What we do
Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB)
The pledge to ‘leave no one behind’ is central to all Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The global commitment to “leave no one behind” is central to the SDGs. Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB), recognised as a fundamental and universal human right under Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) and reinforced through international treaties, spans across all SDGs. Sustainable development is achievable only within a fair and inclusive society, where no one faces discrimination or exclusion based on their religion or belief, and where everyone can flourish based on their unique potential.
Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion; this right includes freedom to change his religion or belief, and freedom, either alone or in community with others and in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship and observance.
Core Pillars: Promoting Good Practices, Success Stories, and Engagement
The FoRB workstream was established in 2021 at PaRD’s Annual Forum and General Assembly in South Africa. Operating within PaRD’s mandate, the workstream engages religious actors, governments, academia, and civil society to advance FoRB through a human rights-based approach, ensuring inclusion regardless of one’s religion or belief. The workstream, driven by its members, operates on three thematic pillars:
- Good Practices: PaRD members share good practices on safeguarding FoRB within sustainable development frameworks – either through reports and/or presentations.
- Capacity Development: Members develop and share training and educational materials to increase global understanding and awareness on FoRB.
- Engagement: Members facilitate collaborations with local, national and regional actors to address and resolve FoRB infringements and strengthen advocacy efforts.
Approach
The FoRB workstream adopts an inclusive approach, engaging all religions and beliefs, fostering dialogue, and promoting peace and mutual respect. This approach includes addressing potentially critical FoRB issues and constraints on individual rights, as reported by PaRD members, with a focus on conflict prevention and avoiding duplication with other initiatives.
Based on a holistic and relational approach, the workstream prioritizes building trust and fostering long-term peaceful coexistence. Its work in mediation and advocacy – often discreet – aims to use FoRB as a means of protecting individual rights rather than causing division. As part of this effort, the workstream also provides online information on mechanisms for reporting FoRB violations, supporting the work of the International Religious Freedom or Belief Alliance (IRFBA) and reinforcing protections for religious minorities.
To further its objectives, the PaRD Secretariat supports member-led FoRB initiatives by sharing updates and relevant communiques. The workstream is involved in projects at community level, employing interfaith dialogue, mediation, capacity building, and workshops to address FoRB concerns effectively.
Support in Reporting Violations of Freedom of Religion or Belief
The Violent Incidents Database (VID) is a service of the International Institute for Religious Freedom to collect, record and analyze violent incidents concerning violations of religious freedom in all continents around the world.
How can you protect your rights?
There are multiple services that can be contacted to report a breach of rights. They can be used based on who the report is coming from and where it is best suited to be received. Listed below are selected entities that can be referred to when choosing the most appropriate route to report a breach of rights. Please be aware that this is not a complete list; there are other entities that might be suitable to be contacted.
Many countries have government agencies or departments dedicated to human rights or religious affairs. These agencies often have mechanisms for reporting religious freedom violations. You can contact them directly to report any incidents.
To get information on your country’s human rights procedures, see: https://www.ohchr.org/en/countries
Organisations such as Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, and the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) often accept reports of violations and may investigate or raise awareness about them:
- Amnesty International: https://www.amnesty.org/en/about-us/contact/
- Human Rights Watch: https://www.hrw.org/contact-us
- USCIRF: https://www.uscirf.gov/about-uscirf/contact-us
Bodies like the United Nations (UN), the European Union (EU), or the Organization of American States (OAS) have mechanisms for reporting human rights violations, including those related to religious freedom. You can contact their human rights offices or special rapporteurs to report violations.
- See the UN’s violations procedure here: https://www.ohchr.org/en/choosingyourcomplaint
- See the EU’s complaints procedure here: https://european-union.europa.eu/contact-eu/make-complaint_en
- See OAS’s contact information here: https://european-union.europa.eu/contact-eu/make-complaint_en
- Any individual, group, civil-society organisation, inter-governmental entity, or national human rights body can submit information to the Special Procedures. For Special Rapporteurs, see: https://www.ohchr.org/en/special-procedures-human-rights-council/what-are-communications
In some cases, legal aid organisations may provide assistance or representation for individuals or groups facing religious discrimination or persecution. They may also accept reports of violations and provide guidance on legal recourse.
- Global Alliance for Legal Aid (GALA): https://globalalliance4legalaid.org/contact
- American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU): https://www.aclu.org/about/contact-us
- U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF): https://www.uscirf.gov/about-uscirf/contact-us
Related information
- Click here for resources to help individuals, communities and decision-makers to learn, reflect upon and promote freedom of religion or belief on the Freedom of Religion or Belief Learning Platform.
- Click here for resources from the International Institute for Religious Freedom.
- Click here for trainings and learning tools to broaden your knowledge about the links between religion and development.
- Click here to have a look at the collection of resources from Muslim for Progessive Values on how to deal with apostasy and blasphemy laws in Muslim societies.
FoRB Workstream Leads
Filip Buff Pederson
Political Advisor, CKU (Centre for Church based Development) and Coordinator of the Danish Network on Religion and Development
Gaetan Roy
Permanent Representative for the World Evangelical Alliance (WEA) to the United Nations in Geneva; Chairman of network-m; Board Member of the Association of Evangelical Missions (AEM)
Mejindarpal Kaur
PaRD Steering Board Member; International Legal Director at United Sikhs
