The third and final seminar seminar hosted by Al Jazeera's Public Liberties and Human Rights Department is entitled "The Role of Media and Civil Society Organisations in the Fight Against Hate Speech and Intolerance." This session seeks to answer the following questions:
- What is the Rabat Plan of Action? Could it be considered a framework to urge States to combat hate speech without affecting freedom of expression? Are there exceptions and legal duties and responsibilities that support calls for limiting the exercise of freedom of opinion and expression? What are the opportunities and challenges to respecting and protecting these rights? How can we exercise freedom of opinion and expression and refrain from hate speech and intolerance?
- What are the best practices followed by the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights to ensure the commitment of States to freedom of expression in national laws and domestic policies?
- How does the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights view the role of media, civil society organisations and national human rights institutions in promoting freedom of expression and combating hate speech?
- What are the duties, responsibilities and effective initiatives that should be upheld by the United Nations, civil society organisations and media institutes to combat hate speech, violence and intolerance? How can partnerships between media and concerned organisations help to reduce hate speech and violence and stop them altogether?
Speakers:
- Ross Biggam, Director General of the Association of Commercial Television in Europe·
- Mike Waltner, Head of Initiatives at KAICIID
- Roukaya Kasenally, Senior Adviser at African Media Initiative
- Matt J. Duffy, Visiting Assistant Professor at the Department of Communication, Berry College
