Draft Chapter Notes: ANTI-SEMITISM ORGANISATIONS AROUND THE WORLD
There are **many hundreds of organizations worldwide** dedicated to combating **anti-Semitism**, ranging from **global advocacy groups** to **local community initiatives**.
While an exact number is difficult to determine, hereโs a breakdown of key types and notable examples:
### **1. Global & International Organizations**
These monitor, report, and combat anti-Semitism on a large scale:
- **Anti-Defamation League (ADL)** (USA/Global)
- **World Jewish Congress (WJC)** (Global)
- **Simon Wiesenthal Centre** (USA/Global)
- **International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA)** (Intergovernmental)
- **European Jewish Congress (EJC)** (Europe)
- **Bโnai Bโrith International** (Global)
### **2. Government & Intergovernmental Bodies**
Some countries have official agencies:
- **US Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Anti-Semitism** (State Dept.)
- **UKโs Community Security Trust (CST)**
- **German Federal Association of Departments for Research and Information on Anti-Semitism (RIAS)**
- **EU Commission Coordinator on Combating Anti-Semitism**
### **3. Regional & National Groups**
Most countries with Jewish communities have dedicated organizations:
- **France:** **CRIF, LICRA**
- **Canada:** **Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs (CIJA)**
- **Australia:** **Executive Council of Australian Jewry (ECAJ)**
- **Argentina:** **DAIA**
- **South Africa:** **South African Jewish Board of Deputies (SAJBD)**
### **4. Academic & Monitoring Groups**
- **Tel Aviv Universityโs Kantor Centre** (annual anti-Semitism reports)
- **Yale Universityโs Program for the Study of Anti-Semitism**
- **Stephen Roth Institute (Tel Aviv University)**
### **5. Grassroots & Online Watchdogs**
- **Stop Antisemitism** (US-based, social media monitoring)
- **Report Antisemitism (UK)**
- **Anti-Semitism Watch (various countries)**
### **Estimated Numbers**
- **Over 200+** major organizations globally.
- **Thousands** of smaller local groups, Jewish community security teams, and educational initiatives.
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There are **quite a few organizations worldwide dedicated to combating Islamophobia**, though exact numbers are harder to pinpoint than for anti-Semitism due to varying definitions, less centralized tracking, and differing regional priorities. Below is a breakdown of key types and notable examples:
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### **1. Global & International Organizations**
These focus on advocacy, policy, and monitoring Islamophobia worldwide:
- **Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC)** โ 57 member states, monitors Islamophobia globally.
- **United Nations (UN) โ Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion or Belief** โ Addresses anti-Muslim hatred.
- **European Islamophobia Report (EIR)** โ Annual academic report on Islamophobia in Europe.
- **Islamic Human Rights Commission (IHRC)** (UK-based, global focus).
- **Muslim Council of Britain (MCB)** โ Advocacy and policy work.
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### **2. Government & Intergovernmental Initiatives**
Some countries have official bodies or task forces:
- **US Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR)** โ Largest Muslim civil rights group in the US.
- **UK All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on British Muslims** โ Pushed for an official definition of Islamophobia.
- **French Collective Against Islamophobia (CCIF)** (now dissolved, but similar groups exist).
- **Canadian National Council of Canadian Muslims (NCCM)** โ Advocacy and legal support.
- **EU Commissionโs Working Group on Anti-Muslim Hatred**.
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### **3. Regional & National Organizations**
Most Western and Muslim-majority nations have key groups:
- **USA:**
- **MPAC (Muslim Public Affairs Council)**
- **Justice for All (legal advocacy)**
- **Europe:**
- **ENAR (European Network Against Racism)**
- **Tell MAMA (UK, monitoring anti-Muslim attacks)**
- **Australia:** **Australian Muslim Advocacy Network (AMAN)**
- **India:** **Jamaat-e-Islami Hind (civil rights wing)**
- **South Africa:** **Muslim Judicial Council (MJC)**
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### **4. Academic & Research Centres**
- **Georgetown Universityโs Bridge Initiative** โ Leading research on Islamophobia.
- **University of Berkeleyโs Islamophobia Research & Documentation Project (IRDP)**.
- **Leiden Universityโs Islamophobia Studies Centre (Netherlands)**.
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### **5. Grassroots & Online Activism**
- **#StopIslamophobia campaigns** (social media-driven).
- **Local mosque security initiatives** (e.g., Muslim Safety Forum in the UK).
- **Hate crime reporting apps** (e.g., "Report Islamophobia" tools in multiple countries).
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### **Estimated Numbers**
- **100+ major organizations** explicitly focused on Islamophobia.
- **Thousands of local groups, mosques, and civil rights NGOs** that address anti-Muslim discrimination as part of broader work.
### **Comparison with Anti-Semitism Efforts**
- **Fewer dedicated Islamophobia groups** than anti-Semitism organizations, partly due to:
- Less institutional funding.
- More recent formal recognition of Islamophobia as a specific hate category.
- Overlap with broader anti-racism and immigrant rights movements.
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The term **"Christophobia"** (anti-Christian persecution or bias) is less commonly used than **"Islamophobia"** or **"anti-Semitism,"** and dedicated organizations explicitly combating **"Christophobia"** are relatively rare. However, there are **numerous groups worldwide that advocate for persecuted Christians, monitor anti-Christian hate crimes, and defend religious freedom**โoften under broader religious liberty frameworks.
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### **1. Global & International Organizations**
These focus on Christian persecution, religious freedom, and policy advocacy:
- **Open Doors** โ Tracks global persecution of Christians (World Watch List).
- **Aid to the Church in Need (ACN)** โ Supports persecuted Christians.
- **Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW)** โ Advocates for religious freedom.
- **International Christian Concern (ICC)** โ Documents anti-Christian violence.
- **Pew Research Centre** โ Studies global religious restrictions (includes Christian persecution).
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### **2. Government & Intergovernmental Initiatives**
Some governments have special envoys or commissions:
- **US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF)** โ Monitors global anti-Christian persecution.
- **UK Foreign Officeโs Special Envoy for Freedom of Religion or Belief**.
- **EU Guidelines on Freedom of Religion or Belief**.
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### **3. Regional & National Advocacy Groups**
- **USA:**
- **Family Research Council (FRC)** โ Addresses anti-Christian bias in culture/law.
- **Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF)** โ Legal defence of Christian rights.
- **Europe:**
- **European Centre for Law and Justice (ECLJ)** โ Legal advocacy.
- **Observatory on Intolerance and Discrimination Against Christians (OIDAC)** โ Tracks bias in Europe.
- **Middle East/Asia:**
- **Middle East Concern (MEC)** โ Supports persecuted Christians.
- **Voice of the Martyrs** โ Focuses on persecuted Christians in hostile regions.
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### **4. Academic & Research Centres**
- **Baylor Universityโs Institute for Studies of Religion (ISR)** โ Studies Christian persecution.
- **Oxford Centre for Religion and Public Life** โ Examines global religious freedom.
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### **5. Grassroots & Legal Defense Groups**
- **Persecution.org** โ Tracks anti-Christian violence.
- **Christian Legal Centres (e.g., in UK, Canada, Australia)** โ Fight discrimination cases.
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### **Estimated Numbers**
- **50+ major organizations** explicitly focused on Christian persecution.
- **Hundreds of smaller NGOs, missionary groups, and legal aid bodies** that address anti-Christian discrimination.
### **Key Differences from Islamophobia/Anti-Semitism Groups**
1. **Less Institutionalization** โ Fewer dedicated "Christophobia" groups; most work under **"religious freedom"** frameworks.
2. **Geographic Focus** โ Many groups concentrate on **persecution in Muslim-majority/authoritarian states** (e.g., Nigeria, Pakistan, China).
3. **Cultural vs. Violent Bias** โ In the West, advocacy often focuses on **secularism vs. Christian values**; elsewhere, itโs about **physical violence**.