19 August 2008
Protecting International Religious Freedom: A Global Consensus
By John V. Hanford, III
Religious freedom is regarded as an inviolable human right by international conventions, and the United States works to protect those rights worldwide.
John Hanford is ambassador-at-large for International Religious Freedom for the U.S. State Department.
Religious liberty is a fundamental right enshrined in the First Amendment of the United States Constitution and is deeply rooted in our history and national character. It is important to note, however, that America’s concern for religious freedom does not stop at our shores. Mindful that many citizens worldwide are denied the right to believe, practice and worship freely by their governments, the United States is committed to the promotion and protection of religious freedom worldwide.
Religious freedom has long been recognized as an inviolable human right under international conventions and treaties, such as the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. Based on this global consensus, the United States works to encourage all governments to uphold these common international obligations without advocating a specifically American approach to the issue.
In 1998, the U.S. Congress unanimously passed the International Religious Freedom Act. The act reinforced what has historically been an important U.S. foreign policy priority and provided new tools for the advocacy and protection of religious freedom. Accordingly, the United States promotes religious freedom for all faiths by encouraging compliance with international standards, condemning violations of religious freedom, and supporting religious freedom as a fundamental right for all people.
The act created the position of Ambassador at Large for International Religious Freedom, as well as the Office of International Religious Freedom at the U.S. Department of State. Together, we monitor religious persecution and discrimination worldwide and develop policies and programs to promote religious freedom. We accomplish this by working with U.S. embassies, foreign officials, and religious and human rights groups to address actions taken by governments that hinder citizens’ ability to practice their beliefs freely.
An important tool is the Congressionally-mandated Annual Report on International Religious Freedom. This document summarizes the status of religious freedom in over 195 countries each year, and runs more than 800 pages long. The 2008 report will be issued in September. This and past year’s reports can be found at http://www.state.gov/g/drl/irf/, as well as on many U.S. embassy websites, where it is translated into the local language.
The office also pays close attention to the treatment of minority religious groups. We encourage countries to cease discriminating against minority faith communities and allow them to register and operate openly in countries such as Russia, Turkmenistan, Egypt, Indonesia, and Pakistan. In Iraq, the office has advocated for greater inclusion of religious minorities in the political process, and we have urged governments in Asia, Europe, and elsewhere to respect the religious freedoms of their minority Muslim populations.
During the 2007 release of the Annual Report on International Religious Freedom, it was fitting that two religious faiths in the United States were simultaneously observing religious holidays. Muslims observing Ramadan and Jews observing Rosh Hashanah reminded Americans of our cherished tradition of worshiping freely and respectfully.
As Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said at that time, “through our bilateral relationships, our work in international forums, and our many ongoing discussions on this issue with people across the globe, the United States will continue working to promote religious freedom, to nurture tolerance, and to build a more peaceful world for people of all faiths.”
