speech, and whether it constitutes incitement to hostil-
ity, discrimination or violence, in which case a public statement should be forthcoming
85.3 United Nations efforts to calm tensions and carry out its work in the country
85.4 Consideration of the principles of consent and “do no harm” in relation to victims
86. Ensure that the choice of how, when and who should advocate is made judiciously, and in keeping
with the context and specic mandate of United Nations entities (RC/head of mission/UNCT).
87. Ensure that the choice of delivery of the statement — whether a fully edged written or oral state-
ment, a response to a public or media inquiry, or a post on a United Nations social media account —
is considered carefully and is specically tailored to the situation.
45 UNITED NATIONS STRATEGY AND PLAN OF ACTION ON HATE SPEECH: DETAILED GUIDANCE | SEPTEMBER 2020
Action23:SpecicRecommendations
88. Ensure, once a decision has been taken to go public, that public statements (RC/head of mission):
88.1 Convey system-wide consistency, coordination and coherence in responding to the situation;
88.2 Respect international human rights norms and standards, and are consistent with the state-
ments of United Nations human rights experts (i.e. special procedure mandate holders, treaty
bodies and commissions of inquiry/fact-nding missions);
89. Adhere to the values and principles enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations.
90. Ensure that all United Nations country team members align their messages to the public statements
(RC/head of mission).
91. Ensure that all public statements are made following prior consultation with United Nations
Headquarters, except for statements by OHCHR, the Oce on Genocide Prevention and the
Responsibility to Protect, United Nations specialized agencies, and other United Nations protec-
tion mandates, which do not need approval due to these entities’ mandate but should nonetheless
involve consultation and coordination with the resident coordinator/head of mission (RC/head of
mission/RCO/UNCT/peacekeeping operation or special political mission/Executive Oce of the
Secretary-General/DCO/Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs and Department of Peace
Operations/OHCHR).
92. Establish procedures to support staff being designated as persona non grata as a result of the right-
ful discharge of their duties, through a comprehensive consideration of existing protection measures
offered to staff in the eld, in order to provide staff in the eld with information, effective support and
incentives, so that they can undertake their work effectively (RC/head of mission/Executive Oce of
the Secretary-General).
92.1 In preparing public statements on hate speech, while agreeing the specic language with United
Nations Headquarters, use the language of “addressing and countering” hate speech (and refrain
from using the language of “preventing” hate speech), and emphasize the following when appro-
priate (RC/head of mission):
92.2 Calling on Member States to respect their obligations under international human rights treaties
guaranteeing freedom of expression and the right to equality, particularly articles 19 and 20 of
the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights
92.3 Calling on all relevant actors to refrain from disseminating hate speech and to stop inciting dis-
crimination, hostility or violence
92.4 Condemning all instances of incitement to discrimination, hostility or violence, whether oine or
online, and calling for accountability in such instances, including through criminal investigations
and trials, if such instances reach the high threshold of criminal incitement under the Rabat Plan
of Action
92.5 Expressing solidarity with the victims of hate speech, to empower them and restore their dignity
92.6 Emphasizing the need to address hate speech for the promotion of peaceful and inclusive socie-
ties, as set out in Sustainable Development Goal 16
92.7 Encouraging the pursuit of educational initiatives to promote human rights, the rule of law, peace-
ful coexistence and diversity
92.8 Encouraging intergroup dialogue and understanding
Action 23 (continued)
46 UNITED NATIONS STRATEGY AND PLAN OF ACTION ON HATE SPEECH: DETAILED GUIDANCE | SEPTEMBER 2020
OVERARCHING MESSAGES FOR PUBLIC ADVOCACY
> Hate speech, especially incitement to
hostility, discrimination or violence, is
harmful to realizing human rights, peace,
development and security, to social
cohesion and harmony, and to fostering
peaceful and inclusive societies.
> The dissemination of hate speech and
incitement to discrimination, hostility
or violence can exacerbate tensions
and lead to violence, can divide and
devastate communities, and can create an
atmosphere for widespread human rights
abuses and even atrocity crimes.
> Political leaders should urgently and
unambiguously condemn acts of
incitement to discrimination, hostility
or violence, and take rapid measures to
reduce tensions.
> State authorities should hold accountable
those who have incited discrimination,
hostility or violence, including, in
the severest cases, through criminal
prosecution.
> Freedom of expression should only be
restricted when there are incidents of
incitement to discrimination, hostility or
violence, or if necessary and proportionate to
secure other rights.
> The Government should focus on ensuring
that the laws on anti-discrimination and
incitement to discrimination, hostility or
violence meet international standards, and
are implemented effectively. It should ensure
that public watchdogs — especially journalists
and civil society activists — can work safely
and independently. It should adopt positive
measures (e.g. on education in schools, and
the training of public ocials) and promote
civil society initiatives that encourage
intergroup dialogue to address the root
causes of hate speech.
> For their part, tech and social media
companies should exercise due diligence by
ensuring that they do not provide platforms
for hate speech and for incitement to
discrimination, hostility or violence.
47 UNITED NATIONS STRATEGY AND PLAN OF ACTION ON HATE SPEECH: DETAILED GUIDANCE | SEPTEMBER 2020
COMMITMENT 10:
DEVELOPING GUIDANCE FOR EXTERNAL COMMUNICATIONS
Communications should be strategically used to address, counter and mitigate the impact of hate
speech,aswellastocounteractitsinuence,withoutrestrictingtherighttofreedomofexpression.
ACTION 24: Communications strategy
Action24:SpecicRecommendations
93. Mainstream key elements of the Guidance into an overall communications strategy.
94. In the aftermath of a grave or high-prole hate speech episode or following the identication of an emerging
trend of hate speech, and based on strong internal communications, develop a targeted communications plan
to address, counter and mitigate the impact of the hate speech, as well as to counteract its inuence (RCO/
UNCT/peacekeeping operation or special political mission/UNIC).
95. Include consideration of the following features as part of the targeted communications plan (RC/RCO/UNCT/
head of mission/peacekeeping operation or special political mission/UNIC):
95.1 The communications challenges and opportunities of the specic context
95.2 Communications objectives (e.g. to make the audience less susceptible to hate speech, to confront and
correct disinformation about a group, to raise awareness about the harm caused by hate speech and the
dangers caused by incitement, and to defuse specic sources of tension)
95.3 The composition of audiences and the contextual factors inuencing their receptiveness to hate speech
and to counter-messages
95.4 The most appropriate medium for the message (e.g. public statement, social media post)
95.5 The core messaging framework and the content of the tailoring of the message
95.6 The most appropriate language for the message
95.7 The most appropriate speaker in context (usually the resident coordinator/head of mission but not always)
95.8 Any local actors who may publicly support and reinforce the message
95.9 Communications tools and appropriate tactics
95.10 Key performance indicators and the timeline
95.11 The budget allocated for the communications strategy
96. Identify how high-level United Nations visits (e.g. from the United Nations High Commissioner for Human
Rights, the Oce on Genocide Prevention and the Responsibility to Protect, the Under-Secretary-General for
Political and Peacebuilding Affairs, or the relevant human rights mechanism, in particular relevant special rap-
porteurs), or major events (e.g. a change of government, sporting events, or natural disasters), can inform the
communications strategy.
97. Ensure that the Secretary-General’s statements and remarks, including noon briengs, consistently raise issues
of hate speech while emphasizing the importance of protecting freedom of expression (RC/head of mission/
Executive Oce of the Secretary-General/DCO).
48 UNITED NATIONS STR ATEGY AND PLAN OF ACTION ON HATE SPEECH: DETAILED GUIDANCE | SEPTEMBER 2020
COMMITMENT 11:
LEVERAGING PARTNERSHIPS
The United Nations should establish and/or strengthen partnerships with relevant stakeholders, includ-
ing those working in the tech industry. Most of the meaningful action against hate speech will not be
taken by the United Nations alone, but by governments, regional and multilateral organizations, private
companies, media, and religious and other civil society actors.
ACTION 25: Strengthening partnerships
Action25:SpecicRecommendations
98. Identify gaps in the existing range and diversity of partners for tackling human rights challenges,
particularly hate speech and incitement to discrimination, hostility or violence, at the country level
(RC/RCO/UNCT/head of mission/peacekeeping operation or special political mission).
99. Prioritize forging new and strengthening existing linkages and partnerships with the following stake-
holders at the country level (RC/RCO/UNCT/head of mission/peacekeeping operation or special
political mission):
99.1 State actors, including individual ministries, judicial bodies, national human rights institutions
and equality bodies, legislative committees, and media regulators
99.2 Tech and social media companies, especially social media platforms
99.3 Media outlets, including commercial, local and minority media organizations
99.4 Private sector organizations
99.5 Religious leaders and faith actors
99.6 Civil society actors, including NGOs working in the elds of media freedom, freedom of expres-
sion, and women’s rights, as well as child- and youth-led organizations
99.7 Professional associations (e.g. law societies, police federations and sporting associations)
99.8 Regional and subregional multilateral organizations
100. Promote the specic actions recommended in the Plan of Action for Religious Leaders and Actors
to Prevent Incitement to Violence that Could Lead to Atrocity Crimes, in the Beirut Declaration and
its 18 Commitments on Faith for Rights, and in the United Nations Plan of Action to Safeguard
of Religious Sites (RCO/UNCT/peacekeeping operation or special political mission/ the Oce
on Genocide Prevention and the Responsibility to Protect /OHCHR/United Nations Alliance of
Civilizations).
49 UNITED NATIONS STR ATEGY AND PLAN OF ACTION ON HATE SPEECH: DETAILED GUIDANCE | SEPTEMBER 2020
COMMITMENT 12:
BUILDING THE SKILLS OF UNITED NATIONS STAFF
United Nations staff skills at both the leadership and the working levels to understand and address
hate speech should be enhanced across relevant United Nations entities, including through existing
programmes.
ACTION 26: Enhancing staff skills
Action26:SpecicRecommendations
101. Ensure regular briengs, training sessions and peer-to-peer exchanges on the subject matter
of the Strategy and this Guidance — particularly the international human rights law framework
concerning hate speech and incitement to hostility, discrimination or violence, including the
standards contained in the Rabat Plan of Action — for existing staff and for incoming staff as part
of their induction (RC/head of mission).
102. Ensure compulsory capacity-building training for key staff — especially the contact point, and
members of the task force or the focal point on the Strategy — on the root causes and drivers of
hate speech, hate speech monitoring and analysis, gender analysis of hate speech, and initiatives
to counter and respond to hate speech, as well as on mainstreaming a hate speech perspective in
wider United Nations strategies and programmes (RC/head of mission).
50 UNITED NATIONS STR ATEGY AND PLAN OF ACTION ON HATE SPEECH: DETAILED GUIDANCE | SEPTEMBER 2020
COMMITMENT 13:
SUPPORTING MEMBER STATES
Uponrequest,theUnitedNationsshouldprovidesupporttoMemberStatesintheeldofcapacity-
building and policy development to address hate speech. In this context, the United Nations will
convene an international conference on education for prevention, with a focus on addressing and
countering hate speech, which would involve ministers of education.
ACTION 27: Support for Member States
Action27:SpecicRecommendations
103. Upon request, provide technical assistance and support, including on reviewing existing or
proposed legislation, on policies, on case law, and on mechanisms for addressing and countering
hate speech and incitement to discrimination, hostility or violence, in accordance with international
human rights law and standards (RCO/peacekeeping operation or special political mission/
OHCHR/ the Oce on Genocide Prevention and the Responsibility to Protect /UNESCO).
104. Promote the establishment and implementation of a national legal framework that supports victims
of hate speech, which includes laws on the prohibition of incitement to discrimination, hostility or
violence, and anti-discrimination legislation, in accordance with international human rights law, while
warning against the adoption of any proposed hate speech legislation that risks undermining free-
dom of expression (RCO/UNCT/peacekeeping operation or special political mission).
105. Determine what kinds of other support State actors, including national Governments and other actors
(such as independent national human rights institutions, representatives of the judiciary, and law
enforcement authorities), need in order to address hate speech effectively at the country level (RCO/
UNCT/peacekeeping operation or special political mission).
106. Support capacity-building of key State actors — notably judges, judicial personnel (such as
prosecutors and court ocials), law enforcement agents and members of the security forces — on
international human rights norms and standards relating to hate speech, especially the standard for
incitement to discrimination, hostility or violence that amounts to a criminal offence (as indicated
in the Rabat Plan of Action and table 2 of this Guidance) (RCO/UNCT/peacekeeping operation or
special political mission).
10 7. Support the training of teachers, especially those occupying leadership or senior positions, on
effectively addressing and countering hate speech at schools, and, through these initiatives, promote
the participation of affected communities and vulnerable groups.
51 UNITED NATIONS STRATEGY AND PL AN OF ACTION ON HATE SPEECH: DETAILED GUIDANCE | SEPTEMBER 2020
Key Resources
on hate speech
The following list of key UN and civil society sources elaborate on international human rights
law and standards on hate speech. Please note that, while this list highlights the key texts, it is
non-exhaustive.
UN ACTION PLANS
> Rabat Plan of Action on the prohibition of advocacy of national, racial or religious hatred that consti-
tutes incitement to discrimination, hostility or violence, 11 January 2013, A/HRC/22/17/Add.4
> UN Plan of Action on Safety of Journalists and the Issues of Impunity (2016)
> Plan of Action for Religious Leaders and Actors to Prevent Incitement to Violence that Could Lead to
Atrocity Crimes (July 2017)
> Beirut Declaration and its 18 commitments on ‘Faith for Rights’ (March 2017, 8th edition 2020)
> UN Plan of Action to Safeguard Religious Sites (September 2019)
> Report of the Secretary-General, Roadmap on Digital Cooperation (June 2020)
UN CHARTER-BASED BODIES: Human Rights Council
> Report of the Special Rapporteur on freedom of opinion and expression (on the regulation of online
hate speech) 9 October 2019, A/74/486
> Report of the Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion (on combatting Anti-Semitism to eliminate
discrimination and intolerance based on religion or belief) 20 September 2019, A/74/358
> Report of the Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion (on freedom of religion or belief and freedom
of expression) 5 March 2019, A/HRC/40/58
52 UNITED NATIONS STR ATEGY AND PLAN OF ACTION ON HATE SPEECH: DETAILED GUIDANCE | SEPTEMBER 2020
UN TREATY-BASED BODIES
> Human Rights Committee, General Comment No 34, Article 19: Freedoms of opinion and expression,
12 September 2011, CCPR/C/GC/34
> Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, General Recommendation No 35, Combatting
racist hate speech, 26 September 2013, CERD/C/GC/35
UNESCO
> Media Development Indicators — A Framework For Assessing Media Development (UNESCO, 2008)
> Internet Universality Indicators: A Framework for Assessing Internet Development (UNESCO, 2019)
> Cherilyn Ireton and Julie Posetti, Journalism, fake news & disinformation: handbook for journalism
education and training (UNESCO, 2018)
> Jagtar Singh, Paulette Kerr, Esther Hamburger, Media and Information Literacy: Reinforcing Human
Rights, Countering Radicalization and Extremism (UNESCO, 2016)
> Igino Gagliardone, Danit Gal, Thiago Alves, Gabriela Martinez, Countering online hate speech
(UNESCO, 2015)
> Legal standards on freedom of expression: toolkit for the judiciary in Africa (UNESCO, 2018)
CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS
> ARTICLE 19, Camden Principles on Freedom of Expression and Equality (2009)
> ARTICLE 19, ‘Hate Speech’ Explained: A Toolkit (2015 edition)
