International day to combat Islamophobia
What is the news :
- The U.N. General Assembly approved a resolution setting March 15 as the International Day to Combat Islamophobia.
- UN-adopted resolution was introduced by Pakistan and marks the day when an Australian gunman killed 51 Muslim worshippers and wounded 40 others in 2019 New Zealand terror attacks.
About the resolution :
- The resolution, adopted by consensus by the 193-member world body and cosponsored by 55 mainly Muslim countries, 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.”
- It expresses deep concern at “the overall rise in instances of discrimination, intolerance and violence, regardless of the actors, directed against members of many religions and other communities in various parts of the world, including cases motivated by Islamophobia, antisemitism, Christianophobia and prejudices against persons of other religions or beliefs.”
- The resolution asks all countries, U.N. bodies, international and regional organizations, civil society, private sector and faith-based organizations “to organize and support various high-visibility events aimed at effectively increasing awareness of all levels about curbing Islamophobia,” and to observe the new International Day to Combat Islamophobia.
How India reacted to decision (important):
- As the UN General Assembly adopted a resolution on Tuesday to proclaim March 15 as International Day to Combat Islamophobia, India expressed concern over phobia against one religion being elevated to the level of an international day, saying there are growing contemporary forms of religiophobia, especially anti-Hindu, anti-Buddhist and anti-Sikh phobias.
- Reacting to the adoption of the resolution, India’s Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador T S Tirumurti said in the UN General Assembly 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.
- “Hinduism has more than 1.2 billion followers, Buddhism more than 535 million and Sikhism more than 30 million spread out around the world. It is time that we acknowledged the prevalence of religiophobia, rather than single out just one,” he said.
- “It is important that the United Nations remains above such religious matters which may seek to divide us rather than bring us together on one platform of peace and harmony and treat the World as One Family,” he said.
- 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.
- “In fact, there is clear evidence that over decades such religiophobias have, in fact, affected the followers of non-Abrahamic religions as well. This have contributed to the emergence of contemporary forms of religiophobia, especially anti-Hindu, anti-Buddhist and anti-Sikh phobias,” he said.
- He noted that the Member States should not forget that in 2019, August 22 has already been proclaimed as the International Day commemorating the victims of acts of violence based on religion or belief, which is fully inclusive in nature.
Pakistan welcomes the decision :
- Pakistan’s Prime Minister Imran Khan has welcomed a decision by the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) to approve a resolution setting March 15 as the International Day to Combat Islamophobia.
About United Nations (UN) :
- The United Nations(UN) is an intergovernmental organization aiming to maintain international peace and security, develop friendly relations among nations, achieve international cooperation, and be a centre for harmonizing the actions of nations.
- It is the world’s largest and most familiar international organization.
- Founded – 24 October 1945
- Secretary general – António Guterres
- The UN is headquartered on international territory in New York City, and has other main offices in Geneva, Nairobi, Vienna, and The Hague
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