United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has issued an urgent call for world leaders to dismantle the “scourge” of Islamophobia, warning that the world’s two billion Muslims are increasingly being targeted by institutional discrimination and real-world violence.
In a message marking the International Day to Combat Islamophobia on Sunday, March 15, 2026, Guterres revealed that the fight against anti-Muslim hatred has entered a critical new phase with the official appointment of a dedicated UN envoy.
Recent data show the severity of the crisis Guterres was referencing.
In Europe, the Fundamental Rights Agency (FRA) reports that one in two Muslims experience racial discrimination, particularly within the labor and housing markets.
Furthermore, recent data from the United States shows that civil rights complaints related to Islamophobia reached an all-time high of 8,658 in 2024, representing a 7.4% increase over the previous year.
“Yet they often face institutional discrimination, socio-economic exclusion, biased immigration policies, and unwarranted surveillance and profiling,” Guterres stated.
He emphasized that these trends are not just social issues but violations of international human rights law.
A New Global Mandate
To coordinate a more robust international response, Guterres confirmed that in May 2025, he appointed Miguel Ángel Moratinos, the High Representative for the Alliance of Civilizations, as the UN Special Envoy to Combat Islamophobia.
Moratinos is currently developing a comprehensive UN Action Plan to monitor and respond to anti-Muslim incidents worldwide, which is expected to be finalized later this year.
Moratinos recently warned that the “sudden increase” in attacks in 2026 is being fueled by political movements using religion as a weapon for polarization.
“We have seen that instead of creating this atmosphere of peaceful coexistence, we are using it as a kind of weapon against each other,” Moratinos noted during a recent briefing in New York.
The UN chief also turned his attention to the digital world, where misinformation often translates into physical harm.
He called on technology companies to move beyond “passive moderation” and actively remove harmful content.
“Online platforms must work to wipe out hate speech and harassment against people based on their religion or belief,” Guterres urged.
He warned that the “dehumanizing rhetoric” found on social media—where Muslims are often described using animalistic slurs—historically precedes the most extreme forms of violence.
The International Day to Combat Islamophobia was established by the UN General Assembly in 2022 to commemorate the 51 victims of the 2019 Christchurch mosque shootings in New Zealand.
Guterres concluded his address by reminding the world that silence is an act of complicity. “All people must speak out against bigotry, xenophobia, and discrimination wherever they find it.”
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