WUNRN
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
Mandate includes: "to apply a gender
perspective in the reporting process, including in information collection and
in recommendations;"
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UNITED NATIONS |
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HUMAN
RIGHTS COUNCIL STARTS REVIEW |
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Human Rights Council 14
September 2007
_________________________________________________________ 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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