WUNRN

http://www.wunrn.com

This WUNRN release has two parts:

*Human Rights Council review including the UN Special Rapporteur

 on Freedom of Religion or Belief

*NGO Collaborative Statement in support of the Mandate of the

 UN Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion or Belief.

Website Link for UN Mandate of the Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion

or Belief: http://www.ohchr.org/english/issues/religion/index.htm

Mandate includes: "to apply a gender perspective in the reporting process, including in information collection and in recommendations;"

http://www.unhchr.ch/huricane/huricane.nsf/view01/D6A183B0753851C7C12573570018908C?opendocument

UNITED NATIONS

Press Release

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HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL STARTS REVIEW OF MANDATES OF WORKING GROUP ON ARBITRARY DETENTION, EXPERT ON FREEDOM OF RELIGION

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Human Rights Council
AFTERNOON

14 September 2007

Concludes Interactive Debate on Report on Defamation of Religions by Special Rapporteur on Racism and Racial Discrimination


The Human Rights Council this afternoon started the process of review, rationalisation and improvement of the mandates of the Working Group on arbitrary detention and the Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief. It also concluded its interactive debate on the report of the Special Rapporteur on racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance on defamation of religions.

Leila Zerrougui, the Chairperson-Rapporteur of the Working Group on arbitrary detention, said the Working Group had developed transparency and impartiality in its methods. It had also developed criteria making it possible to make an objective pronouncement on arbitrary detention and quasi-jurisdictional procedures for examination of cases. It was therefore possible to analyse the practice of arbitrary detention and investigate causes that perpetuated or aggravated the practice. Over 600 cases had been looked into, and best-practice examples had been identified. The Working Group also carried out country missions and was one of the few international groups able to visit countries and look at the legality of the detention and the legal status of the detainee. Today the Group had visited 22 countries and had a good grasp of conditions and facilities found.

Asma Jahangir, Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief, said that the effectiveness and impact of the mandate could not only be judged by statistics. The mandate had refined concepts of human rights, and had endeavoured to seek answers to complex questions. The mandate was an important mechanism for all faith-based non-governmental organizations and had made an important contribution to the protection of religious and belief communities. Since the inception of the mandate, 1,095 allegation letters and urgent appeals had been sent to a total number of 130 States. In the reports of the mandate, it had been repeatedly lamented that freedom of religion or belief was not a reality for many individuals throughout the world; and the post 9/11 context had brought new challenges in this area and responsibility on the mandate. Religious intolerance had increased, and the actors for peace and tolerance had been marginalized.

Portugal on behalf of the European Union, Pakistan on behalf of the Organisation of the Islamic Conference, Canada, the Netherlands, the Russian Federation and Switzerland spoke about the review of the mandate of the Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief.

At the start of the meeting, the Council heard a statement by Feodor Starcevic, Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs of Serbia, representing the Chairman of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe.

The Council also concluded the interactive debate with Doudou Diène, the Special Rapporteur on racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance which started in the morning meeting with the presentation of his report on the defamation of religions.

In concluding remarks, Mr. Diéne said the issue of defamation of religions was as old as the world, and it was also historical and cultural. Religious and racial intolerance ran deep in cultures and consciences. It was important that the Council further the implementation of the international instruments that addressed those problems, and that it protect the freedom of religion, as well as rights. Interfaith dialogue was important, and the Council should call on stakeholders to go further than the law, and root out the root causes of defamation of religion.

In the course of the interactive debate, delegations raised a number of issues, including that the recent smear campaigns against certain religions and ethnic and social groups had led to polarization and sometimes violence. Some expressed serious concerns at the intellectual legitimisation of Islamophobia and stated that the fact that the media in certain countries had played a part in reinforcing prejudice and stereotype was a worrying trend. Speakers noted that the Universal Declaration of Human Right showed that religious freedom could serve as an element of synthesis, among the diverse categories of human rights.

Speaking in the context of the interactive debate were the representatives of the Russian Federation, India, Armenia, South Africa, Djibouti, France, Norway, Tunisia, Brazil, Bangladesh, Azerbaijan, Republic of Korea, Belgium, Algeria, Syria, Philippines, Sudan, African Union, Lesotho, Indonesia, Netherlands, Morocco, Malaysia, Thailand, Iraq, Spain, Poland, Iran, Holy See, Senegal and Canada.

Also speaking were the representatives of the International Coordinating Committee of National Human Rights Institutions, Foundation of Japanese Honorary Debts, Indian Council of South America and Association of World Citizens.

The next meeting of the Council will be at 10 a.m. on Monday 17 March when it will elect the President of the Working Group on the right to development and resume the discussion on the review, rationalization and improvement of the mandates of the Working Group on arbitrary detention and the Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief.

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Sixth Session of the United Nations Human Rights Council

Item 3

Assessment of Mandate of the Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief

JOINT ORAL STATEMENT

submitted by International Association for Religious Freedom -

together with Anglican Consultative Council; Baha'i International Community; Conscience and Peace Tax International; Dominicans for Justice and Peace; Franciscans International; Interfaith International; International Federation of Social Workers; International Federation of University Women; Institute for Planetary Synthesis; PanPacific and South East Asia Women's Association International; Susila Dharma International; World Federation of Methodist and Uniting Church Women; Worldwide Organization for Women.

Mr President, the above-named fourteen NGOs express their strong conviction about the importance of this mandate as it has developed over 21 years. It has proved itself to be the most specific and effective instrument in promoting the implementation of the principles of the 1981 Declaration. In the absence of any legally binding convention on freedom of religion or belief, several treaty bodies may be invoked to afford protection against many aspects of continuing gross violations of this fundamental freedom, but it is the strengthening and improvement of this mandate which is the present priority and which should be the outcome of the current assessment.

The admirably complete analysis, given in the report of the Special Rapporteur to this session, already points to the need to follow up more systematically recommendations from the previous and the present Special Rapporteurs. These include promotion of education for tolerance and further study of the status of women in the light of religion or belief. Funding is needed at many levels, for example for translation and dissemination of study documents by the Office of the High Commissioner, or for grassroots activities such as educational exchanges.

Implementation by governments and civil society of the protective and preventive recommendations from this mandate can help to build a culture of inter-religious and inter-cultural understanding and cooperation. This is the theme of the High Level Interactive Hearing of the General Assembly to be held on 4 to 5 October, 2007. The mandate of the Special Rapporteur has consistently recommended intra-religious, inter-religious, and inter-cultural dialogue, including respect for non-religious beliefs, and it is to be hoped that the mandate will be seen by the General Assembly as an effective implementing partner for appropriate recommendations from the forthcoming High Level Interactive Hearing. 

The mandate has made significant contributions to clarifying key provisions of Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights such as the right to change one's religion and to manifest one's religion. It has addressed specific and sensitive issues such as irresponsible proselytism, legitimate missionary activities, conscientious objection, display of religious symbols or dress, desecration of holy places, and the particular vulnerability of some minorities. The mandate has consistently upheld the right to free and responsible personal choice, but has affirmed the need to respect legal limitations if they are necessary to protect public safety, order, health or morals, and the fundamental rights and freedoms of others.

There has been good co-operation with other mandates such as those for  freedom of expression and for contemporary forms of racism. Some of these may be better equipped to focus upon issues such as defamation of religions or responses to terrorism, but conditions for resolving such problems must often depend on scrupulous respect for freedom of religion or belief. We call for the continuance and strengthening of the existing mandate as it protects people from crippling manifestations of intolerance and promotes the enabling value of freedom of religion or belief.   

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