UNGA declares March 15 as the International Day to Combat Islamophobia

17 Mar,22 9:55 am
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International Day to Combat Islamophobia: The 193-member United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) has adopted a resolution to proclaim March 15th as the International Day to Combat Islamophobia every year starting from 2022.

About the Resolution:

  • The resolution, adopted by UNGA regarding the International Day to Combat Islamophobia was introduced by Pakistan’s ambassador Munir Akram on behalf of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), on March 15, 2022, under the agenda item Culture of peace.
  • The resolution emphasizes the right to freedom of religion and belief and recalls a 1981 resolution calling for “the elimination of all forms of intolerance and of discrimination based on religion or belief.”
  • This resolution was co-sponsored by 57 member states of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and eight other countries including China and Russia.
  • It marks the day when a gunman entered two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand, killing 51 worshippers and wounding 40 others in the terror attack.

The objective of the day:

The main objective of International Day to Combat Islamophobia will be as follows:

  • To curtail systematic hate speech and discrimination against Muslims
  • To respect for religious symbols and practices
  • To eliminate all forms of intolerance and discrimination based on religion or belief.

India’s response at UNGA:

  • However, India’s Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador T S Tirumurti has expressed concern over phobia against "one religion being elevated to the level of an international day".
  • He said that India hopes the resolution adopted "does not set a precedent" which will lead to multiple resolutions on phobias based on selective religions and divide the United Nations into religious camps.
  • He stated that there are growing contemporary forms of religiophobia, especially anti-Hindu, anti-Buddhist and anti-Sikh phobias.
  • Hinduism has more than 1.2 billion followers, Buddhism more than 535 million and Sikhism more than 30 million spread out around the world.
  • Following the adoption of the draft resolution, Mr Tirumurti said that while India condemns all acts motivated by antisemitism, Christianophobia, or Islamophobia, such phobias are not restricted to Abrahamic religions only.
  • So it is time that the prevalence of religiophobia, rather than single out just one is acknowledged by everyone.
  • India wants the UN to stay out of religious problems so that it may continue to be a platform for peace and unity rather than becoming divided into religious factions.
  • The Indian Ambassador also reminded them that there is already an "International Day remembering the victims of acts of violence based on religion or belief" and an "International Day of Tolerance."

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