How to Make Progress on Gender Equality Without Decreasing Religious Freedom: The OSCE Context

Montserrat Gas-Aixendri is a full professor of law and religion at Universitat Internacional de Catalunya (Barcelona, Spain).

The commitment of Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development to “leave no one behind” includes a promise to end discrimination. The road toward effective equality between women and men is not yet complete, and there remain many forms of discrimination that can and must be stamped out. Progress calls for the contributions of all social agents, including religious organizations. Nevertheless, freedom of religion or belief and gender equality sometimes seem to be rights standing in opposition to each other in an artificial antagonism. For some, religious freedom is viewed as an inherent obstacle to the achievement of equality, whereas for others, gender equality is regarded as a threat to the protection of religious values and practices. The resulting tensions are particularly plain to see in the region of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), where several cultures are present and the landscape contains a wide range of cultural and religious diversity.

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La Recepción del Derecho de Libertad Religiosa en América Latina

Carmen Asiaín Pereira se desempeña como senadora en el Parlamento de Uruguay. Es doctora en derecho y ciencias sociales por la Universidad de la República y es profesora de derecho y religión, posgrado, en la Universidad de Montevideo y profesora de derecho y religión y de derecho de la salud, posgrado, Facultad de Teología de Uruguay Monseñor Mariano Soler. Como abogada acreditada ante la Corte Eclesiástica Nacional (Uruguay y Argentina) y socia del estudio de abogados Pollak & Brum, es litigante en derecho matrimonial canónico y asesora y litiga casos de libertad de conciencia y religión o creencias contra el Estado.

El siguiente es un resumen de sus comentarios como panelista en el Primer Simposio Brasileño sobre Libertad de Religión o Creencia, en el panel “Perspectivas Latinoamericanas sobre la Libertad Religiosa.” Los panelistas discutieron la libertad religiosa en el contexto del derecho internacional de los derechos humanos y, más específicamente, de los países del sistema interamericano: cómo se consagra con diferentes matices en las constituciones de los países latinoamericanos y qué problemas enfrenta la región.

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The Reception of the Right to Religious Freedom in Latin America

Carmen Asiaín Pereira serves as a senator in the Parliament of Uruguay. She received a doctorate in law and social sciences from the University of the Republic and is a professor of law and religion, graduate studies program, at the University of Montevideo and a professor of law and religion and of health law, graduate program, Facultad de Teología del Uruguay Monseñor Mariano Soler. As an attorney accredited by the National Ecclesiastical Court (Uruguay and Argentina) and a partner at the law firm of Pollak & Brum, she is a litigator in matrimonial canon law and advises and litigates cases involving freedom of conscience and religion or belief against the State.

The following is a translated summary of her remarks as a panelist addressing “Latin American Perspectives on Religious Freedom” at the First Brazilian Symposium on Freedom of Relief or Belief (2022). Panelists discussed religious freedom in the context of international human rights law, the inter-American system, national laws—how the freedom is enshrined with different nuances in the constitutions of Latin American countries—and related issues facing the region.

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