On 17 June 2025, the Geneva Centre for Human Rights Advancement and Global Dialogue, jointly with the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) had the pleasure of hosting a side event on the margins of the 59th session of the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) which offered the perfect platform to draw UNHRC stakeholders’ attention to challenges and approaches to countering hate speech at the intersection of religion and gender. Given the increase in the latter, this event could not have been more timely to reflect on how to mobilise meaningful, inclusive, and gender-appropriate responses. Hosted at the United Nations in Geneva and co-chaired by Mr. Michael Wiener, Human Rights Officer, OHCHR, and Dr. Umesh Palwankar, Executive Director of the Geneva Centre, more than 100 attendees could benefit from the extensive and lived experiences of three distinguished female experts in the field.
From the contributions of the three panellists, such as H.E. Ambassador Marie-Thérèse Pictet-Althann (Permanent Representative of the Sovereign Order of Malta), Ms. Adriana Quiñones (UN Women), and Dr. Saba Haddad (Baha’i International Community) – coming from completely different backgrounds and drawing from as many different field experiences – it clearly emerged the vital role of collective action for addressing social norms, involving women in and faith-based organizations, and equipping communities with the tools for fostering dialogue and social cohesion.
Downloadable PDF version of the follow-up research paper: Countering Hate Speech at the Intersection of Religion and Gender.
Year of publication: 2025