Specialist conference
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International standards which ensure that, “everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion,” are established in Article 18 of the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Furthermore, this article define the freedom to change religions or belief and the freedom to not believe at all as human rights. Despite the fact that all United Nation member states have ratified Article 18, in many countries the right to freedom of belief has been increasingly oppressed over the last 10 years. Moreover, worldwide religious extremism poses a serious security threat and has led to the discrimination and persecution of individuals for their beliefs.
For the first time, legislators from five continents, together with members of government, international organizations, and experts on religion, will gather and seek out ways to further international cooperation on this pressing issue. The goal of the conference is to create an action plan which will lead to the securing of freedom of religion or belief for everyone. It is this sort of multinational cooperation between nations and religious leaders that is key in combating the intolerance and persecution of religious minorities.
Recognizing that individual countries and organizations are often overwhelmed with the task of fully guaranteeing religious freedom and are unable to protect their people from persecution, led the International Panel of Parliamentarians for Freedom of Religion or Belief to hold a meeting last November, in Oslo. This inter-parliamentary initiative began with the creation of the Charter Freedom of Religion or Belief, at that meeting.
The upcoming conference in New York shall serve as a platform to both establish a heightened focus on every human being’s right to freedom of religion and belief, and to develop worldwide standards that protect against religious violence and oppression, guaranteeing everyone’s right to freely and independently choose what and how they wish to believe.
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