During the Council of Europe’s No Hate Speech Week in Strasbourg, Buğu Sıla Evren, ERA’s Project and Research Coordinator, followed discussions on some of the most urgent questions related to hate speech, discrimination and democratic resilience today.
The programme examined the root causes of racism and intolerance, gender-based and anti-LGBTI hate, the role of equality bodies and reporting mechanisms, as well as the opportunities and risks of using artificial intelligence to address harmful online content.
Participants reflected on how to respond more effectively to hate speech and hate-motivated violence targeting communities already exposed to discrimination, including LGBTIQ+ people and women. Discussions also addressed how institutions, civil society and digital platforms can keep pace with rapidly changing online spaces and harmful narratives that are constantly reproduced, adapted and amplified.
These questions are especially important in contexts where institutions remain weak, laws are inconsistently implemented, and people affected by hate often do not trust reporting mechanisms or expect an effective response.
Hate speech has a profound impact on the dignity and human rights of individuals and communities. It weakens trust, limits participation and undermines democratic resilience. It also shapes public opinion, normalises prejudice and influences how societies understand and respond to marginalised groups.
Countering hate speech cannot rely only on removing content or sanctioning individual cases. It requires prevention, education, long-term monitoring, stronger institutions, meaningful implementation of laws and a deeper understanding of the conditions that allow hate to spread.
At ERA, we remain committed to better understanding the trends, root causes and evolving forms of hate speech, and to identifying more effective, evidence-based and rights-based ways to prevent and address it.
During the Networking Fair, Buğu Sıla Evren also presented ERA’s ongoing monitoring of online hate speech in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia.
ERA was glad to take part in No Hate Speech Week, learn from different perspectives and bring this knowledge back into its regional work across the Western Balkans and Türkiye.
