UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has called for eradicating hate speech that emerged in the light of the COVID-19 pandemic globally
UNITED NATIONS (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 08th May, 2020) UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has called for eradicating hate speech that emerged in the light of the COVID-19 pandemic globally.
According to him, the pandemic continues to "unleash a tsunami of hate and xenophobia, scapegoating and scare-mongering." Guterres noted that the pandemic gave birth to antisemitic conspiracy theories and hatred toward refugees and the Muslims. Sentiments against foreigners have intensified on streets and on the internet, he said.
"We must act now to strengthen the immunity of our societies against the virus of hate. That is why, I am appealing today for an all-out effort to end hate speech globally," Guterres said.
Guterres urged governments to show solidarity with members of their societies and reinforce social cohesion.
The UN chief also urged educational institutions to focus on digital literacy and called on media and social media companies to remove racist and harmful content.
The World Health Organization declared the COVID-19 outbreak a pandemic on March 11. To date, more than 3.8 million people have been infected with the coronavirus worldwide, with over 269,000 fatalities, according to Johns Hopkins University.
