Efforts to promote freedom of religion or belief

Freedom of religion or belief is anchored in Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and Article 18 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR). It is closely connected to other human rights such as freedom of expression, the right to privacy, freedom of assembly and association, and gender equality.

What does this mean?

Violence, intolerance, and discrimination based on religious affiliation and beliefs are significant challenges, even in established democracies. Religious minorities often face limitations on their freedom of religion or belief when interacting with the beliefs of the majority. This is also true for minorities within majority religions. In some countries, the religious majority is discriminated against by a ruling minority. In certain cases, freedom of religion or belief is misused to restrict or deny groups or individuals their political or social rights, such as in the case of practices that oppress women or hinder access to health and education systems. States may also justify actions that violate fundamental human rights using religious or belief-based arguments.

The pressure on freedom of religion or belief is often high during major political and economic upheavals, where differences in religion or belief may be used as a basis to divide the population and consolidate power. Developments in the Middle East have shown that violent conflicts can arise when religious minorities are systematically persecuted and subjected to mass killings.

Freedom of religion or belief protects individuals, not ideologies or religions. The Norwegian authorities work to promote freedom of expression and oppose hate speech. Banning criticism of religion opens the door for censorship on religious issues, which often harms religious minorities, non-believers, converts, human rights defenders, and journalists.

What is Norway doing?

The Norwegian government’s international efforts to protect and promote freedom of religion or belief are based on a human rights approach. The Norwegian authorities work to promote freedom of religion or belief both multilaterally and bilaterally, with a particular focus on the rights of religious minorities. Improving the situation for religious and belief minorities requires long-term efforts to change attitudes; it also important to engage with religious and belief organizations. The work is carried out in close collaboration with civil society and like-minded countries. It is coordinated by a special representative at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The efforts include political dialogue, cooperation with international organizations, agreements with several Norwegian and international organizations that work with freedom of religion or belief and religious minorities' rights, as well as measures at country level. Some examples are training on freedom of religion or belief and minority rights, and cooperation between parliamentarians in various countries.

Close contact is maintained with Norwegian religious communities, human rights organizations, and research institutions, to draw on their expertise, networks, and engagement. The Ministry also participates in several international networks. Norway collaborates with the United Nations to raise international awareness of work related to freedom of religion or belief. The UN has a special rapporteur on the topic, mandated by the UN Human Rights Council.

At the local level, Norway is active through its embassies. Discrimination against belief minorities has been raised at the political level with several countries. A guide has been developed on the topic, as well as a goal hierarchy for Norway’s international work on freedom of religion or belief. These are utilised and tested in collaboration with partners.

Priority Areas

• Work to ensure that national authorities promote and respect freedom of religion or belief, both in law and in practice, with particular emphasis on the situation of religious and belief minorities.
• Work to ensure that religious and belief groups respect human rights in their activities, both within their own communities and in their relationship with the broader society.
• Contribute to ensuring that respect for religions does not limit freedom of expression, the rights of girls and women, or other human rights.
• Participate in international efforts to preserve the memory of the Holocaust. Norway is a member of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA), whose mandate is to promote education, research, and the preservation of war memorials.