Engagement for Religious Freedom at the United Nations: The Contribution of the Bahá’ís

Abstract

What do the Baha'is contribute at the United Nations for the religious freedom of all human beings? By means of statements and reports from the Baha'i International Community (BIC) at the United Nations (UN) this short article will show that on the one hand the Baha'is invoke the right to freedom of conscience and religion, which is firmly established in Art. 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), and that on the other hand they emphasize not only the duty of the states, but also the obligation of the individual in general to exercise these rights and to guarantee that others may enjoy them. For the individual and his (A number of quotations date from an earlier period and use the generic pronouns to refer to both men and women. To preserve unity of style the generic pronouns are used in the text as well.) dignity it is important, among other things, that in principle he has the possibility and the obligation to search independently for truth. In the following it is explained (1) where the Baha'is are located at the United Nations and what the BIC's mandate is. Since the perspective of the Baha'is concerning religious freedom is embedded in a general concept, (2) their understanding of the dignity of the human being is outlined as well as the basic implications deriving from this and the consequences thereof, namely human rights and human obligations. This leads then (3) to concrete arguments particularly for religious freedom as a prerequisite for the development of human dignity and education. It will be clear that this means a life- long process of education on the road to peace, freedom and justice. These remarks end with a summary and conclusion (4).