Advancing legislative measures
A solid and effective legal framework is essential in the fight against hate speech, necessitating the implementation of preventive, punitive and rehabilitation measures.
By establishing clear laws and regulations that explicitly define and prohibit hate speech, we create an environment preventing its proliferation.
Through a combination of legal recourse and proactive initiatives, we can work towards a society where hate speech is prevented, addressed, and penalised.
To achieve this and foster a harmonious sport community for all, our six partners have implemented both administrative and criminal punitive measures, along with rehabilitation programmes for offenders and those affected by hate speech.
#SportIsRespect
Country: Germany
Organisation responsible: Federal Government
Main topic addressed: Fight against right-wing extremism, racism, antisemitism, antigypsyism, Islamophobia, and anti-black racism.
Type of resource/practice: Policy measures
Approach: Prevention
Target group(s): Society as a whole
Timing: March 2020
Brief description of the practice: The German Cabinet Committee to Combat Right-Wing Extremism and Racism is a special committee of intergovernmental stakeholders and ministries under the direct supervision of the former federal chancellor.
Context and objectives: Democracy and social harmony in Germany are threatened by right-wing extremism and racism. To counter this development, the Federal Government set up the Cabinet Committee to Combat Right-Wing Extremism and Racism in 2020. The Federal Cabinet has approved its final report and the measures it proposes.
Steps/activities of the practice: It was created in order to:
1. generate greater awareness of racism as a phenomenon that affects society as a whole and improve state structures to fight racism and right-wing extremism; step up cooperation between the security authorities, the judiciary, and relevant state civil society bodies and improve the empirical basis of such work;
2. increase and intensify work within regular societal structures to prevent right-wing extremism and racism, antisemitism, Islamophobia, and all other forms of enmity (including online) against any perceived group of persons; further develop civic education and work to promote democracy;
3. increase support for victims of racial discrimination and for those in their social environment; ensure effective protection for victims and enhance sustainable structures to fight racism;
4. encourage recognition and appreciation of a diverse society that ensures equal opportunities for all and strengthen equal opportunities for people with a migrant background to participate in society.
Follow-up ideas and future plans: The Federal Government has created additional bodies with a special focus on various forms of hostility, xenophobia and racism. In chronological order, these are the office of Federal Government Commissioner for Jewish Life in Germany and the Fight against Antisemitism (May 2018), the Independent Commission on Antigypsyism (March 2019) and the Independent Expert Group on Hostility against Muslims (September 2020). Their role is to identify the scale of the problem in their respective areas, to consult the government, and to suggest implementable and effective solutions.
Due to their great scope and variety, much can be learned from such initiatives.
