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to racial discrimination, hatred and violence. She also plans to look at the ways in which
those facing discrimination on such grounds as race, ethnicity, nationality, descent, religion,
migration status and lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or intersex status experience online
hate speech, including the experiences of those facing discrimination on multiple and
intersecting grounds. The Special Rapporteur is concerned that disinformation can contribute
to the development and dissemination of harmful racial and ethnic stereotypes and fear of
difference in a way that feeds hate speech. She wishes to gather the views of stakeholders on
this topic and include it within the scope of her report and recommendations to Member
States and others. The Special Rapporteur will also explore the relationship between online
hate speech, including but not limited to hate speech amounting to incitement to racial
discrimination, hatred and violence, and offline hate speech, hate crimes and related human
rights violations.
53.
Alongside analysis of the different forms of hate speech, the Special Rapporteur
intends to examine efforts to address online hate speech. In this regard, she intends to seek
the views of stakeholders on the role of private companies in preventing and addressing
online hate speech, the key gaps and challenges in responses to the phenomenon and any
examples of good practices. Within such analysis, the Special Rapporteur will seek input on
any examples of the effective application of the six-part threshold test of the Rabat Plan of
Action on the prohibition of advocacy of national, racial or religious hatred that constitutes
incitement to discrimination, hostility or violence, and any challenges faced in the
implementation of these criteria. Finally, the Special Rapporteur intends to explore the
experiences of victims of online hate speech who seek access to remedies following
experiences of hate speech.
VII. Conclusions and recommendations
54.
The Special Rapporteur, at the outset of her mandate, expresses her gratitude to
the Human Rights Council for her appointment and notes her commitment to the
elimination of all forms of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related
intolerance. In the present report, the Special Rapporteur has outlined her initial
strategic vision for the implementation of her mandate over the coming months and
years. She has provided a summary of the historical work of her mandate in the context
of her commitment to both ensuring continuity with her predecessors and focusing on
areas in which she foresees scope for additional work.
55.
The Special Rapporteur has highlighted the importance of the International
Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination, other human
rights treaties and the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action to the scope and
implementation of her mandate and calls upon States to continue and expand their
efforts to implement such provisions. She has outlined her intended methods of work.
The Special Rapporteur expresses her commitment to working collaboratively with
civil society organizations and victims, including by consistently upholding the
principles of consent and “do no harm”.
56.
Finally, the Special Rapporteur has outlined some initial priority areas for the
fulfilment of her mandate, relating to both her overall approach to her work and the
initial thematic areas on which she intends to focus. She has expressed her commitment
to undertaking visits under her mandate to countries of concern and ensuring regional
balance in such work. The Special Rapporteur has also underscored the cross-cutting
importance of cooperation with other mechanisms and organizations addressing
racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance at the international,
regional, national and local levels. When discussing her intended approach to the
fulfilment of her mandate, the Special Rapporteur stressed the importance of both
inclusivity and the consistent consideration of intersecting forms of discrimination. The
Special Rapporteur has made clear that she intends to integrate the examination of the
impact of the historical legacies of colonialism and slavery on contemporary forms of
racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance into all aspects of her
work. The Special Rapporteur has also discussed some initial thematic priorities,
including online hate speech as an important vector for the relationship between digital
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