This paper is one of a series of research elements produced by the European Union funded AHA! Awareness with Human Action project that seeks to contribute to the response efforts of the COVID-19 pandemic by preventing conflict and building social cohesion in Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and broader South Asia. The AHA! project is implemented by a consortium of project partners, including the Network for Religious and Traditional Peacemakers/Finn Church Aid, World Faiths Development Dialogue, the Center for Peace and Justice – Brac University, the Center for Communication and Development of Bangladesh, Islamic Relief Worldwide, the Youth Development Foundation, and Sarvodaya.

COVID-19 threatens social cohesion in South Asia, adding digital misinformation and increased economic hardship to settings with already volatile intercommunal relations. Hate speech on social media against minorities, women and young women, and other marginalized populations has significantly increased since the start of the pandemic. Without proactive measures to curb hateful online content and prevent conflict, harmful rhetoric can escalate into physical violence.

This brief examines the rise of pandemic-related hate speech and risks to social cohesion in Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka. It highlights the sharp rise in hate speech and derogatory messages against various populations during the pandemic, including misogynistic, anti-minority, and anti-immigrant content on social media. It offers some practical proposals to policymakers, civil society organizations, and technology corporations to combat hate speech and help strengthen social cohesion as societies transition into a post-pandemic reality.