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 non-discrimination 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 grounds 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 beliefs.
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 beings 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 1 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 connexion 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.