‘Leave No one Behind: The Role of Freedom of Religion or Belief in Advancing Human Flourishing and Just Societies

International Panel of Parliamentarians for Freedom of Religion or Belief logo

‘Leave No one Behind: The Role of Freedom of Religion or Belief in Advancing Human Flourishing and Just Societies was the theme of the Fourth International Parliamentarians Conference on Freedom of Religion and Belief (FoRB) held in Nairobi, Kenya, from 1-4 May 2023. The Nairobi Declaration is a document signed by Parliamentarians worldwide at the 4th International Parliamentarians Conference on Freedom of Religion and Belief (FoRB).


The International Panel of Parliamentarians for Freedom of Religion or Belief (IPPFoRB) is a global network of parliamentarians and legislators from around the world committed to combating religious persecution and advancing freedom of religion or belief, as defined by Article 18 of the UN Universal Declaration for Human Rights.

75% of the global population live in countries restricting the free and peaceful practice of religion. Abusive governments and extremist groups increasingly prevent individuals from practising their faith through violence or repression.

This prevalence is more than just a human rights problem – it affects national and international security as well as wider humanitarian concerns. Situations of religious repression breed instability and foster extremism, generate refugee flows and mass migrations, while threatening other fundamental rights including freedom of expression, association and assembly.

From 1 – 4 May 2023 the International Panel of Parliamentarians for Freedom of Religion or Belief (IPPFoRB) and Konrad Adenauer Stiftung (KAS) facilitated the International Parliamentarians’ Conference on the promotion of freedom of religion or belief (FoRB).

It has been a great honour and privilege to welcome you to the International Parliamentarians’ Conference recently hosted by the International Panel of Parliamentarians for Freedom of Religion or Belief (IPPFoRB), Konrad Adenauer Stiftung (KAS), and the FoRB Leadership Network (FoRB LN). The conference was successful thanks to engaging participation, fruitful discussions, and inspiring experiences.

We hope that the encounters and discussions will continue to bear fruit to protect and promote freedom of religion or belief for all. Please keep us informed of any steps you take on your own or in collaboration with other parliamentarians or civil society organisations to champion this human right.

41 parliamentarians from 22 countries signed the Nairobi Declaration.

The Nairobi Declaration

International Parliamentarians’ Conference on the Promotion of Freedom of Religion or Belief

* Leave No One Behind: The Role of Freedom of Religion or Belief in Advancing Human Flourishing and Just Societies

At the fourth International Parliamentarians’ Conference, ‘Leave No one Behind: The Role of Freedom of Religion or Belief in Advancing Human Flourishing and Just Societies, held from 2-3 May 2023 in Nairobi, Kenya, the undersigned parliamentarians and legislators from around the world:

Recognise that the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion or belief (henceforth, Freedom of Religion or Belief), as set out in Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and other international and regional human rights instruments, is a universal and non-derogable human right grounded in the inherent dignity and equality of every member of the human family;

Recall the commitments made by all UN member states in 2015, when agreeing on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the 2030 Agenda, to end poverty, build peaceful and inclusive societies, and promote prosperity and people’s well-being while protecting the environment for current and future generations;

Recognise that persistent forms of discrimination and abuse on the grounds of religion or belief leave individuals, families and whole communities marginalised and excluded from realising their potential and contributing to wider human flourishing and the creation of just societies;

Recognise that as representatives of the people, parliamentarians and legislators have a constitutional responsibility to play a significant role in the achievement of the SDGs and in ensuring that no one is left behind because of their religion or belief, through their enactment of legislation and adoption of budgets, and their role in ensuring accountability for the effective implementation of national commitments;

Recall that the International Panel of Parliamentarians (IPPFoRB) which was formalised in November 2014 at the Noble Peace Centre in Oslo, Norway, was established by parliamentarians to advance freedom of religion or belief for everyone, everywhere;

Encourage stronger participation of external stakeholders in the international conference series that the International Panel of Parliamentarians (IPPFoRB) and Konrad Adenauer Foundation (KAS) organised together in New York (2015), in Berlin (2016), in Singapore (2019) and this year in Nairobi as part of the global parliamentarians’ work to promote Freedom of Religion or Belief;

Expect that the Nairobi conference has made a significant contribution with regard to the international exchange of experiences and best practices among parliamentarians in the field of freedom of religion or belief being an efficient tool in advancing freedom of religion or belief for all;

Reaffirm the Oslo Charter for Freedom of Religion or Belief (November 2014) and subsequent commitments set out in the New York Resolution (November 2015) and the Singapore Declaration (October 2019)


KONRAD ADENAUER International Panel of STIFTUNG Parliamentarians for Freedom of Religion Rule of Law Program for or Belief Sub-Saharan Africa FoRB LEADERSHIP NETWORK International Parliamentarians’ Conference on the Promotion of Freedom of Religion or Belief Leave No One Behind:

The Role of Freedom of Religion or Belief in Advancing Human Flourishing and Just Societies

In light of the above, now in Nairobi, Kenya, from 2 to 3 May 2023, the signatories commit to pursuing the efforts in the following fields:

  • Ensure that the implementation of the SDGs is founded on the three principles of universality, integration and leaving no one behind — through an approach that promotes the inclusion of marginalised groups and groups at particular risk of human rights violations and addresses discrimination on the grounds of religion or belief;
  • Engage with civil society actors, promoting citizen participation, including the most disadvantaged and risk affected, and consider their needs and contributions, especially where they experience discrimination on the grounds of their religion or belief, during the development of legislation impacting the implementation of the SDGs;
  • Scrutinise and monitor government policies to advance freedom of religion or belief for all and particularly for minorities as part of broader initiatives to develop peaceful and inclusive societies;
  • Support national institutions in the implementation of the 2030 Agenda and the development of tools and indicators to track progress in achieving the SDG targets especially as they affect marginalised groups and groups at particular risk of human rights violations on account of their religion or belief;
  • Adopt legislation needed to create, update and further develop a legal framework that is conducive to the realisation of freedom of religion or belief for all;
  • Ensure the allocation of adequate resources to advance freedom of religion or belief for all as part of the SDG implementation, through the review and adoption of the annual state budget and the adequate allocation of Overseas Development Assistance;
  • Collaborate with governments to identify how other actors, such as civil society, political parties, the private sector, youth, faith leaders and the media can be better engaged to advance freedom of religion or belief for all and to ensure that no one is left behind because of their religion or belief;
  • Take into consideration the voice of the youth with regard to furthering freedom of religion or belief against the backdrop of the implementation of the SDG’s cognisant of the need to strengthen the participation of youth in decision-making processes;
  • Build capacity within parliaments to ensure parliamentarians and staff members are equipped with the necessary knowledge and resources to support the implementation, monitoring and evaluation of policies in support of freedom of religion and belief and the wider 2030 Agenda.

The following parliamentarians support this resolution in their personal capacity and not as representatives of their government, parliaments, political party or other body.
Nairobi, 3 May 2023
Download the Narobi Declaration

 

The Nairobi Declaration
The Nairobi Declaration is a document signed by Parliamentarians worldwide at the 4th International Parliamentarians Conference on FoRB.

Source
Image Source