Tackling hate speech

Course type

Online, self-study course that uses videos, interactive exercises and case studies to equip you with knowledge, skills and tools to enable you to recognise, analyse and tackle hate speech in your context.

Target audience

Designed for young people engaged in youth movements, staff and volunteers of civil society organisations aindividual activists.

Time : 1-2 hours

Take the course at your own pace, at any time, free of charge. TIP! Why not include the course in onboarding training for new staff members?

Access the course

NOTE: When you click on the above button you will be asked to register for the ‘learning site’ (course). Click on the log in button and create a free account using your email address. You will then be automatically re-directed to the course.

Why take the course?

The world is experiencing an unprecedented rise in hateful speech offline – on our streets and online – on our phones and computer screens.

This course will help you understand and analyse hate speech, discover best practices for work to tackle hate speech and stay safe and well while doing that work.

Note: Some modules are not yet published and will be released Spring 2026.

Course modules

This foundational module is the longest in the course and provides you with a solid grounding in the issues.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

By the end of this module, you will be able to:
- Describe the impact of hate speech and how it contributes to violence.
- Explain:
  
  what hate speech is and the typical components of hate speech.
  
  the difference between prohibited (illegal) hate speech and other forms of hateful speech.
  
  the criteria we can use to determine if an expression amounts to prohibited hate speech (the UN Rabat criteria).
  
  why legislation is not the only answer, and the risks of legislation.
- Recognise hate speech and analyse a case of hate speech using the Rabat Criteria at a basic level.
- Describe a range of possible strategies for tackling hate speech.
- Identify relevant hate speech legislation in your country context.
Estimated time: 50-90 minutes
Essential for everyone working to counter hate speech, this short module provides guidance on safeguarding your (or your staff/volunteers’) personal well-being and security.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

By the end of the module, you will be able to:
- Explain the importance of self-care and psycho-social support for people engaged in tackling hate speech.
- Develop a personal self-care checklist.
- Identify key elements of organisational psychosocial support that need to be put in place.
- Understand the importance of digital security.
  Find alternative courses and resources to support you in ensuring you are safe online.
Estimated time: 15-30 minutes

Register your email to create a free account on fabo.org
– the website hosting our digital courses.

Access the course here:

Tackling hate speech