http://orcid.org/0000-0003-4929-0005
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Abstract
Threats to and violations of freedom of religion or belief (FoRB) have been increasing around the world for the last two decades. This has prompted governments to implement initiatives to promote FoRB and to condemn violations. Drawing on data and findings of the Commonwealth Initiative for Freedom of Religion or Belief (CIFoRB), this article presents an analysis of recent legislative, parliamentary, and executive branch initiatives in the U.S., Canada, U.K., and Norway to prioritize FoRB, for the lessons they afford on effective policy action. After an overview of these states' initiatives, this paper concludes with an assessment of their success.
Acknowledgements
The authors would like to thank Harriet Hoffler for excellent background research assistance, especially on the United Kingdom.
ORCID
M. Christian Green http://orcid.org/0000-0003-4929-0005
Notes
1 Universal Declaration of Human Rights, G.A. res. 217A (III), U.N. Doc A/810 at 71 (1948).
2 International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, G.A. res. 2200A (XXI), 21 U.N. GAOR Supp. (No. 16) at 52, U.N. Doc. A/6316 (1966), 999 U.N.T.S. 171, entered into force Mar. 23, 1976.
3 On 1 January 2018, Denmark established an office for a Special Representative for Freedom or Religion or Belief, and it will be interesting to follow the approaches of this new Scandinavian office.
4 David Hudson. “President Obama Praises Freedom of Religion at the National Prayer Breakfast.” The White House, February 6, 2014.
5 International Religious Freedom Act of 1998, 22 U.S.C. §§ 6401-81 (1998) (as amended) H. R. 2431.
6 “State Dept. Study on Saudi Textbooks.” The New York Times, August 25, 2016.
7 “USCIRF Study Reveals Numerous Passages in Saudi Textbooks Inciting Violence and Intolerance.” United States Commission on International Religious Freedom, March 24, 2018.
8 The Frank R. Wolf International Religious Freedom Act (H.R. 1150, Pub.L. 114–281), approved December 16, 2016.
9 The Frank R. Wolf International Religious Freedom Act (2015).
10 The Frank R. Wolf International Religious Freedom Act (2015).
11 See White House (Citation2016). However, key stakeholders in the US, when questioned, felt that the delivery of training needed to be reevaluated, and that it was also important to better utilize local people and to include thematic approaches.
12 The website is now longer available, but a government assessment of the office remains.
13 “Religious freedom office replaced with new ‘office of human rights’.” CBC News, May 18, 2016.
14 Foreign & Commonwealth Office. “Press release: Foreign Office Advisory Group on freedom of religion or belief: Baroness Warsi chairs first meeting of Foreign Office group on Freedom of Religion or Belief to discuss vision and strategy.” March 25, 2014.
15 Parliament UK, House of Commons Foreign Affairs Committee. “The FCO’s human rights work in 2013.” Foreign Affairs Committee—Sixth Report, November 11, 2014. https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201415/cmselect/cmfaff/551/55111.htm.
16 Parliament UK, House of Commons, Oral Answers to Questions to Deputy Prime Minister, Topical Questions, Vol. 590, January 6, 2015. http://bit.ly/2MqX0Ka.
17 Parliament UK, House of Commons. “Foreign and Commonwealth Office: Religious Freedom.” Religious Freedom: Written Question-226038, March 6, 2015.
18 Parliament UK, House of Commons. “Freedom of Thought, Conscience and Religion.” Vol. 579, May 1, 2014.
19 RT HON Baroness Anelay of St Johns DBE/Minister of State for the Commonwealth and the UN/ UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office, “Inquiry into the status of the human right to freedom of religion or belief” Submission 36, February 23, 2017
20 “Government appoints campaigner Sara Khan to lead counter-extremism drive,” ITV News, January 24, 2018. The term of Khan’s appointment is three years, and the Commission is to be housed in the Home Office.
21 “Government appoints campaigner Sara Khan to lead counter-extremism drive.” Khan has previously served on the Home Office’s Tackling Extremism and Radicalisation Working Group and the Department for Education’s Due Diligence and Counter-Extremism Expert Reference group and she has provided evidence on the issue of radicalization to the European Parliament, to the Home Affairs Select Committee, and to the Joint Committee on Human Rights which comprises both Houses of Parliament.
22 Jamie Grierson. “Choice of new UK anti-extremism chief criticised as ‘alarming.’” The Guardian, January 25, 2018. For views on the Prevent program controversy, see Miqdaad Versi. “The latest Prevent figures show why the strategy needs an independent review,” The Guardian, November 10, 2017; Alan Travis. “Paralysis at the heart of UK counter-extremism policy.” The Guardian, September 17, 2017.
23 Jamie Grierson. “Choice of new UK anti-extremism chief criticised as ‘alarming’.” The Guardian, January 25, 2018.
24 U.K. Government and Parliament. “Petitions” on banning the face veil- Government response’, date closed October 8, 2014.
25 Royal Norwegian Ministry of Justice and Public Security. “Contribution to the Australian Parliament’s inquiry into freedom of religion or belief around the world.” February 16, 2017, Submission No. 315. https://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Committees/Joint/Foreign_Affairs_Defence_and_Trade/Freedomofreligion/Submissions.
26 Government of Norway/Ministry of Foreign Affairs. “Norway to increase support for vulnerable groups and religious minorities in Syria and Iraq.” Press release, September 9, 2015.
27 Government of Norway/Ministry of Foreign Affairs. “Support for Religious Minorities Doubled.” Press release, May 4, 2017.
28 Norwegian Centre for Human Rights. “The Politicisation of FoRB.” July 20, 2016.
29 Government U.K. “Lord Ahmad appointed as PM’s Special Envoy to promote religious freedom.” Press release, July 4, 2018.
30 Alex Williams. “Prime Minister appoints first special envoy on freedom of religion,” Premier, July 5, 2018.
31 “Nigeria killings echo abroad: Herdman and Boko Haram threaten Nigeria’s future—UK Parliamentarians,” Vanguard, July 1, 2018; Saheed Salawu. “UK Parliamentarians: Killings in Nigeria disturbing, must stop.” Nigerian Tribune, July 1, 2018; Wale Akinola. “Killings in Nigeria is disturbing, it must stop—UK parliament tells Buhari,” NAIJ.com, July 1, 2018; U.K. Parliament, House of Lords. “Nigeria, Question for Short Debate,” Hansard, Vol. 792, June 28, 2018.
Additional information
Notes on contributors
Monica Duffy Toft
Monica Duffy Toft is a Professor of International Politics and Director of the Center for Strategic Studies at The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, Tufts University. Before joining Fletcher, Toft taught at Oxford University’s Blavatnik School of Government and Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government. While at Harvard, she directed the Initiative on Religion in International Affairs and was the assistant director of the John M. Olin Institute for Strategic Studies. She is a Global Scholar at the Peace Research Institute, Oslo.
M. Christian Green
M. Christian Green, J.D./Ph.D., is a scholar of law, religion, human rights, and global ethics. She is Research Director for law, religion, and human rights at the Center for the Study of Law and Religion, Co-Editor and Special Content Editor at the Journal of Law and Religion, Publications Manager at the African Consortium for Law and Religions Studies (ACLARS), and Academic and Social Media Consultant for the Commonwealth Initiative for Freedom of Religion or Belief (CIFoRB).