THE TANDEM PROJECT
UNITED NATIONS, HUMAN RIGHTS,
FREEDOM OF RELIGION OR BELIEF
EVANGELICAL PROTESTANT, ROMAN
CATHOLIC AND ORTHODOX JOIN IN
DRAFTING A COMMON CODE OF CONDUCT
FOR RELIGIOUS CONVERSIONS
Issue: Proselytism and religious conversions, the right to
change one’s religion or belief.
For: United Nations, Governments, Religions or Beliefs,
Academia, NGOs, Media, Civil Society
Review: GENEVA, Aug. 15 (AP) – “Evangelical Protestant
churches have joined an effort by Roman Catholic, Orthodox and other Protestant
churches to create a common code of conduct for religious conversions to
preserve the right of Christians to spread their religion while avoiding
conflict among faiths. The World Council of Churches, which with the
Those who draft rules for
a common conduct for religious conversions may wish to include the relationship
of the code to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, International
Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, and the 1981 UN Declaration on the
Elimination of All Forms of Intolerance and of Discrimination Based on Religion
or Belief. Conversion is a right under
these International Human Rights Standards on Freedom of Religion or Belief. It
is the way in which it is done, respectfully and with concern for the rights of
others that may not wish to be converted or have their own religious and
cultural traditions against such practices. Leadership taking all religious and
cultural factors into consideration is needed in a spirit of respectful
dialogue on issues such as proselytism and the right to change one’s religion
or belief.
Norms and standards on human rights and freedom of
religion or belief are international law and codes of conduct for peaceful
cooperation, respectful competition and resolution of conflicts. International
Human Rights Standards on Freedom of Religion or Belief is a platform for
genuine dialogue on core principles and values within and among nations, all
religions and other beliefs.
The Associated Press article is
followed by an Issue Statement.
Excerpts: Excerpts are presented under the Eight Articles of
the 1981 U.N. Declaration on the Elimination of all Forms of Intolerance and of
Discrimination Based on Religion or Belief. These excerpts are followed by an Issues Statement.
1. 1 Everyone shall have the
right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion. This right shall include
freedom to have a religion or whatever belief of his choice, and freedom,
either individually or in community with others and in public or private, to
manifest his religion or belief in worship, observance, practices and teaching.
1. 2. No one shall be subject to
coercion which would impair his freedom to have a religion or belief of his
choice.
1. 3 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 public safety, order, health, morals or the
fundamental rights and freedoms of others.
Evangelicals Join Interfaith
Effort to Write Rules for Conversions
By Associated Press (AP)
GENEVA, Aug. 15 (AP) – Evangelical Protestant
churches have joined an effort by Roman Catholic, Orthodox and other Protestant
churches to create a common code of conduct for religious conversions to
preserve the right of Christians to spread their religion while avoiding
conflict among faiths.
The World Council of Churches, which with the
The aim is to ease tensions with Muslims, Hindus
and other religions that fear losing adherents. In some instances, converts and
foreign missionaries have been punished with imprisonment or death.
The kidnapping by the Taliban of 23 South Korean
Christian church volunteers visiting
One accusation against the South Koreans is that
they wanted to meet with converts from Islam. But their church has denied that
they were trying to spread Christianity.
The World Council of churches, which is based
here, said the code of conduct should be an “advocacy tool in discussions with
governments considering anti-conversion laws” and should “help to advance the
cause of religious freedom.”
The rules should also address concerns in other
religions about Christians who seek converts and inspire those whose faiths to
“consider their own codes of conduct,” the council said.
It said, however, that “none of the partners
involved intend – nor have the means – to impose the code of conduct on their
constituencies.”
Evangelizing has also caused concern among other
branches of Christianity because of the vigor with which Pentecostal and
evangelical congregations have led the drive for conversions around the world.
These churches have generally grown faster than older Christian churches.
The visit to
Juan Michel, a spokesman for the World Council of
Churches, said the support from the evangelical alliance was a big push for
efforts to agree on guidelines by 2010.
Major evangelical groups were absent last year
from a meeting of the
The alliance comprises 233 Protestant groups and
ministries in 121 nations. The council unites about 350 Protestant, Orthodox,
Anglican and other churches representing more than 560 million Christians.
The next step in the process is a meeting next
year to draft the guidelines.
The council said the code should establish what
“needs to be banned when it comes to Christian mission, a daunting task given
the many different contexts involved,” and should provide guidelines for
dealing with complicated issues like inter-religious marriages.
ISSUE STATEMENT: A common code of conduct for religious conversions
should include conduct by non-religious ideologies, and equal protection for theistic, non-theistic and atheistic beliefs, as well as the right not
to profess any religion or belief. United Nations human rights
instruments seek ways to avoid coercion in religious conversion and promote
positive strategies to build respect for diversity of religion or belief. The
U.N. Human Rights Council realized how hard it is to achieve consensus on this
when the issue of the right to change one’s religion or belief came before the
Council on a resolution to extend by three years the mandate on the Elimination
of All Forms of Intolerance and of Discrimination Based on Religion or
Belief.
The United Nations Human Rights Council voted 29 in
favor, 0 against and 18 abstentions on
The abstentions were
based on the objections from
Human Rights Council Resolution
6/37: Elimination of all forms of intolerance and of discrimination based on
religion or belief:
9. Urges States:
(a) To ensure that their
constitutional and legislative systems provide adequate and effective
guarantees of freedom of thought, conscience, religion and belief to all
without distinction, inter alia, by provision of effective remedies in cases
where the right to freedom of thought, conscience, religion or belief, or the
right to practice freely one’s religion, including the right to change one’s
religion or belief is violated:
34th Meeting
Adopted by a recorded vote of 29 to none with 18
abstentions:
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
The Resolution (A/HRC/RES/6/37) with recorded votes
can be viewed by clicking on this link:
http://ap.ohchr.org/documents/E/HRC/resolutions/A_HRC_RES_6_37.pdf
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
STANDARDS: http://www.tandemproject.com/program/81_dec.htm
The Tandem Project: a non-governmental organization founded
in 1986 to build understanding, tolerance and respect for diversity, and to
prevent discrimination in matters relating to freedom of religion or belief.
The Tandem Project, a non-profit NGO, has sponsored multiple conferences,
curricula, reference materials and programs on Article 18 of the International
Covenant on Civil and Political Rights – Everyone shall have the right to
freedom of thought, conscience and religion - and 1981 United Nations
Declaration on the Elimination of All Forms of Intolerance and Discrimination
Based on Religion or Belief.
The Tandem Project
initiative is the result of a co-founder representing the World Federation of
United Nations Associations at the United Nations Geneva Seminar, Encouragement of Understanding, Tolerance
and Respect in Matters Relating to Freedom of Religion or Belief,
called by the UN Secretariat in 1984 on ways to implement the 1981 UN
Declaration. In 1986, The Tandem Project organized the first NGO International
Conference on the 1981 UN Declaration.
The Tandem Project
Executive Director is: Michael M. Roan, mroan@tandemproject.com.
The Tandem Project is a UN NGO in
Special Consultative Status with the
Economic and Social Council of
the United Nations
__________________________________________
Postscript: Closing the Gap – International
Standards for National and Local Applications, considers the question of a Convention on Freedom of
Religion or Belief followed by a Response from the Special Rapporteur on
Freedom of Religion or Belief and The Tandem Project Concept, an option that
reflects the inclusive values of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights
through human rights-based Dialogue and Education.
Closing the Gap - International
Standards for National and Local Applications
Objective: Build understanding and support for
Article 18, International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights –Everyone
shall have the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion - and the
1981 UN Declaration on the Elimination of All Forms of Intolerance and
Discrimination Based on Religion or Belief. Encourage the United Nations,
Governments, Religions or Beliefs, Academia, NGOs, Media and Civil Society to
consider the rule of law and international human rights standards as essential
for long-term solutions to conflicts based
on religion or belief.
Challenge: In 1968 the United Nations deferred work on an
International Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Religious
Intolerance, because of its apparent complexity and sensitivity. In the
twenty-first century, a dramatic increase of intolerance and discrimination on
grounds of religion or belief is motivating a worldwide search to find
solutions to these problems. This is a challenge calling for enhanced dialogue
by States and others; including consideration of an International Convention on
Freedom of Religion or Belief for protection of and accountability by all
religions or beliefs. The tensions in today’s world inspire a question such as:
Should the United Nations
adopt an International Convention on Freedom of Religion or Belief?
Response: Is it the appropriate moment to
reinitiate the drafting of a legally binding international convention on
freedom of religion or belief? Law making of this nature requires a minimum
consensus and an environment that appeals to reason rather than emotions. At
the same time we are on a learning curve as the various dimensions of the
Declaration are being explored. Many academics have produced voluminous books
on these questions but more ground has to be prepared before setting up of a UN
working group on drafting a convention. In my opinion, we should not try to
rush the elaboration of a Convention on Freedom of Religion or Belief,
especially not in times of high tensions and unpreparedness. - UN Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion or Belief,
Option: After forty years this may be the time,
however complex and sensitive, for the United Nations Human Rights Council to
appoint an Open-ended Working Group to draft a United Nations Convention on
Freedom of Religion or Belief. The mandate for an Open-ended Working Group
ought to assure nothing in a draft Convention will be construed as restricting or
derogating from any right defined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights,
the International Covenants on Human Rights, and the 1981 UN Declaration on the
Elimination of All Forms of Intolerance and of Discrimination Based on Religion
or Belief.
Concept: Separation of Religion or
Belief and State – SOROBAS. The First Preamble to the 1948 United Nations
Universal Declaration of Human Rights; “Whereas recognition of the inherent
dignity and of the equal and inalienable rights of all members of the human
family is the foundation of freedom, justice and peace in the world. This concept suggests States recalling their history,
culture and constitution adopt fair and equal human rights protection for all
religions or beliefs as described in General Comment 22 on Article 18,
International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, UN Human Rights
Committee,
Article
18: protects theistic, non-theistic and atheistic beliefs, as well as the right not
to profess any religion or belief.
The terms belief and religion are to be broadly construed. Article 18 is not
limited in its application to traditional religions or to religions and beliefs
with international characteristics or practices analogous to those of
traditional religions. The Committee therefore views with concern any tendency
to discriminate against any religion or belief for any reasons, including the
fact that they are newly established, or represent religious minorities that
may be the subject of hostility by a predominant religious community. Article 18: permits restrictions to manifest a religion or
belief only if such limitations are prescribed by law and necessary to protect
public safety, order, health or morals, or the fundamental rights and freedoms
of others.
Dialogue & Education
Dialogue: United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki
Moon, at the Alliance of Civilizations Madrid Forum said; “Never in our
lifetime has there been a more desperate need for constructive and committed
dialogue, among individuals, among communities, among cultures, among and
between nations.” A writer in another setting has said, “The warning signs are
clear: unless we establish genuine dialogue within and among all kinds of
belief, ranging from religious fundamentalism to secular dogmatism, the
conflicts of the future will probably be even more deadly.”
Norms and standards on human rights and freedom of religion or belief are international law and codes
of conduct for peaceful cooperation, respectful competition and resolution of conflicts.
International Human Rights Standards on Freedom of Religion or Belief is a
platform for genuine dialogue on the core principles and values within and
among nations, all religions and other beliefs.
Education:
The 1981 U.N. Declaration states; “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, and shall not be compelled to
receive teaching on religion or belief against the wishes of his parents, the
best interests of the child being the guiding principle.” With International
Human Rights safeguards, early childhood education is the best time to begin to
teach tolerance, understanding and respect for freedom of religion or belief.
Documents Attached:
Respectful Competition - Freedom of Religion or Belief
The Moment of Truth - Freedom of Religion or Belief
In Death's Shadow - Freedom of Religion or Belief