ISLAMOPHOBIA REPORT

EUROPEAN ISLAMOPHOBIA REPORT 2015
and Giorgia Meloni, but above all through shameful minor gestures perpetrated by
ordinary citizens, such as constant insults towards the members of the Muslim community.
In particular, Muslim women have become the primary target for Islamophobic
attacks; verbal abuse and harassment in public targeting women in the hijab
are a regular occurrence.
Apart from the concrete measures recommended below, it is worth noting that
eradicating Islamophobia is only possible with a joint effort from all the actors involved.
Although it is necessary to ensure the effectiveness of the legislative framework,
the fostering of tolerance and mutual respect through education, with a special
focus on younger generations, is crucial. Every single citizen must feel affected by
Islamophobic incidents and will have to be able and willing to react, because Islamophobia,
as every form of intolerance concerns not only Muslims, but every common
citizen of a democratic society.
Equally, the Italian Muslim community should step up efforts and speak out
against Islamophobic incidents. Reluctance to report will not strengthen the Muslim
community. On the contrary, it will make the phenomenon even more invisible and
difficult to eradicate.
On the basis of this report, the following set of key measures should be considered
when discussing ways to counter the Islamophobic phenomenon in Italy:
Legislative Framework
• the relation between the Italian Muslim community and the Italian state should
be regulated by an agreement (intesa) at national level;
• a law on freedom of religion should be adopted in order to set a clear legislative
framework and to reduce geographical inequalities;
• a law on combating on-line racism should be adopted;
• the Additional Protocol to the Council of Europe Convention on Cybercrime
should be ratified as soon as possible;
• any future amendments to the Reale Act – Mancino Act should not further
reduce the scope of the law;
Employment and Education
• under-reporting of Islamophobic incidents in the field of employment and education
should be countered by further raising awareness among the general
public and encouraging victims to report incidents;
• widespread research should be conducted to analyse carefully the subtle forms of
systematic discrimination suffered by Muslim people in the field of employment;
• pluralism in schools should be ensured by overseeing a real secular education
over and above the procedure that allows an exemption from the Catholic “hour
of religion”;
• bullying behaviours should be prevented and countered, in particular when con-
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