New York (TDI): United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres will soon appoint his special envoy to lead efforts and mechanism for countering islamophobia, Munir Akram said in his personal statement on the International Day to Combat Islamophobia.
After delivering a detailed statement on behalf of the OIC at the Informal Plenary Meeting of the General Assembly on International Day to Combat Islamophobia, Pakistan’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Munir Akram, said that António Guterres will appoint the Under-Secretary-General, Miguel Ángel Moratinos, to lead a plan of action for countering islamophobia in specific ways.
Speaking at the plenary, he criticized democracies in the West for discriminating through laws against their Muslim populations. In his call to action, he said that all must act decisively.
“We witness political narratives that seek to exclude, disenfranchise, and demonize Muslims – even in societies that have acted as champions of tolerance, pluralism, democracy and human rights,” he observed.
There is a growing recognition that Islamophobia must be addressed at all levels. Pakistan & @OIC will work with the UN Secretary-General and his special envoy to develop a concrete plan of action to combat Islamophobia.
My message on International Day to Combat #Islamophobia pic.twitter.com/DGTSRkpzxb
— Munir Akram, PR of Pakistan to the UN (@PakistanPR_UN) March 15, 2025
UN Secretary-General’s Message
Secretary-General of the UN António Guterres, in his statement on the occasion, expressed alarm over rising incidents of intolerance against “religious groups and vulnerable populations,” with a specific mention of anti-Muslim bigotry.
He added, let’s work together to uphold equality, human rights and dignity.”
He also noted that while Muslims are observing the Holy month of Ramadan, many of them are practicing their fasts and religious rituals in constant fear.
“We must all speak out against bigotry and xenophobia,” he said.
We are witnessing a disturbing rise in anti-Muslim bigotry that is part of a wider scourge of intolerance & attacks against religious groups & vulnerable populations.
This International Day to Combat Islamophobia, let’s work together to uphold equality, human rights & dignity. pic.twitter.com/QIO1TeWME5
— António Guterres (@antonioguterres) March 15, 2025
Pakistan’s former Foreign Secretary, Ambassador Tehmina Janjua, also spoke at the Informal Plenary of the UN General Assembly.
She was pictured sitting alongside the Under-Secretary-General of the UN.
In her statement, she focused on the role and responsibility the UN has in countering Islamophobia and in comprehensively documenting the incidents.
Janjua also stressed that the world body must help us understand what are the root causes of anti-Muslim hate and violence.
“The world is spiralling back to the dark years of the early 20th century. Islamophobia is an acute manifestation of this dangerous regression,” she noted.
Ambassador Tehmina Janjua, former Foreign Secretary of Pakistan, pictured with Under-Secretary-General Miguel Ángel Moratinos, High Representative for the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC) at the UNGA Informal Plenary on the occasion of International Day to Combat… pic.twitter.com/yiTVOTmsFM
— Permanent Mission of Pakistan to the UN (@PakistanUN_NY) March 15, 2025
In 2022, the United Nations adopted a resolution, which was put forward by Pakistan, to observe March 15 of each year as the International Day to Combat Islamophobia.
Since then, the Muslim countries have increasingly looked up to Pakistan to lead the cause at the UN.
This year marks the third observance of this day and yet again the OIC nominated Pakistan’s Permanent Representative to speak for all the Muslims of the world.
Nuzhat Rana is an Associate Editor at The Diplomatic Insight.
