Religious Freedom

Franciscans International promotes universal religious freedom, opposing attempts to single out certain religions for particular protections or pre-eminence over other religious groups.

Franciscans International believes that discrimination based on religion or belief is a violation of human rights that can affect adherents of all religions or beliefs, in different contexts. Events in 2002 have once more demonstrated that assaults on places of worship, attacks on religious groups and individuals continue to be committed against believers around the world. Therefore, we will continue to support the mandate of the Special Rapporteur on religious freedom and the traditional omnibus resolution on this same topic.

FI is firmly opposed to any attempt to use different agenda items (other than item 11) to ask for the specific examination of a particular religious group as well as to give pre-eminence to the protection of one religion over the rest and to some communities, defined by their religion over any other community.

Should, as in previous years, a resolution be tabled on “Defamation of religions”, we urge Member States to vote against any similar initiative whose ultimate objective is to attempt to undermine the universality of the right of religious freedom as enshrined in Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and in Article 18 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. In particular, we think that GRULAC Members that abstained on the resolution in 2002 can send a clear message to other delegations if they change their vote to a “no” this year.