Costa Rica is known for its strong democracy, pro-human rights stance, and deep respect of the rule of law, so it was a shock when the 2018 general elections ushered in an unprecedented polarization of Costa Rican society.

This shift was accompanied by a sharp rise in hate speech and expressions of discrimination and xenophobia.

In the last episode of this season of UNiting Against Hate, Katy Dartford looks at the ways that the country, with strong support from the UN, decided to confront the problem.

Find out more about the UN's #NoToHate campaign here.

Music: Backcomb, Ketsa

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It's common to hear that the world has never been more interconnected. But at the same time, it's never been easier to share differences of opinion and spread misinformation, hate speech and information that divides and causes fear and mistrust.

However, there is an age-old method of building trust between opposing societies, communities, and people: intercultural dialogue.

Intercultural dialogue has been described as an antidote to rejection and violence, but can it really make a difference in a world where toxic language and conflict are the things that make headlines, generates more clicks, and – so it often seems – win votes?

Find out more about the UN's #NoToHate campaign here.

Like and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts, to ensure you don’t miss an episode!

Music: Backcomb, Ketsa

There is concern amongst human rights experts and activists that hate speech is becoming more prevalent, with views once perceived as fringe and extreme, moving into the mainstream.

This episode of UNiting Against Hate features Tendayi Achiume, the outgoing UN Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of racism, and Jaroslav Valůch, who is the project manager for fact-checking and news literacy, at Prague-based media development organization “Transitions”.

Both express fears that online technology, especially social media platforms, are facilitating the spread of hate-based narratives, whilst acknowledging the technology can also be used to help tackle, and counter, hate speech.

Find out more about the UN's #NoToHate campaign here.

Like and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts, to ensure you don’t miss an episode!

Music: Backcomb, Ketsa

According to leading international human rights organization Minority Rights Group (MRG), there was a 400-fold increase in the use of hate terms online in Pakistan between 2011 and 2021.

In this episode of UNiting Against Hate, Katy Dartford speaks to activists from MRG, and two partner organizations: Pakistan-based think tank Bytes for All, and Iraq-based Kirkuk Now.

They’ve all worked together on a “toolkit” designed to help improve the reporting of hate speech, and provide advice on how to work with young people or the media to generate positive speech to counter online and offline hate.

Find out more about the UN's #NoToHate campaign here.

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Music: Backcomb, Ketsa

For years, Martina Mlinarević, a writer and journalist, and the ambassador of Bosnia and Herzegovina to the Czech Republic, has detailed aspects of corruption in her country.

She has faced threats and insults online, but when allowed a photo of her mastectomy scar to be published in a magazine, a first for Bosnia and Herzegovina, there was a furious backlash.

Ms. Mlinarević told Katy Dartford about the impact this had on her, and her family.

Find out more about the UN's #NoToHate campaign here.

Like and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts, to ensure you don’t miss an episode!

Music: Backcomb, Ketsa

Yashica Dutt is a leading Indian anti-caste expert, journalist, and the award-winning author of the non-fiction memoir, Coming Out as Dalit.

On this episode of UNiting Against Hate, she tells Katy Dartford about the discrimination she has experienced, ever since she publicly described herself as Dalit, a group of people who, according to those who subscribe to the Indian caste system, sit at the bottom of the pyramid.

Music: Backcomb, Ketsa

Find out more about the UN's #NoToHate campaign here.

Like and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts, to ensure you don’t miss an episode!

Edmund Yakani, one of South Sudan’s most prominent human rights defenders, has frequently been subject to intimidation and harassment.

Mr. Yakani and other South Sudanese activists have called attention to how hate speech, both in-country and from the diaspora, is contributing to further violence in the world's newest country.

In this episode, Katy Dartford speaks to Mr. Yakani about the ways that politicians use hate speech to their advantage, and his fears for the future of his country, if the problem is not addressed.

Find out more about the UN's #NoToHate campaign here.

Music: Backcomb, Ketsa

Like and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts, to ensure you don’t miss an episode!

In UNiting Against Hate, an eight-part series from UN Podcasts, Katy Dartford talks to those who have encountered hate speech first-hand, as well as activists and experts from around the world about how they are trying to counter it.

In this episode, she has an in-depth conversation with two organizations who monitor hate speech, and discusses with them the relationship between hate speech and disinformation.

Music: Backcomb, Ketsa

Find out more about the UN's #NoToHate campaign here.

Like and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts, to ensure you never miss an episode!

The devastating effect of hatred is sadly nothing new. However, its scale and impact are now amplified by new communications technologies. Hate speech – including online – has become one of the most common ways of spreading divisive rhetoric on a global scale, threatening peace around the world.

In UNiting Against Hate, a new eight-part United Nations podcast, we will show how hate speech manifests itself in different parts of the world, showcasing the work of activists who are bringing about positive change.

Music: Backcomb, Ketsa