Freedom of religion
Freedom of religion or belief has been defined by The Universal Declaration of Human Rights as the human right. The 18th article declares that “everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion; this right includes freedom to change his religion or belief, and freedom, either alone or in community with others and in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship and observance.” Although the religious freedom is internationally recognized as a right og human beings, the governments might fail to respect such a right for several reasons. The governments might not want the people to practice a given religion or even the set of individual beliefs because of the fear that can pose a threat to the security of the nation. Or, the governments might require the people to practice a particular religion. As per the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, there exists the dozens of nations that are being investigated because of alleged infringements of the religious freedom or belief. During the year 2009, for instance, the officials of UN made a visit to India with the aim of carrying out an investigation on the concerns about the issue of belief or religious minorities; justice for the survivors or victims of the violence of the community; religious freedom or belief within Kashmir and Jammu; the negative effects of the laws covering the conversion of religion within the many states; as well as the implications of the individual laws based on religion. (1). There have also been some acusations by the government of United States to the other natins because of infringing the religious freedom. During the year 2012, the International Religious Freedom Report, it was said by the US that China’s government “harassed, detained, arrested, or sentenced to prison a number of religious adherents for activities reportedly related to their religious beliefs and practice.” Further, it was also stated by the report that within the nation of Saudi Arabia, “the public practice of any religion other than Islam is prohibited, and the government enforced restrictions on religious freedom,” also that “the government reportedly deported foreigners for worshipping privately.” (2) The infringement of religious freedom as a right of human beings may result into violence and insecurity. This is due to the following, that the UN as well as the world wide community have been able to take several actions with the aim of assisting to protect the religious freedom.
The religious freedom was first recognized by General Assembly when it employed in the 1948 the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Afterwards, during the year 1981, 36/55 was adopted by the General Assembly on the Statement on the removal of the Entire Kinds of Intolerance as well as of Discrimination Grounded Upon the Belief or Religion. Also, most currently, during the year 2012, 67/178 was adopted by the general Assembly on the negative stereotyping, violence against the different individuals and violence incitement, the combating intolerance, grounded on belief or religion as well as the 67/179 resolution on the religious freedom or belief.