The General
Assembly,
Considering
that one of the basic principles of the Charter of the United Nations is that
of the dignity and equality inherent in all human beings, and that all Member
States have pledged themselves to take joint and separate action in
co-operation with the Organization to promote and encourage universal respect
for and observance of human rights and fundamental freedoms for all, without
distinction as to race, sex, language or religion,
Considering that the
Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenants on Human
Rights proclaim the principles of nondiscrimination and equality before the law
and the right to freedom of thought, conscience, religion and belief,
Considering that the
disregard and infringement of human rights and fundamental freedoms, in particular
of the right to freedom of thought, conscience, religion or whatever belief,
have brought, directly or indirectly, wars and great suffering to mankind,
especially where they serve as a means of foreign interference in the internal
affairs of other States and amount to kindling hatred between peoples and
nations,
Considering that
religion or belief, for anyone who professes either, is one of the fundamental
elements in his conception of life and that freedom of religion or belief
should be fully respected and guaranteed,
Considering that it is
essential to promote understanding, tolerance and respect in matters relating
to freedom of religion and belief and to ensure that the use of religion or
belief for ends inconsistent with the Charter of the United Nations, other
relevant instruments of the United Nations and the purposes and principles of
the present Declaration is inadmissible,
Convinced that freedom
of religion and belief should also contribute to the attainment of the goals of
world peace, social justice and friendship among peoples and to the elimination
of ideologies or practices of colonialism and racial discrimination,
Noting with
satisfaction the adoption of several, and the coming into force of some,
conventions, under the aegis of the United Nations and of the specialized
agencies, for the elimination of various forms of discrimination,
Concerned by
manifestations of intolerance and by the existence of discrimination in matters
of religion or belief still in evidence in some areas of the world,
Resolved to adopt all
necessary measures for the speedy elimination of such intolerance in all its
forms and manifestations and to prevent and combat discrimination on the ground
of religion or belief,
Proclaims this
Declaration on the Elimination of All Forms of Intolerance and of
Discrimination Based on Religion or Belief:
Article
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, practice
and teaching.
2. No one shall be
subject to coercion which would impair his freedom to have a religion or belief
of his choice.
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 or
morals or the fundamental rights and freedoms of others.
Article
2
1.
No one shall be subject to discrimination by any State, institution, group of
persons, or person on the grounds of religion or other belief.
2. For the purposes of
the present Declaration, the expression "intolerance and discrimination
based on religion or belief" means any distinction, exclusion, restriction
or preference based on religion or belief and having as its purpose or as its
effect nullification or impairment of the recognition, enjoyment or exercise of
human rights and fundamental freedoms on an equal basis.
Article
3
Discrimination
between human being on the grounds of religion or belief constitutes an affront
to human dignity and a disavowal of the principles of the Charter of the United
Nations, and shall be condemned as a violation of the human rights and
fundamental freedoms proclaimed in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights
and enunciated in detail in the International Covenants on Human Rights, and as
an obstacle to friendly and peaceful relations between nations.
Article
4
1.
All States shall take effective measures to prevent and eliminate
discrimination on the grounds of religion or belief in the recognition,
exercise and enjoyment of human rights and fundamental freedoms in all fields
of civil, economic, political, social and cultural life.
2. All States shall
make all efforts to enact or rescind legislation where necessary to prohibit
any such discrimination, and to take all appropriate measures to combat
intolerance on the grounds of religion or other beliefs in this matter.
Article
5
1.
The parents or, as the case may be, the legal guardians of the child have the
right to organize the life within the family in accordance with their religion
or belief and bearing in mind the moral education in which they believe the
child should be brought up.
2. 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 or, as the case may be, legal
guardians, and shall not be compelled to receive teaching on religion or belief
against the wishes of his parents or legal guardians, the best interests of the
child being the guiding principle.
3. The child shall be
protected from any form of discrimination on the ground of religion or belief.
He shall be brought up in a spirit of understanding, tolerance, friendship
among peoples, peace and universal brotherhood, respect for freedom of religion
or belief of others, and in full consciousness that his energy and talents
should be devoted to the service of his fellow men.
4. In the case of a
child who is not under the care either of his parents or of legal guardians,
due account shall be taken of their expressed wishes or of any other proof of
their wishes in the matter of religion or belief, the best interests of the
child being the guiding principle. 5. Practices of a religion or belief in
which a child is brought up must not be injurious to his physical or mental
health or to his full development, taking into account article 1, paragraph 3,
of the present Declaration.
Article
6
In
accordance with article I of the present Declaration, and subject to the
provisions of article 1, paragraph 3, the right to freedom of thought,
conscience, religion or belief shall include, inter alia, the following
freedoms:
(a)
To worship or assemble in connection with a religion or belief, and to
establish and maintain places for these purposes;
(b) To establish and
maintain appropriate charitable or humanitarian institutions;
(c) To make, acquire
and use to an adequate extent the necessary articles and materials related to
the rites or customs of a religion or belief;
(d) To write, issue
and disseminate relevant publications in these areas;
(e) To teach a
religion or belief in places suitable for these purposes;
(f) To solicit and
receive voluntary financial and other contributions from individuals and
institutions;
(g) To train, appoint,
elect or designate by succession appropriate leaders called for by the
requirements and standards of any religion or belief;
(h) To observe days of
rest and to celebrate holidays and ceremonies in accordance with the precepts
of one's religion or belief;
(i) To establish and
maintain communications with individuals and communities in matters of religion
and belief at the national and international levels.
Article
7
The
rights and freedoms set forth in the present Declaration shall be accorded in
national legislation in such a manner that everyone shall be able to avail
himself of such rights and freedoms in practice.
Article
8
Nothing in the present
Declaration shall be construed as restricting or derogating from any right defined
in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenants on
Human Rights.
© Copyright 1997 -
2000
Office
of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights
Geneva,
Switzerland