Christian body calls for increased protection of freedom of religion

On Human Rights Day, Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW) welcomed the increased global attention on the right to freedom of religion or belief in the past year, and encourages the international community to translate this into action to protect and promote this universal human right.

The most recent report of the UN Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief to the General Assembly), which calls upon states "to consistently respect, protect and promote the human right to freedom of religion or belief in the area of conversion", CSW said creates an opportunity for a global conversation around this neglected area of the right to freedom of religion or belief.

"We welcome the increased prominence that the right to freedom of religion or belief is rightfully receiving, and we urge the international community to go much further to ensure that this right is protected for all people around the world," said CSW's Advocacy Director, Andrew Johnston.

Today, CSW's Senior EU Advocate, Sofia Lemmetyinen, joins a panel including the Italian and Austrian foreign ministers and the EU's Special Representative on human rights, to discuss how the situation in conflict prone countries can be addressed through the promotion of freedom of religion or belief.

Last week, the UK and Canadian governments jointly hosted a conference on combating intolerance and promoting freedom of religion for all. The past year, freedom of religion or belief has been raised during the Universal Periodic Reviews (UPRs) of a number of states, including India, Indonesia, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka.

CSW continues to highlight threats to this right, including the situation of religious minorities in many countries around the world.

Human Rights Day is celebrated on December 10 each year to commemorate the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

President Pranab Mukherjee on Monday called for promotion and protection of human rights.

"Human Rights Day is an occasion for us to reflect on the journey that we, as a nation, have travelled so far on the path outlined by the Constitution of India and what we need to do further to make human rights and dignified existence for all our people a reality," said President Mukherjee in his speech at the Human Rights Day function in New Delhi.

"On this occasion of Human Rights day, I call upon our Government, the judiciary, statutory bodies like the National Commission and civil society to do their utmost for the promotion and protection of human rights. We must increase awareness for human rights by including it as a subject in school curricula. A human rights culture should infuse our national consciousness," he added.

President Mukherjee said the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has since its inception in 1993 rendered yeoman service for the promotion and protection of human rights in the country.

"It has been playing a pivotal role in safeguarding the rights of the people. It has been involved in spreading human rights awareness and sensitization among various sections of society. The fact that people with impeccable credentials have occupied positions in this Commission has added to the credibility of this institution. It is due to this credibility enjoyed by the institution that the highest court of the country has been assigning matters of extreme importance to it," said President Mukherjee.