UNESCO backs new initiative against online hate speech
A new study highlights growing concerns over hate speech and disinformation in Kyrgyzstan’s digital spaces.
Organisations and experts in Kyrgyzstan have launched the country’s first multistakeholder coalition focused on online harmful content and content moderation, with support from UNESCO and the European Union.
The Aikyn Sanarip coalition was launched in Bishkek on 17 June, ahead of the UN International Day for Countering Hate Speech. It brings together civil society, media representatives, government bodies, academics, international organisations and bloggers.
UNESCO said the coalition will provide a platform for dialogue on freedom of expression, digital rights, online safety and greater accountability from digital platforms.
The launch also featured the first national study on freedom of expression and content moderation in Kyrgyzstan. The research examines how hate speech spreads across digital platforms, how content is moderated in Kyrgyz-language digital spaces, and where legal and institutional gaps remain.
UNESCO said users in Kyrgyzstan increasingly encounter hate speech, disinformation and online harassment. At the same time, the country lacks a clear legal definition of hate speech, and mechanisms for addressing harmful content remain fragmented.
The European Union supported the forum under UNESCO’s Social Media 4 Peace project, which promotes multistakeholder responses to harmful online content while protecting freedom of expression.
Why does it matter?
The launch shows how online hate speech and harmful content are becoming governance issues beyond major platform markets. Kyrgyzstan’s new coalition links digital rights, online safety and platform accountability, while also highlighting a difficult balance: tackling hate speech and disinformation without undermining freedom of expression. The initiative may offer a model for multistakeholder responses in countries where legal frameworks and platform moderation practices remain underdeveloped.
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