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| Monitors will record research information from Study Topic Notes into the Community Information Database (1) to organize and help prepare a Community Report on Freedom of Religion or Belief, and (2) exchange information on specific articles, paragraphs and terms of the 1981 U.N. Declaration with monitors in other countries and communities. The Community Information Database does not have inter-active functionality. An inter-active database will compact these pages and boxes for answers into a short and clickable response to the questions. For now, monitors or monitoring teams must create their own word document files for recording answers. Word document files should bold all titles and sub-titles, repeat the text of articles and paragraphs in italics, and then answer the questions. Submit your word file by e-mail to The Tandem Project.
Name the person responsible for submitting this report. Name:
Mailing Address
Phone: Fax: E-mail
Select a community. The community can be a; (a) rural area, (b) village, (c) city, (d) neighborhood within a city. Only one of the four can be selected as your community for the report on freedom of religion or belief. A community should have a population of no more than 100,000 people whether it is a rural area, village, city or neighborhood within a city. Community: Name the community selected.
Region: Name the region of the country.
Country: Name the country.
The Demographic Profile should be as statistically accurate as possible. Provide statistics and/or names for a profile of your community as follows: Population: What is the community population.
Square Miles: How large is the community.
Literacy Rate: Percent of the community that can read and write.
Economic Activity: Major economic industries, manufacturing, farming, etc.
Religions or Beliefs: Names and number of majority and minority beliefs.
Ethnic Groups: Names and number of ethnic groups.
Political Parties: Names and number of political parties.
Local Governments: Name the five most important units of government.
THE 1981 U.N. DECLARATION ON THE ELIMINATION
OF ALL FORMS Bold titles of articles, paragraphs and terms, and italicize the text of the articles and paragraphs in your word document file. DO NOT repeat or write anything in a word document file that is not bolded or italicized. They are Q&A instructions for answers in the empty boxes below. The boxes are simulations if the database had inter-active functionality. DO NOT box answers in word document files.
Article 1 repeats Article 18 of the ICCPR which is a legally-binding definition under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. Article 1 is the legal basis for the other seven articles of the 1981 U.N. Declaration on Freedom of Religion or Belief. Based on your research, write a short introduction of how Article 1 is and is not a foundation for freedom or religion or belief in your community.
PARAGRAPH 1.1: Policy and Legal Framework Everyone shall have the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion. This right shall include freedom to have a religion or belief of their choice, and freedom either individually or in community with others, and in private or public to manifest their religion or belief in worship, observance, practice and teaching. Write the constitutional principle and/or legal framework of your country that refers to freedom of religion or belief.
Term 1.1.1: Thought, Conscience, Religion, Belief Briefly describe what each of these terms mean in the 1981 Declaration and how they apply in your community.
Term 1.1.2: Freedom to Choose, Whatever Belief Describe what freedom to choose whatever belief means in the 1981 U.N Declaration. Are individuals in your community free to join or to leave a religion or belief of their choice? Explain.
Term 1.1.3: Individual, Community, Private, Public Are there any instances in your community where freedom to practice your religion or belief as an individual, in community, in private or public been denied? Explain.
Term 1.1.4: Worship, Observance, Practice, Teaching Explain what each term means. Review the rights to manifest each terms in Article 6.1: Specific Freedoms. Explain any violations of these rights in Article 6.
PARAGRAPH 1.2: Coercion and Freedom to Choose No one shall be subject to coercion, which would impair their freedom to have a religion or belief of their choice.
Term 1.2.1: Coercion Coercion can mean intellectual, moral or psychological compulsion as well as physical force. Explain your research on any incidents of coercion in your community.
Term 1.2.2: Impairment Explain what impairs mean and describe any incidents in your community.
Term 1.2.3: Choice Has choice been denied because of being impaired in your community? Explain.
PARAGRAPH 1.3: Limitations on a Religion or Belief Freedom to manifest one’s religion or belief may be subject only to such limitations as are prescribed by law and are necessary to protect the public safety, order, morals, or the fundamental rights and freedoms of others.
There are six ways in which the manifestation of a religion or belief can be limited by a State. Limitations must always be by law and for a specific purpose. Review the Topic Notes and General Comment on Article 18 for this term. Describe and write a one paragraph explanation of your research for each term. If applicable, relate specific incidents in your community where a term/s was used to limit a religion or belief. Term 1.3.1: Law
Term 1.3.2: Public Safety
Term 1.3.3: Order
Term 1.3.4: Health
Term 1.3.5: Morals
Term 1.3.6:Fundamental Freedoms
ARTICLE 2: Classifying Discrimination
Article 2 explains who can be identified as committing acts of discrimination based on religion or belief and what the terms “intolerance” and “discrimination” means. Write a two paragraph introduction to the article based on your research for a community report.
PARAGRAPH 2.1: Four Categories No one shall be subject to discrimination by any State, institution, groups of persons or person on grounds of religion or belief.
Article 2 paragraph 1 describes four categories of who discriminates and who allegedly is discriminated against on grounds of religion or belief. Case studies on discrimination will always include one or more of these categories. Explain what each category means with a specific example from your community for each category.
Term 2.1.1: States
Term 2.1.2: Institutions
Term 2.1.3: Groups of Persons
Term 2.1.4: Person
PARAGRAPH 2.2: Two Definitions For the purposes of the present Declaration, the expression “intolerance and discrimination based on religion or belief’ means any distinction, exclusion, restriction, or preference based on religion or belief and having as its purpose or as its effect nullification or impairment of the recognition, enjoyment or exercise of human rights and fundamental freedoms on an equal basis. Term 2.2.1: Intolerance Give an example of intolerance based on religion or belief in your community.
Term 2.2.2: Discrimination Give an example of discrimination based on religion or belief in your community.
ARTICLE 3: Link to Other Rights Article 3 links other human rights instruments to Article 18 and the 1981 U.N. Declaration. Write a brief introduction on a link in your community based on your research.
PARAGRAPH 3.1: Indivisibility of Human Rights Discrimination between human beings on grounds of religion or belief constitutes an affront to human dignity and a disavowal of the principles of the Charter of the United Nations, and shall be condemned as a violation of the human rights and fundamental freedoms proclaimed in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and enunciated in detail in the International Covenants on Human Rights, and as an obstacle to friendly and peaceful relations between nations.
Term 3.1.1: International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights Give two or three examples of ICCPR links you are using for your community report.
Term 3.1.2: International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights Give two or three examples of ICESCR links you are using for your community report.
Term 3.1.3: Regional Human Rights Instruments Give two examples of links to regional instruments that apply to your country, such as the European Convention on the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms or the Organization of African States. Explain how they were used for your research.
Term 3.1.4: Other Human Rights Instruments U.N. bodies such as the International Labor Organization (ILO), UNESCO or World Health Organization (WHO). Give examples from your research on alleged incidents in your community that violate human rights to employment, education or health.
Article 4 is the way in which the 1981 U.N. Declaration proposes solutions to alleged acts of intolerance and discrimination based on religion or belief. Write a two paragraph introduction based on your research for the article.
PARAGRAPH 4.1: Fields of Civic Activity All States shall take effective measures to prevent and eliminate discrimination on grounds of religion or belief in the recognition, exercise and enjoyment of human rights and fundamental freedoms in all fields of civil, economic, political, social and cultural life.
Explain how your community promotes tolerance and prevents discrimination in each of these five fields of civic activity; civil, economic, political, social and cultural life. Term 4.1.1: Civil Civil services including engineering and public works departments, zoning departments, police, military, anything in the public domain that serves the community. Summarize your research below on how you would civil services as effective measures to reduce intolerance and discrimination based on religion or belief in the community.
Term 4.1.2: Economic Corporations, business associations, government employment departments, economic development departments, religions or beliefs, non-profit corporations, private employment agencies, self-employed persons. Summarize your research below on how you would resources as effective measures to reduce intolerance and discrimination based on religion or belief in the community.
Term 4.1.3: Political Political parties, mayor, village manager, city council, school boards, appointed commissions. Summarize below your research on how you would use political resources (other than legislation) as effective measures to reduce intolerance and discrimination based on religion or belief in the community.
Term 4.1.4: Social Departments and organizations in the social services such as; religious leadership, places of worship or association, government health departments, public, private and religious schools, housing programs, welfare departments, etc. Summarize your research on how you would use social resources as effective measures to reduce intolerance and discrimination based on religion or belief and in the community.
Term 4.1.5: Cultural Arts groups, ethnic dance groups, cultural organizations, government and non-governmental organizations that give expression through the arts, music, media and other aesthetic means. Summarize your research on how you would use cultural resources as effective solutions to intolerance and discrimination in the community.
PARAGRAPH 4.2: Legislation and Regulations All States shall make all efforts to enact or rescind legislation where necessary to prohibit any such discrimination, and to make all appropriate measures to combat intolerance on grounds of religion or other beliefs in this matter.
Term 4.2.1: Enact and Rescind Explain the meaning of enacting and rescinding local laws, rules and regulations to prevent discrimination based on religion or belief in your community. Compile a list on a separate sheet of paper of the laws and regulations that should be rescinded or enacted and summarize below.
Term 4.2.2: Combat Intolerance Intolerance is a deadly form of bigotry. Legislative redress for grievances can only come from legally defined acts of discrimination. Explain how you would use specific community resources for proposed solutions to combat intolerance on grounds of religion or belief.
ARTICLE 5:Parents, Children, State
Introduce Article 5 as one paragraph broken into five sub-paragraphs to discuss the rights of parents, children and the state.
PARAGRAPH 5.1: Rights of the Three Parties Article 5 has one paragraph with five sub-paragraphs or terms.
The language of the article is in italics for each of the terms
and measures. It is done this way because of the sensitivity and
importance of the article for all parties and the religions or
beliefs in a community. Breaking the paragraph into terms and measures
will make it easier to exchange information with other communities
and cultures on this article. Paragraph 5.1.1: Parents Rights to Raise Children The parents, or as the case may be, the legal guardians of the child have the right to organize the life within the family in accordance with their religion or belief and bearing in mind the moral education in which they believe the child shall be brought up.
Explain what this means giving specific examples where this may be a problem in your community. If you are preparing a community case study of alleged discrimination, give specific examples of where parents rights have been violated.
Paragraph 5.1.2: Guiding Principles in Education Every child shall enjoy the right to have access to education in the matter of religion or belief in accordance with the wishes of his parents or, as the case may be, legal guardians, and shall not be compelled to receive teaching on religion or belief against the wishes of his parents or legal guardians, the best interests of the child being the guiding principle.
Parents have the right to organize life within the family and
to provide moral education for their children. Are there examples
in your community when parental wishes conflict with their own
religion or belief, the laws and regulations of your nation, or
the rights of the child? Explain.
Paragraph 5.1.3: Child’s Right to Protection The child shall be protected from any form of discrimination on grounds of religion or belief. He/she shall be brought up in a spirit of understanding, tolerance, friendship among peoples, peace and universal brotherhood, respect for freedom of religion or belief of others, and in full consciousness that his energy and talents should be devoted to the service of his/her fellow men/women.
Give examples of children’s need for protection based on grounds of religion or belief in your community. Summarize your research below with specific examples.
Paragraph 5.1.4: Best Interests of the Child In the case of a child who is not under the care of either of his parents or of legal guardians, due account shall be taken of their expressed wishes or of any other proof of their wishes in the matter of religion or belief, the best interests of the child being the guiding principle.
Are there children not in the care of parents or legal guardians in your community? If so, explain how their interests in matters of religion or belief are protected. Give specific examples. Describe what “best interests of the child” means.
Paragraph 5.1.5: States Right to Protect Children Practices of a religion or belief in which a child is brought up must not be injurious to his physical or mental health or to his full development, taking into account Article 1, paragraph 3, of the present Declaration.
Explain what this sub-paragraph means. Summarize your research by giving at least two specific examples in your community where children are protected by the State or need to be protected against a religion or belief.
Introduce Article 6 as identifying nine specific freedoms that are manifestations of the right to worship, observance, practice and teaching.
In accordance with Article 1 of the present Declaration, and subject to the provisions of Article 1, paragraph 3, the right to freedom of thought, conscience, religion or belief shall include, inter alia, the following freedoms:
Paragraph 6.1.1:Worship, Assemble, Establish, Maintain To worship or assemble in connection with a religion or belief, and to establish and maintain places for these purposes;
Describe the right to assemble and to maintain places of worship. Have any of these rights been denied due to intolerance and discrimination based on religion or belief in your community? Explain
Paragraph 6.1.2: Charitable and Humanitarian Institutions To establish and maintain appropriate charitable or humanitarian institutions;
Describe the charitable and humanitarian institutions in your community. Have any of them been denied the right to establish or maintain themselves in your community?
Paragraph 6.1.3: Acquire and Use Materials for Rites and Customs To make, acquire and use to an adequate extent the necessary articles and materials related to the rites or customs of a religion or belief;
Are there laws or regulations that prohibit the use of materials for rites and customs in your community? Explain and give specific examples
Paragraph 6.1.4: Write and Disseminate Publications To write, issue and disseminate relevant publications in these areas;
Are religions or beliefs been denied these rights in your community? Summarize your research with specific examples below.
Paragraph 6.1.5: Teach in Places Suitable for the Purpose To teach a religion or belief in places suitable for these purposes;
Are there registration requirements, rules, regulations or zoning laws in your community that make it hard for a religion or belief to find a suitable place for teaching? Are there other restrictions on finding a suitable place to teach? Explain.
Paragraph 6.1.6: Solicit and Receive Contributions To solicit and receive voluntary financial and other contributions from individuals and institutions;
Are financial contributions allowed from outside of your country to a religion or belief in your community? Are there any limits on these or other types of contributions? Explain with specific examples.
Paragraph 6.1.7: Train, Elect and Appoint Leaders To train, appoint, elect or designate by succession appropriate leaders called for by the requirements and standards of any religion or belief;
Are there any restrictions by the State for selecting leaders called for by a religion or belief in your community? Explain and summarize your research.
Paragraph 6.1.8: Days of Rest, Holidays, Ceremonies To observe days of rest and to celebrate holidays and ceremonies in accordance with the precepts of one’s religion or belief;
Labor laws of a country may restrict days of rest, celebrations and holidays for religions or beliefs that have requirements different from the prevailing majority religion or belief. Summarize your research on religions or beliefs in your community. Are there exemptions for minority beliefs? Explain.
Paragraph 6.1.9: Establish and Maintain Communications To establish and maintain communications with individuals and communities in matters of religion or belief at the national and international levels;
Do majority religions or beliefs have special privileges for access to the media, radio and television in your community? What community rights and limitations are there to maintain communications for religions or beliefs. Explain.
ARTICLE 7: National Legislation
Introduce Article 7 as the national equivalent of Article 4 at the local level.
PARAGRAPH 7.1: Enacted and Available in Practice These rights and freedoms set forth in the present Declaration shall be accorded in national legislation in such a manner that everyone shall be able to avail themselves of such rights and freedoms in practice.
Paragraph 7.1.1: Set Forth in Legislation
Summarize your Compilation of National and Community Laws and Regulations. Identify specific national laws or regulations that would benefit your community.
Paragraph 7.1.2: Available in Practice
National laws and regulations may be on the books but not available in practice. Summarize what national laws may not be available in practice in your community.
ARTICLE 8: Existing Protections
Write an introduction to Article 6 that links it to all other international rights.
PARAGRAPH 8.1: International Bill of Human Rights Nothing in the present Declaration shall be construed as restricting or derogating any right defined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenants on Human Rights.
Paragraph 8.1.1: Non-restriction and Derogation
Explain what the International Bill of Human Rights means and how it protects against the misuse of the present Declaration.
Paragraph 8.1.2: Conventions and Declarations
Explain the protection other Conventions and Declarations provides.
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