About
What?
The Freedom of Religion or Belief Learning Platform provides resources to help individuals, communities, NGOs and decision-makers learn, reflect upon and promote freedom of religion or belief for all. It includes resources for personal study and for educators and facilitators to use in group trainings. Our core resources have been developed in dialogue with specialists and with reference people from a range of religious and belief backgrounds.
Why?
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Violations of freedom of religion or belief have a devastating impact on individuals, communities and societies. The learning platform aims to contribute to building a social, political and legal culture of freedom of religion or belief for all from the grassroots up and the top down. Peace, stability and development depend upon human rights, not least our ability to live together, accepting rights for all, despite our deepest differences.
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Working towards Sustainable Development Goal 16
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According to the Pew Research Centre, over three quarters of the world’s population live in countries where freedom of religion or belief is heavily restricted by the state or with high levels of social hostilities related to religion such as hate crimes, mob violence or religion related terrorism. The effects are devastating for individuals and communities and affect people of all faiths and none. In order to build peace, stability and democracy we need to foster a social, political and legal culture of freedom of religion or belief. A culture in which we accept equal rights for all despite deep differences in our beliefs. We can all contribute to building that culture.
For whom?
If you are a politician, public official or diplomat you've got a very important role to play in promoting freedom of religion or belief. But human rights aren't only about law and politics, they are about human relationships, so ordinary people - parents, neighbours and colleagues, as well as educators and leaders of religious and belief communities have a vital role too.
The Freedom of Religion or Belief learning platform have resources that are useful in a wide range of contexts and for a wide range of audiences.
- Parliamentarians, diplomats and development professionals
- Officials responsible for making or implementing public policy, including officials of the justice system such police, lawyers and judges
- leaders and members of religious and belief communities
- Training institutions for religious leaders such as theological seminaries
- Educational bodies teaching/students studying human rights, democracy, law or religious studies
- NGO staff and business leaders working in contexts where serious violations occur
- Staff within human rights and freedom of religion or belief organisations
- The media
By whom?
The Freedom of Religion or Belief Learning Platform is an initiative of the Nordic Ecumenical Network on Freedom of Religion or Belief (NORFORB) in partnership with a wide range of secular and faith based organisations that seek to promote the human right to freedom of religion or belief for all, as given in Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. Get in touch with us.
NORFORB members
Partners in the platform
Expert advisors
NORFORB would like to thank the experts who provide comments and suggestions during the development of Learning Platform resources.
Ahmed Shaheed, UN Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion or Belief
Dr Nazila Ghanea, Associate Professor in International Human Rights Law, University of Oxford
Dr Marie Juul Pedersen, Senior researcher, Danish Institute for Human Rights
Dermana Seta, Advisor on combatting intolerance against Muslims, Office of Democratic Institutions and Human Rights, OSCE. (Views expressed on the platform do not necessarily represent those of ODIHR)
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Professor Heiner Bielefeldt, Professor of Human Rights and Human Rights Politics, University of Erlangen-Nürnberg
Professor Sir Malcolm Evans, Professor of Public International law, Bristol University
Dr Göran Gunner, Associate Professor and Senior Lecturer, Stockholm School of Theology
Dr Kavot Zillén, Post doctor, Department of Law, Stockholm University
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Funding partners
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