A/HRC/55/35 the United Nations Strategy and Plan of Action on Hate Speech49 and the Faith for Rights framework 50 could help navigate the fine line between free speech and incitement, by assessing in each case the context of the speech, the speaker, the intent, the content and the form of the speech, the extent of the speech and the likelihood of the speech to produce immediate actions against its targets. 42. In October, OHCHR conducted two training sessions on addressing hate speech for approximately 50 police officers from various parts of the Republic of Moldova, in the framework of a Peacebuilding Fund project. The training took place in the context of recently amended legal provisions on incitement and discrimination, and requests from the Moldovan authorities for support in implementing these new legal provisions in the light of the country’s international human rights law obligations. 43. In December, the Special Adviser to the Secretary-General on the Prevention of Genocide, the High Representative for the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations and the Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief issued a joint statement, calling on all stakeholders, including States, the media, social media and technology companies, and universities to respond promptly to sustained and widespread reports of incidents reflecting antisemitic and Islamophobic hatred in countries around the world in a manner consistent with international human rights law. They were particularly alarmed that acts of harassment, intimidation, violence and incitement based on religion or belief across the world had been sharply rising in recent months and that they had spiked to alarming levels in recent weeks. In some countries, national authorities and civil society organizations had reported a dramatic increase in Islamophobic and antisemitic incidents. Other religious minority communities were also experiencing acute and unprecedented insecurity. The Special Adviser and the Special Rapporteur called on all stakeholders to urgently speak out against rising antisemitism and Islamophobia and to stand in solidarity with all targeted persons and communities. Social media companies must act decisively against hate speech and incitement to religious violence, discrimination and hostility online.51 44. In its concluding observations on Italy, the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination expressed concern about the persistent and increasing use and normalization of racist hate speech against persons from ethnic minorities in the media and online and about the use of racist political discourse by politicians and other high-level public officials against ethnic minorities, in particular Roma, Sinti and Camminanti, Africans and people of African descent. The Committee expressed concern that the increasing use of racist speech in public discourse was leading to a proliferation of racist hate incidents. It urged Italy to effectively apply its legislation to combat hate speech and incitement to racial discrimination and to ensure that all hate speech and racially motivated crimes were effectively investigated, and those found guilty were punished, regardless of their official status. The Committee also expressed concern that racist acts, including physical and verbal attacks against athletes of African descent, continued at sports events. It asked Italy to investigate all racist abuses in sports and to sanction those responsible.52 H. Economic, social and cultural rights of minorities 45. In September, as part of its ongoing engagement on a human rights economy, OHCHR supported a training of 30 community budget champions in three locations (Turbi, Laisamis and Sagante) in Marsabit County in northern Kenya. This training focused on a human rights-based approach to budgeting and was undertaken in collaboration with local civil society organizations and county government officials. The training equipped community budget champions with the knowledge and skills necessary to enhance community participation in the budgeting process at the county level in a way that promotes the 49 50 51 52 10 See https://www.un.org/en/genocideprevention/hate-speech-strategy.shtml. See https://www.ohchr.org/en/faith-for-rights. See https://www.ohchr.org/en/statements/2023/12/un-special-adviser-prevention-genocide-highrepresentative-united-nations. CERD/C/ITA/CO/21, paras. 12, 13, 28 and 29. GE.23-26212