Intolerance against Muslims
          

This section provides an overview of international commitments and documents, including the declarations adopted by the participating States of the OSCE, which have committed themselves to promoting educational programmes to combat intolerance and discrimination against Muslims.

The section also provides materials, documents, local and national activities, practices and initiatives to counter intolerance and discrimination against Muslims and in the field of education relating to intolerance and discrimination against Muslims.

Finally the section provides access to reports and publications covering a wide range of topics such as hate crime, integration and respect for diversity, religious accommodation, and the impact of security measures on Muslims in the context of the fight against terrorism.

Links to organizations, institutions and networks active in the field of education on intolerance and discrimination against Muslims can be found here as well as links to concrete practices and initiatives in this field.

Latest documents and publications
La lutte contre le racisme, l'antisémitisme et la xénophobie : rapport d'activité
National Consultative Commission of Human Rights (CNCDH)
Published: Paris : Documentation française, 2013

Since 1989, the Commission has published an annual report on the fight against racism and xenophobia. It consists of contributions from the administration (mainly Ministry of the Interior, Justice, Social and Urban Affairs, and Employment), as well as associations and unions committed to the fight against racism and persons who are members of the Commission or from outside the Commission (academics, researchers, journalists, etc.).

The first part of the reports presents police and judiciary statistics of expressions of racism, a survey about public opinion in France on racism, a review of measures taken by the government and the actions of specialised associations.

The second part of the reports develops an annual theme :
In 1990 : Analyses of the context and origins of racist phenomena.
In 1991 : The ambiguity of the right to difference – The role and weaknesses of public institutions in integration – Questions about identity.
In 1992 : The fight against racism within the framework of the promotion of human rights and the fight against exclusion (the right to education, to equal justice, to religious expression in a secular society).
In 1993 : The conditions of application of measures made specifically for foreigners.
In 1994 : The fight in Europe against racism and xenophobia; priorities and means of harmonisation.
In 1995 : Religious expression in a secular society.
In 1996 : Justice in the face of racism, anti-Semitism and xenophobia.
In 1997 : Discriminatory practices in the workplace and during hiring.
In 1998 : Discriminatory practices at work.
In 1999 : Discriminatory practices at work, housing and services.

The third part of the reports presents the Commission’s activities.


View full text: French

Material type: annual report
Subject: racism - xenophobia - anti-Semitism - human rights - cyber-hate - violence - hate crime - hate speech - attitudes - Islamophobia - judicial system - vandalism
Country coverage: France

Fourth report on Liechtenstein (adopted on 5 December 2012)
European Commission against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI)
Published: Strasbourg : COE, 19 February 2013
(Fourth round reports)


Doc.no. CRI(2013)2


View full text: Multiple languages

Material type: report about specific country/ies
Subject: racism - discrimination - xenophobia - employment - housing - education
Country coverage: Liechtenstein

Islamophobia in the Netherlands
Valk, Ineke van der
Published: Amsterdam : Amsterdam University, 2012

View full text: English - French

Subject: Islamophobia - cyber-hate - hate crime - discrimination
Country coverage: Netherlands




Upcoming events
OSCE High-Level Conference on Tolerance and Non-Discrimination (including human rights youth education on tolerance and non-discrimination)
Tirana
21-22 May 2013
Challenging anti-Muslim prejudice and promotion of mutual understanding in multicultural societies through education
Strasbourg
5 July 2013

The third roundtable meeting to promote the "Guidelines for Educators on Countering Intolerance and Discrimination against Muslims: Addressing Islamophobia through Education" will be hosted by the Council of Europe in Strasbourg on 5 July 2013. The Guidelines were published jointly by ODIHR, UNESCO and the Council of Europe. The first event, which focused on "Countering Intolerance against Muslims through Education for Societies in Transition" was hosted by ODIHR in Vienna on 6 September 2012. This was followed by the roundtable on “Globalization, Diversity and Social Cohesion” hosted by UNESCO in Paris on 5 November 2012.
The objective of the upcoming meeting is to promote the Guidelines and discuss how they can be used to challenge anti-Muslim prejudice and promote mutual understanding in multicultural societies. The event also seeks to foster the exchange of regional experiences among policy makers, representatives of Ministries of Education, educational institutions for professional development and teacher training programs.

Key documents
Hate crimes in the OSCE region : incidents and responses - annual report for 2011
ODIHR
16 November 2012
Hate crimes in the OSCE region : incidents and responses - annual report for 2010
ODIHR
16 November 2011
Guidelines for educators on countering intolerance and discrimination against Muslims : addressing Islamophobia through education
ODIHR
28 October 2011
Muslims in Spain : a reference guide
Casa Arabe
20 April 2009
Toledo guiding principles on teaching about religions and beliefs in public schools
ODIHR
27 November 2007
Developed in co-operation with education experts, aimed at legislators and schools, these guidelines offer guidance on preparing curricula for teaching about religions and beliefs, preferred procedures and standards for assuring fairness in the development of curricula and their implementation.
Policies on integration and diversity in some OSCE participating States : an exploratory study prepared by the Migration Policy Group
MPG
3 July 2006
Report written in response to the request of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly to the High Commissioner on National Minorities to initiate a comparative study of the integration policies of established democracies and analyse the effects on the position of new minorities". The report compares the integration policies of Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Sweden and the UK, and offers a guide to policy and practice across the seven countries concerned, noting trends and changes, and comparing strengths and weaknesses along the way.