Empowering Youth Against Hate Speech: Educating for Democracy and Human Rights

1. Youth as active citizens: an approach to prevention of hate speech that empowers youth Zakia Akkouh The European Wergeland Centre Tallinn 12 February 2016

2. The European Wergeland Centre • Educating for democracy and human rights • Established by the Council of Europe and Norway (2008) • Mandate: help member states to implement policy into practice • Our activities and resources open for all 47 member states • Office in Oslo

3. EWC Projects

4. Definitions: “Hate speech covers all forms of expression which spread, incite, promote or justify racial hatred, xenophobia, anti-Semitism or other forms of hatred based on intolerance, including: intolerance expressed by aggressive nationalism and ethnocentrism, discrimination and hostility against minorities, migrants and people of immigrant origin”. - Council of Europe “Group-focused enmity describes the syndrome of interlinked negative attitudes and prejudices towards groups identified as “other”, “different” or “abnormal” and assigned inferior social status”. - Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung

5. Hate Speech in Europe “Intolerance, Prejudice and Discrimination: A European Report” (Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung) 8 European countries Central findings: • Group-focused enmity is widespread in Europe. • About 50% believe there are too many immigrants in their country. • Many believe that Jews seek to benefit from their forebears’ suffering during the Nazi era. • About 30% believe there is a natural hierarchy of ethnicity. • Widespread Islamophobia • A majority in Europe also subscribe to sexist attitudes rooted in traditional gender. • Relatively high proportion opposing equal rights for homosexuals • Prejudices are interconnected. Those who denigrate one group are very likely to target other groups too. • Group-focused enmity increases with age and decreases with education. In summary: Hate Speech represents a major threat to the fundamental values of democracy and human rights

6. Normalization of hate speech • The politicaldiscourse • Internet and social media https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qNX1256eVw8

7. Hate Speech and Human Rights Startingpoint: social media and internet is an integral part ofmoderndemocracies. Hate speech: • Violatesthe fundamental dignityofgroupsofpeople • Impedesparticipation • The processofdehumanization • Hate crimesarealwayspreceded by hate speech

8. The role of schools • The most important arena ofprevention • The overall mandateofschools to educatedemocraticcitizens • Classrooms as a safe space for disagreement, discussions, reflections, challengingviews • The importanceofcriticalthinking • Whole schoolapproach

9. The role of teachers • Don’t wait for the crisis! Early prevention • Approach: Human Rights Education-> teach about, through and for human rights • Class room as a safe space • Democratic skills: Digital literacy, Critical Thinking • Awareness raising- importance of history education

10. Empowerment of students • Active citizens online, offline and in the classroom • Protection and cencorship is impossible and undesirable • Empowerment • Attitudes, knowledge and skills • Peer-to-peer learning • No hate speech www.coe.int/t/dg4/youth/Source/Resources/Publications/BOOKMARKS.pdf

11. Thank you!