by Stefan J. Bos, Worthy News Europe Bureau Chief
VATICAN CITY/GENEVA/COLOMBO (Worthy News) – A United Nations social media campaign against hatred explicitly mentions “Islamophobia” and antisemitism but makes no reference to anti-Christian hatred or persecution, Worthy News confirmed Monday.
“Racism, xenophobia, antisemitism & Islamophobia are poisoning our societies,” the United Nations Office at Geneva, Switzerland, wrote on its official Facebook platform page.
“We must fight them — wherever and whenever they appear. Say #NoToRacism. Say #NoToHate.”
However, a prominent Christian human rights defender who fled Pakistan following threats linked to his religious freedom advocacy told Worthy News that he had urged the United Nations to also recognize anti-Christian hatred in its public awareness campaigns.
He warned that excluding explicit references to Christians from messages condemning religious intolerance risks creating the impression of unequal treatment.
CHRISTIAN PERSECUTION
Lawyer Sardar Mushtaq Gill, a refugee in Sri Lanka and founder and international advocacy director of Christian rights group LEAD Ministries, made the appeal in an open letter to the U.N. Office at Geneva after Sunday’s Facebook publication.
“Why was Christianophobia not mentioned?” Gill asked. “Is hatred, discrimination, and persecution directed against Christians not equally deserving of recognition and condemnation?”
His concerns come as the Christian advocacy group Open Doors estimates that more than 388 million Christians worldwide, or one in seven, face high levels of persecution and discrimination because of their faith.
Archbishop Ettore Balestrero, the Vatican’s Permanent Observer to the United Nations in Geneva, described Christians in March as the world’s most persecuted religious community, citing nearly 400 million people facing persecution or violence.
Gill stressed that he supports the U.N.’s efforts to combat racism, xenophobia, antisemitism and Islamophobia but said Christians facing violence, discrimination, attacks on churches and restrictions on religious freedom also deserve international recognition.
REFUGEE CONCERNS
“Christianophobia is a serious concern. Christians in different parts of the world experience discrimination, intimidation, hostility, attacks on churches, restrictions on religious freedom, violence, and persecution because of their Christian faith,” he wrote.
Gill cited United Nations resolutions addressing religious intolerance and urged U.N. Geneva to explicitly recognize Christianophobia in relevant public communications, raise awareness of Christian persecution and ensure equal treatment of religious communities.
He also raised concerns about the treatment of Christian refugees in Sri Lanka, saying some believed their asylum and resettlement needs had received less attention than those of other persecuted religious communities.
Gill stressed that he did not want to diminish the suffering of Muslims or other religious minorities, saying all refugees deserve protection regardless of their faith. “Our appeal is not for preferential treatment. It is an appeal for equality, fairness, dignity, and equal recognition,” he wrote.
The U.N.’s broader campaign against hatred condemns discrimination and intolerance in all forms, although the Facebook message examined by Worthy News did not explicitly mention Christians.
“Christianophobia is real. Christian persecution is real. The world must not ignore it,” Gill wrote, urging U.N. Geneva to review its public messaging and respond to his concerns. There was no immediate public response from U.N. Geneva to his appeal as of Monday.
Copyright 1999-2026 Worthy News. This article was originally published on Worthy News and was reproduced with permission.
