Forging inclusive societies based on mutual respect is key to countering anti-religious hate, say ODIHR event participants

Work to counter anti-religious hate crime must safeguard communities from hate-motivated crimes, and at the same time cultivate an environment in which religious or belief communities can flourish, said participants at an event organized by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) in Warsaw on 5 October 2023.

The event took place on the margins of the Warsaw Human Dimension Conference, organized by the 2023 OSCE Chairpersonship of North Macedonia with the support of ODIHR.

“Hate crimes can have a devastating impact on targeted communities. To effectively counter anti-religious hate, policies and genuine dialogue are needed to foster mutual respect and understanding,” said Kishan Manocha, Head of the ODIHR Tolerance and Non-Discrimination department. “This approach will not only allow individuals and communities to live lives free from hate, but to actually thrive”.

The event brought together representatives of religious and belief communities and experts to discuss the situation of anti-religious hate crime in the OSCE area. The discussions focused on OSCE states’ commitments to address anti-religious intolerance, including hate crimes motivated by bias against Christians, Jews, Muslims and members of other religions. Participants debated good practices in the area of combating hate crime, as well as on addressing the impact of crimes motivated by multiple biases, for instance, when victims are targeted for both their religion and gender.

Participants highlighted the importance of engaging with the communities most affected by such crimes to identify their security needs. They also underscored the need for authorities to demonstrate real commitment to protecting freedom of religion or belief for all – including by swiftly condemning anti-religious hate crimes – in order to build trust and establish the authorities’ primary role in tackling such crimes. They concluded that meaningful co-operation and communication with targeted communities should be central to States’ efforts to build equal, open and inclusive societies.

During the event, ODIHR presented its programmes, resources and tools for use by OSCE participating States and civil society to address anti-religious hate, in particular ODIHR’s Hate Crime Report, a collection of data and information on hate crimes in the OSCE area.