1. Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights Combating Intolerance and Discrimination against Muslims Tolerance and Non-Discrimination Department June 2008

2. Why a special focus on Tolerance and Non-Discrimination?  Increase of racist, xenophobic, anti-Semitic and other intolerant acts in the OSCE region  High-level conferences in 2003- 07 requested increased action to address increasing acts of intolerance

3. Creation of Tolerance and Non- Discrimination Programme  2003 Maastricht MC Decision expands ODIHR’s mandate  Includes violent manifestations of intolerance: hate incidents and crimes  Need for a specific approach to improve: data collection, legislation, law enforcement and tolerance education

4. Mandate of the Tolerance and Non- Discrimination Programme  (1) compile data, statistics, legislation and best practices relating to hate crimes;  (2) promote freedom of religion or belief;  (3) education and training tools to counter intolerance;  (4) cooperate and coordinate with other intergovernmental agencies and civil society

5. Why a special focus on Anti-Muslim Intolerance and Discrimination?  OSCE’s holistic and thematic approach  Increase of violent manifestations of intolerance against Muslims after 9/11

6. Manifestations of Intolerance against Muslims  Physical attacks and verbal harassments against individuals  Vandalism and desecration of mosques, Koran and cemeteries  Discriminatory policies in immigration, employment, access to public services  Anti-terrorism policies with racial profiling  Biased media coverage and political discourse  Denial of accommodation of religion in schools and work place  Restrictions on building mosques

7. OSCE Decisions on Intolerance and Discrimination against Muslims  Rejection of identification of terrorism and extremism with a particular religion or culture  Collection of reliable data on hate crimes  Inter-faith/inter-cultural dialogue  Protection of freedom of religion  Educational and awareness-raising measures  Role of media  Cooperation with civil society

8. ODIHR Activities to Combat Intolerance against Muslims  Cross-cutting Activities:  Hate Crime Monitoring  Law Enforcement Officers Capacity Building (LEOP)  Tolerance and Non-Discrimination Information System (TANDIS)  Civil Society Capacity Building  Freedom of Religion

9. ODIHR Activities to Combat Intolerance against Muslims  Specific Activities:  Country Specific Resource Books on Muslim Communities  Educational Tools to Combat Anti- Muslim Intolerance  Muslim NGO Roundtable Meetings  Cooperation with CiO Personal Representative on Combating Intolerance against Muslims

10. American Context Strengths:  An immigration country  Strong hate crime legislation and data collection system  Respect for freedom of religion or belief 2008

11. American Context Challenges:  Impact of 9/11  Racial Profiling  Biased Portrayal of Muslims in political discourse and media  Need for more effective educational initiatives to combat intolerance against Muslims

12. Taskin Tankut Soykan Adviser on Combating Intolerance and Discrimination against Muslims OSCE-ODIHR Email: taskin.soykan@odihr.pltaskin.soykan@odihr.pl Website: http://www.osce.org/odihrhttp://www.osce.org/odihr