Addressing the Impact of Mis-/Disinformation on Civilians: Perspectives from Peacekeeping and Humanitarian Practitioners

Past
 Panel

  in Peacekeeping

An examination of the impact of mis-/disinformation and hate speech on civilians in armed conflict contexts

On 25 May 2023, the Permanent Missions of Brazil, Germany, and Ghana to the United Nations, the United Nations Department of Peace Operations, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, the International Committee of the Red Cross, the Stimson Center, and Center for Civilians in Conflict convened an expert-level dialogue on the impact of misinformation and disinformation on civilians, featuring perspectives from peacekeeping and humanitarian practitioners. This workshop was organized in a hybrid format as part of “PoC Week” on the margins of the annual UN Security Council Open Debate on the Protection of Civilians in Armed Conflict. 

This event intends to inform emerging thought and practice on how to better protect civilians and increase their resiliency to online mis- and disinformation and hate speech. Continued dialogue and collaboration between peacekeeping, humanitarians, researchers, and affected communities are essential to effectively understanding and tackling these phenomena. This discussion brought these expert communities together to exchange experiences, with the shared goal of preventing mis- and disinformation and hate speech both online and offline.

Read the PoC Side Event Concept Note.

Opening Remarks

H.E. Ambassador Antje Leendertse, Permanent Representative of Germany to the United Nations 

H.E. Ambassador Ronaldo Costa Filho, Permanent Representative of Brazil to the United Nations 

Panel Discussion

Ms. Lauren Spink, Senior Advisor on Research, Center for Civilians in Conflict 

Ms. Naomi Miyashita, Senior Programme Officer on Mis-/Disinformation, United Nations Department of Peace Operations 

Ms. Gisella Lomax, Senior Advisor on Information Integrity (Mis-/Disinformation and Hate Speech), United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees 

Ms. Mevan Babakar, Misinformation expert and former refugee 

Mr. Philippe Stoll, Senior Techplomacy Delegate, International Committee of the Red Cross 

Moderator

Ms. Lisa Sharland, Senior Fellow and Director of the Protecting Civilians and Human Security Program, Stimson Center 

Closing Remarks

H.E. Ambassador Harold Adlai Agyeman, Permanent Representative of Ghana to the United Nations 

Photo caption: Khassim Diagne (right), Deputy Special Representative for Protection and Operations in the United Nations Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO), speaks to Radio Okapi during a visit to Tchabi, following killings in a camp for internally displaced persons. Credit: UN Photo/Michael Ali. 

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