Advancing Religious Freedom in Different Political Regimes

Ján Figeľ is a former EU Special Envoy for the promotion of freedom of religion or belief outside the European Union

Why is religious freedom important? Because it is a measure, principle, and instrument of humanization and civilizational process. It makes every society and time more humane, more respectful, and just.

It is important because freedom of religion or belief (FoRB) is an expression of human dignity belonging to each person and community, society, nation. The primary role of any power and authority is to provide peace to its people. Peace is the fruit of justice, and justice today is centered around human rights for all.

Human dignity is a foundational principle of all human rights. We have rights and duties because we are endowed with the dignity of the person.

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In for the Long Haul—Advocating for Freedom of Religion or Belief

Dr. Mine Yildirim is Head of the Norwegian Helsinki Committee’s Freedom of Belief Initiative in Turkey

In this personal reflection piece, I will share my experience on advocating for freedom of religion or belief, particularly based on human rights law and the engagement with different actors. The context for these reflections is my work with the Freedom of Belief Initiative (FoBI) and my engagement in the promotion of freedom of religion or belief in different regions as an expert and advisor.

The FoBI is a human rights project that aims to contribute to the protection of freedom of religion or belief in Turkey. The project’s activities center on systematic monitoring and reporting on the state of freedom of religion or belief with concrete policy recommendations. Advocacy is another core activity. International human rights compliance control mechanisms are important in this sense. We provide submissions in the context of the Universal Periodic Review, UN treaty bodies, and the Council of Europe Committee of Ministers. Another focus is the creation of platforms for constructive discussion on complex freedom of religion or belief issues by way of conferences, roundtables, or workshops.

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Saving Iraqi Religious Minorities and Their Heritage

Knox Thames is a Senior Fellow at the Institute for Global Engagement and Visiting Expert at the U.S. Institute of Peace. He previously served as the State Department Special Advisor for Religious Minorities under both the Obama and Trump administrations

Since the U.S. invasion and subsequent ISIS onslaught, the future for religious minorities in Iraq is increasingly uncertain. Once one of the largest Christian communities in the Middle East, Iraq’s Christian community has shrunk to an estimated 250,000 from over 1.5 million before the American intervention. Many fear the country known as the “Cradle of Christianity” will soon be a graveyard. And the world witnessed the barbaric treatment of Yezidis by ISIS.

When I served in the Obama and Trump State Department in a special envoy role focused on religious minorities, I made multiple trips to Iraq, hearing firsthand about the victimization of minorities. In my diplomatic engagements, I searched for ways to turn the tide against seemingly unstoppable currents that drove minorities out. Caught between religious extremists and discriminatory laws, theirs is a vexing problem with no obvious or immediate solutions. But we were able to make some progress. Christians and minorities feel forgotten, so the Pope’s recent visit provided a high-profile shot in the arm for these efforts.

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