HAMILTON, Canada

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Monday called for global action to combat Islamophobia and warned of a "rising tide of anti-Muslim bigotry and hate."

"Conflict and instability are raging around the world, affecting countless people, including many Muslims," Guterres said at a UN General Assembly high-level event marking the International Day to Combat Islamophobia, adding: "Civilians are suffering. Lives are being lost. Families are being torn apart."

He said that beyond active conflict zones, "millions of Muslims around the world carry that pain with them, worrying about loved ones … watching the news with dread … and wondering what tomorrow will bring for their communities and their future."

Noting that many Muslims' "daily life can be shaped by exclusion," he said: "We are facing a rising tide of anti-Muslim bigotry and hate."

Guterres further added that bias also manifests in "opportunities quietly denied … assumptions left unchallenged ... questions weighted down by suspicion," noting that "these everyday experiences rarely make the headlines or statistics."

Warning that rhetoric from those in power makes the problem worse, he said: "When discriminatory narratives are echoed by those in positions of authority, prejudice becomes normalized.”

"When stereotypes are left unchallenged, they harden into policy," the UN chief said.

He also stressed that "security measures must protect people and respect human rights, not stigmatize entire communities," adding that "silence in the face of hatred only allows it to spread."

The UN General Assembly adopted by consensus in 2022 a resolution declaring March 15 as International Day to Combat Islamophobia.