Fighting hate speech – individually, united, through activism, and bravely!

Young activists at the forefront of hate speech and on the front line in the fight against this deviant social phenomenon

June 18, 2024

“The consequences of failing to take measures in the fight against hate speech are potentially terrible, as hate speech has a holistic effect. The result is not only increased discrimination against LGBTIQ individuals, women, Roma men, Roma women, etc., but also the threat to peace, and thus all the democratic progress we have made.”

Jovan Džoli Ulićević, activist

Three young people from Montenegro – journalist Marija Pešić, activist Jovan Džoli Ulićević, and human rights activist Selma Drini – dedicate their professional and personal engagement daily to the fight against hate speech. Each of them makes their own contribution, but with the same goal – creating an equal, tolerant society that is resistant to hate speech, misogyny, sexism, and discrimination on any basis. Their experiences, views, and stories, which they shared with UNDP in response to the International Day for Countering Hate Speech celebration, remind us of the importance of a collective response and inspire urgent action.

As a journalist, Marija faces hate speech almost every day. She does not deny that hate speech significantly affects her daily life, but she notes that, ironically, the presence of hate speech tells her that she is doing something good.

“Every gender-based insult, antifeminist and misogynistic, tells me that I have shed a small light on a problem that cannot be solved in the dark but only when it is fully visible. It also reminds me of how important it is not to allow its normalization and trivialization. It reminds me that every reaction to hate speech is useful because it exposes the motives behind it and encourages other women not to endure it. I learned from such examples myself, and today I strive to be such an example for the generations of women who will come after me”, says Marija.

On one hand, hate speech entraps and makes people feel powerless and depressed, while on the other, it provides an accurate picture of society.

“It constantly reminds us what we are fighting against and why we do what we do – we fight for an equal and healthy society. Just when we think we have made a small or big step in the fight for a fairer and more civilized community, hate speech is the one that holds up a mirror to reality”, says Marija.

Women are frequent targets of hate speech. Violence and hate speech towards women in political life are most commonly identified on social media (34.9%), followed by during election campaigns (31.4%), in the media (17.4%), in parliament (9.3%), and within political parties (7%). Social media and portals have become public spaces where content and comments are posted not to contribute to the development of broadly interesting debates, but rather to degrade and offend women, creating an intolerant and exclusively hostile environment.

Marija believes that hate speech is merely an illusion of powerlessness for the target and an illusion of power for the speaker.

“This illusion is like glass, it seems dangerous but is not difficult to break, only when we realize that power is in our hands, carrying knowledge, respect, and the legacy of all the women before us who have enabled us to have the opportunity to shatter this glass wall”, she says.

Hate speech makes society indifferent to numerous deviant social phenomena, and Marija is concerned about the increasingly dangerous narrative that one should not pay attention to what is said, but rather to who is saying it, because exclusivity is never beneficial. In this way, hate speech can be further intensified to achieve its desired effect – hatred, and can escalate into more severe forms of expression such as violence and crime.

She also points out the increasingly subtle hate speech disguised as humor.

“Meme culture, new forms of communication on social media have become excuses for hate speech in various forms that are increasingly difficult to recognize. Different online spaces and generations have developed almost their own languages that only chronic users of certain networks can understand. For others, it may seem like a joke, a remark, or confusing content while its intention is driven by the same motives as hate speech”, says Marija.

However, this young journalist does not allow hate speech to define her.

“It starts from within, with the awareness that I am not a derogatory and chauvinistic phrase but exactly the opposite. And what stands against that is strong and brave. Then I act. Starting from directly confronting those who speak or write it, through reporting to the platforms where it is found, to publicly advocating on this issue”, she says.

Jovan responds to hate speech with constant struggle and refusal to accept limitations on his actions.

“It doesn’t discourage me, but quite the opposite. That’s why I choose not to give up and not allow it to push me back into silence. Hate speech is loudest in my case whenever I talk about societal issues that aren't directly linked to LGBT topics. This is what I see as a special danger – it’s true marginalization and being boxed in. Society allows you to engage with topics related to one part of your identity, but when you want to be active in society, it stifles you. I won’t accept that”, he states.

He emphasizes that hate speech negatively impacts everyone in various ways, not just those directly targeted.

“Hate speech makes society violent and hostile for everyone, and it’s a mistaken assumption that it only affects those it’s aimed at. Normalized hate speech, which we de facto live with, creates a violent society that is violent towards absolutely everyone, and it's an illusion to think that anyone is spared from this violence,”, says Jovan.

He believes that normalizing hate speech must not be allowed.

“Particularly contributing to this is the increasing emphasis on the absolute freedom of speech without any restrictions, and the misuse of the concept of pluralism and dialogue culture to legitimize antidemocratic narratives”, Jovan adds.

The Roma community is regularly a target of hate speech. Selma highlights that hate speech against Roma women and men creates a sense of insecurity and fear, disrupting the daily lives of Roma community members by denying them many rights guaranteed by the Constitution of Montenegro and international conventions.

“Daily confrontation with hate speech denies young people the opportunity to fulfil their full potential and deprives them of many opportunities crucial for their education. In addition to hate speech, discrimination is also prevalent. These two concepts, discrimination and hate speech towards members of the Roma community, create a sense of rejection and invisibility. This way, young people from the Roma community are denied the chance for progress and a better future. Hate speech, discrimination, poverty – these are just some of the many factors that undermine the dignity and self-confidence of young Roma women and men”, Selma emphasizes.

She actively advocates for justice and equality, combating discrimination, violence, and all injustices affecting her community. Therefore, she believes that education is key in the fight against hate speech.

“We must clearly show everyone the consequences of hate speech, and together promote respect for diversity, tolerance, and other values. It's important to ensure that existing laws are clear and enforceable, as we don’t need laws that sound good but are practically impossible or very difficult to implement. If hate speech targets a particular group or individual, we as a society must ensure that the perpetrator is sanctioned in accordance with the law and provide support to victims of hate speech to prevent them from feeling humiliated or less valuable simply because they are the primary targets of hate speech. Victims of any form of violence or hate speech must be provided with legal aid, psychological support, and protection from possible reprisals”, Selma stresses.

Both Marija and Jovan believe that formal and informal education, raising awareness, and ongoing dialogue are ultimate tools in the fight against hate speech. Apart from implementing effective criminal policies, Marija places great hope in the new generations.

“I have high hopes for new generations who will one day be educators and through formal education strengthen young people’s knowledge on this topic, as well as their confidence, self-awareness, and self-respect – ultimate tools in the fight against hate”, Marija concludes.

“What's crucial is a complete change in approach to raising awareness and working on stereotypes, simultaneously addressing the root causes of inequality in society that foster hatred towards anyone different. Regarding awareness-raising, we need to work with younger age groups and not just on attitudes, but on values that are more stable and deeply ingrained. Therefore, the value of acceptance and respect, not just tolerance. I’m not sure generalized human rights narratives achieve the desired effect anymore, because on the other hand, we have emotionally charged content that spreads very easily. In this sense, I think a lot of money has been practically wasted on unsuccessful and untested campaigns that sounded great to those who made them, and ultimately, uncoordinated campaigns, because most progressive and democratic actors still operate on a competitive rather than cooperative basis, which would amplify the effect of our efforts”, Jovan concludes.

UNDP research on youth perceptions in the Western Balkans about peace highlights a worrying trend of equating freedom of speech with hate speech. Even though 42% of young people believe hate speech should be acceptable as part of freedom of speech, it remains one of the leading forms of violence or discrimination experienced by young people.

Nevertheless, young people like Marija, Selma, and Jovan serve as examples of progressive, authentic action, and leadership in preserving existing achievements and achieving further progress in social cohesion, human rights, and gender equality.

Enhancing social cohesion, strengthening trust in institutions, and building community resilience against hate speech and discrimination are crucial parts of UNDP’s mandate in Montenegro. Following the promotion of dialogue and joint action against hate speech, sexism, and misogyny, UNDP has joined forces with UNICEF and UNESCO to jointly implement initiatives aimed at strengthening citizens’ trust in institutions and building resilient communities, supported by the Government of Montenegro and the UN Peacebuilding Fund. Under this program, we continue to empower progressive leaders, support dialogue and collaborative actions for the common good, and support all stakeholders in shaping a society tailored to the needs of its citizens.

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