UN secretary general  António Guterres  on Monday urged countries to “work together” and eradicate a rising tide of anti-Muslim hate, calling for a rejection of “the narratives of fear and exclusion”.

As conflict and instability rage, “millions of Muslims around the world carry that pain with them”, Mr Guterres said in an event marking the International Day to Combat Islamophobia in New York.

“Let us recommit to equality, human rights and dignity of every person, everywhere,” he said.

The UN secretary-general warned that for far too many Muslims living as minorities, their daily lives face being shaped by exclusion, institutional discrimination, socioeconomic marginalisation, unwarranted surveillance and profiling.

As the world’s two billion Muslims approach the end of the holy month of Ramadan,  Guterres called on governments to take responsibility and introduce measures that “safeguard equality, not entrench prejudice.”

Mr Guterres, however,  warned against the “subtle biases” that rarely make headlines but nonetheless “shape lives, erode trust, and send a clear message about who is seen as belonging and who is not.”

These could be “opportunities quietly denied, assumptions left unchallenged, or questions weighted down by suspicion” and “are driven—and dangerously amplified— by anti-Muslim rhetoric, misinformation, and outright hate”.

Mr Guterres said that when discrimination is “echoed by those in positions of authority, prejudice becomes normalised”.

He also underscored the responsibility of technology companies and said that “online spaces should bring people together, not drive them apart”, adding that “they must do far more to identify, prevent, and address hate speech and harassment”.

Also addressing the event in New York, UN General Assembly president, Annalena Baerbock, said that those prejudices were now amplified in the digital age.

Ms Baerbock said, ”With technology supposed to increase connection, it is instead “accelerating the spread of misinformation and prejudice at an unprecedented speed. The consequences are painfully real, with harassment, intimidation, vandalism, threats, and attacks on people and mosques.”

Ms Baerblock added that “standing up against Islamophobia is not only about defending one religious community. It is about defending our shared humanity.”

“I encourage governments, international institutions, technology companies, and civil society to follow the example of the United Nations and play a proactive role in challenging harmful stereotypes while promoting accurate and responsible information,” she added.

(NAN)