Freedom of religion or belief is fundamental to achieving lasting and sustainable peace: UN expert

NEW YORK (24 October 2024) – In a context of worsening violence and war, protecting freedom of thought, conscience, religion or belief is more urgent than ever, a UN expert said today.

“Millions around the world are feeling the urgency of peace more deeply, and more painfully. As ever higher numbers of people suffer in contexts of violence, conflict, and insecurity, it is urgent to demand respect for freedom of thought, conscience, religion or belief,” said Nazila Ghanea, UN Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief.

In her report to the General Assembly, Ghanea said that the right to peace and the right to freedom of religion or belief were long recognised as integral to one another, yet widespread barriers to both remained.

“Religion does not inherently contribute to peace nor to conflict. Nonetheless, essentialising and discriminatory assumptions about the relationship between religion, conflict, and war remain widespread and underpin a host of harmful policy approaches,” Ghanea said. “Such assumptions are, regrettably, particularly common among purportedly ‘anti-extremist’ and ‘counter-terrorist’ policies. These can have the effect of securitising, collectively punishing, and dehumanising entire communities, and are ultimately self-defeating.”

The report highlights that States’ obligations to respect freedom of religion or belief bear directly on, and can positively contribute to, conflict prevention, mitigation, and transformation. “Fulfilling freedom of religion or belief can undermine the structural drivers of conflict. It frees up the human conscience to think beyond, and to challenge war and militarism. It also facilitates more inclusive, intersectional, and participatory approaches to addressing conflict,” Ghanea said.

The Special Rapporteur called on States to urgently implement their international obligations to respect freedom of religion or belief. Actors who call for war or violence, including in the name of religion or belief, must be brought to justice. “They must also refrain from securitising and collectively punishing entire religious or belief communities and protect them from discrimination.”

The expert emphasised the importance of openness, inclusion, and dialogue in alleviating and transforming polarisation and conflict. “States must ensure that the voices of religious or belief representatives, leaders, and communities, including Indigenous Peoples, women, young persons, and minorities, are consulted, especially those who have been disproportionately affected by violence, conflict and war.”

Ghanea said when freedom of thought, conscience, religion or belief is respected, alternative movements and pro-peace narratives are more likely to emerge.