30 October 2006

United States Commemorates U.N. Religious Freedom Resolution

State Department marks 25th anniversary of United Nations declaration

 

Paula Dobriansky at the commemoration of the 25th anniversary of the U.N. Religious Freedom Resolution. (Ken White/State Dept. photo)

By Lea Terhune
Washington File Staff Writer

Washington -- In recognition of the international importance of religious freedom, the U.S. Department of State commemorated the 25th anniversary of the principal modern document supporting religious freedom -- the U.N. Declaration on the Elimination of All Forms of Intolerance and of Discrimination Based on Religion or Belief.

The 36th U.N. General Assembly passed the declaration on November 25, 1981.

The State Department marked its anniversary in a commemorative event October 30.  Speakers included Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia, Under Secretary of State Paula Dobriansky and U.N. Special Rapporteur Asma Jehangir.

In his introductory remarks, Ambassador for International Religious Freedom John V. Hanford III, said “Our continued vigilance on religious freedom is desperately needed,” noting that the 2006 annual State Department report on religious freedom revealed that the fight for religious tolerance “is far from over.”  The commitment of the United States to religious freedom is embodied in the U.S. Declaration of Independence and the First Amendment to the Constitution, he said, adding, “It is that same spirit that animates Americans today.” He called the U.N. declaration a “huge achievement.”

U.N. Rapporteur Asma Jehangir said in the 25 years since the U.N. declaration was adopted, “the advances have been slow and reluctant.”  She said, “there is no single recipe for all regions of the world to overcome the difficulties” to preserving religious freedom and there are no quick fixes. Education is part of the solution, but the right kind of education and orientation, she said. “We have seen highly educated societies behave in highly intolerant forms against religious freedom.” She said it is the responsibility of governments and groups to foster tolerance and prevent advocacy of religion-based hatred.

Dobriansky said, “The freedom to worship according to one’s conscience, without discrimination or harassment, is an inherent, inalienable human right and also a key component of democracy,” adding it is also essential to international security.

 

Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia also spoke at the commemorative event. (Ken White/State Dept.)

Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia also spoke at the commemorative event. (Ken White/State Dept.)

Nations that respect individual religious freedom “serve as bulwarks against extremism and conflict,” she said.

Scalia, citing early settlers of the United States and later immigrants who came to America to escape religious persecution at home, discussed how U.S. law safeguards religious freedom.

The United Nations first highlighted the importance of religious freedom after World War II in Article 18 of the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which states, “Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion.”

Later, in the 1966 International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the United Nations tackled discrimination. The 1981 declaration is a specific articulation of what is necessary “to promote and encourage universal respect for and observance of human rights and fundamental freedoms for all, without distinction as to race, sex, language or religion.”

The document recognizes the right to worship freely, establish humanitarian institutions, perform rites, observe holidays, publish and teach religion without discrimination by other groups or governments.

The U.N. declaration on belief-based discrimination states that infringement of freedoms of religion, conscience and belief “have brought, directly or indirectly, wars and great suffering to mankind.” Understanding, tolerance and respect for differences is critical for achieving world peace, social justice and friendship among nations, according to the declaration.

“We need to do something much more creative to bring people back as human beings rather than Muslims or Christians or Jews … because we are at the end of it all human beings,” said Jahangir

For additional information, see International Religious Freedom.