3 June, 2014

Hate speech towards refugees is a strategic focus of Hate Speech Watch that aims to map and monitor hate content of the Internet towards migrants, asylum seekers, IDPs and immigrants. The Movement aims to promote constructive discourse for human rights and human empathy when engaging with this sensitive topic. We now invite You to contribute to the Hate Speech Watch by helping us map and monitor hate speech targeting refugees.

Why is it important? Hate speech targeting migrants, asylum seekers, IDPs and immigrants has increased recently, fuelling tension and prejudice in a very challenging situation for these people seeking refuge in Europe. The No Hate Speech Movement is calling for respecting Human Rights of those people forced to leave their homes. Through this focus Hate Speech Watch is collecting different expressions (news, articles, conversations, images, memes, videos, blog posts etc) of online hate speech targeting refugees that will will help teachers, youth workers. researchers, as well as non-govermantal and govermental organisations to better understand the common hate speech patterns against the refugees, to develop relevant counter narratives and to apply & develop different educational tools to debunk myths and stereotypes. Secretary General of the Council of Europe, Thorbjørn Jagland has issued guidlines to the Council of Europe’s 47 member States on the treatment of migrants and asylum seekers, including with regard to their reception and temporary living conditions, to ensure respect for their human rights. The No Hate Speech Movement is committed to support the World Refugee Day on 20th June, expressing solidarity with people forced to flee their homeland under threat of persecution, conflict and violence. For futher details about the Action Day on 20th June you can read the outlines here. If you don't know how to use Hate Speech Watch to flag and monitor online hate speech content or if you are not sure wheter something can be considered hate speech or not, you can get in touch with the activists of the Movement through our Facebook group or Twitter: #nohatespeech "Refugees are people like anyone else, like you and me. They led ordinary lives before becoming displaced, and their biggest dream is to be able to live normally again. On this World Refugee Day, let us recall our common humanity, celebrate tolerance and diversity and open our hearts to refugees everywhere." Ban Ki-moon