By Edith Nwapi
The National human rights commission (NHRC) on Tuesday issued an advisory on the role of the media in countering and reporting hate speech.
The Executive Secretary of the Commission, Tony Ojukwu, SAN presented the advisory while addressing newsmen as part of activities to mark the 2nd International Day for Countering Hate Speech, which is officially observed on June 18.
According to Ojukwu, the briefing is jointly organised by the NHRC and the United Nations in Nigeria in pursuance of the commission’s unique mandates to promote and protect human .
This, he said, is in recognition of the constitutional roles of the media in shaping national values and advancing the political, social, economic and cultural objectives .
” As the lead organisation charged with the promotion and protection of human rights in Nigeria, the Commission on the occasion of the International Day for Countering Hate Speech and in exercise of its mandate under section 5, paragraphs (l)(m)(o) of the NHRC Act (as amended), is issuing a Policy Advisory on the Role of Media in Countering and Reporting Hate Speech.
” We welcome the partnership of all the media organisations that have agreed to work with the Commission and the UN on this very important mandate of to forging common actions in countering hate speech.
” Hate speech is intricately related to human rights, either in its form or outcome” he said.
Ojukwu said to the person spreading hate speech, it is about right to freedom of expression, opinion, speech or belief.
He said to the recipient of hate speech, it is a violation of his/her rights to dignity.
” Hate speeches promote discrimination, divisions, incites violence, all of which violate the right to dignity, right to life and belonging to a society.
” Hate speech could, as in recent cases, lead to violation of the right to political participation in the case of elections and political process and impedes voters’ participation and access in the elections.
In the build up to the elections,
” We witnessed heavy traffic in the spread of hate speeches across many media platforms, often leaving Nigerians and voters deeply divided and maligned” he said.
According to him, hate speech is a threat to national cohesion, peace, security and the attainment of sustainable development and the achievement of human rights.
He therefore, called on the cooperation of everyone to work together to combat hate speeches in political, social and cultural spheres.
Similarly, the United Nations Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator, Mathias Schmale lamented the misuse of social media platforms and fuelling of hate speech.
The UN according to him is worried about the impact of hate speech on the society and it will soon come up with a Code of Conduct for Information Integrity to detail commitments by UN Member states.
He added that this will help to protect human rights, especially freedom of expression and information while also protecting people, especially vulnerable communities, from the excesses of the information ecosystem pollution.
” Unfortunately, social media and others have been the ones spread hate speech.
” If we don’t tackle hate speech the effort would consume us.
“All the states have the obligation to make sure hate speech is tackled” he said. (NAN)
