No Hate Speech Movement
Hate speech, as defined by the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe, covers all forms of expressions which spread, incite, promote or justify racial hatred, xenophobia, antisemitism or other forms of hatred based on intolerance, including: intolerance expressed by aggressive nationalism and ethnocentrism, discrimination and hostility against minorities. Other forms of discrimination and prejudice, such as antigypsyism, christianphobia, islamophobia, misogyny, sexism and discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation and gender identity fall within the scope of hate speech.
Hate speech is an especially big problem online because of how easy it is for people to anonymously disseminate hate speech, how easily accessible that hate speech is to all users (including young children), and because of the special difficulties regulation poses. Hate speech online has become in recent years a major form of human rights abuse, with very serious consequences both online and offline.
The No Hate Speech Movement launched in 2012 and running until 2015 is a campaign against the expressions of hate speech online in all its forms, including those that most affect young people. The movement is open to anyone 13 and up to join online. Youth from groups targeted by online hate speech – such as refugees and asylum-seekers, Muslims, LGBT and Roma – will play a particular role in the campaign. The movement aims to combat racism and discrimination by equipping young people and youth organizations with the competences necessary to recognize and act against such human rights violations. Although based online, the campaign will also have important offline elements and activities like training courses, seminars, conferences, youth events, festivals, and flashmobs.
The goals of the campaign are:
To raise awareness about hate speech online and its risks for democracy and for individual young people, and promoting media and Internet literacy;
- to support young people in standing up for human rights, online and offline;
- to mobilize, train and network online youth activists for human rights;
- to map hate speech online and develop tools for constructive responses;
- to support and show solidarity to people and groups targeted by hate speech online.
Armenia officially joined the movement in March 2013 whilst the National Campaign Committee of Armenia was formed in May-June 2013. The Committee organized a flash mob on 22th July in Northern Avenue to commemorate the victims of hate crime, show solidarity and raise awareness on the consequences of hate speech. Pink Armenia is actively working on the issues of hate speech and hate crime related to it by raising awareness of hate crime in our country. Special trainings are to be organized and implemented by Pink Armenia which aim to raise awareness on hate speech and get our youth to gain knowledge about the existing issues in our society.
Everyone can join the Movement by registering online on the official website of the campaign: www.nohatespeechmovement.org .
Carrie Tirrell
