In the month of October, UNPO put a spotlight on freedom of religion and belief (FRoB) as a broad and inclusive human right; a right which for many UNPO members seems an unattainable privilege.Unable to think or believe as they please openly, peacefully and without fear, their right to FRoB is continuously under threat in some parts of the world, causing their respective communities great suffering. But why does freedom of religion matter and what can the EU and human rights advocates do to protect it?
Two events in particular addressed these questions: firstly, from 22-24 October, UNPO and the World Uyghur Congress convened a high-level conference in Brussels entitled “In Defense of Religious Freedom: The Uyghur Struggle For Human Rights”, and secondly, another conference on the topic of Religious Freedom hosted by the European Parliament's intergroup on that subject at which UNPO Program Coordinator Iva Petkovic spoke.
Coming up next month are two major conferences at the European Parliament: