The Article 18 Alliance is committed to serving those of all religious beliefs and none, through reactive and proactive measures, as well as instruments of change

Reactive Measures

  • Condemning Violence

    Alliance members are committed to condemning violence (and incitement of violence) against persons based on religion or belief and against religious sites, either by state or by non-state actors, and demanding perpetrators be held to account.

  • Challenging Violations of Article 18

    Alliance members are committed to challenging persistent violations and abuses of the right to manifest one’s religion or belief, including abuses of the rights listed in the 1981 UN Declaration, the use of blasphemy laws and the denial of registration to religious or non-religious groups, and are committed to seeking to persuade states to conform to international obligations and commitments.

  • Opposing Restrictions to Change Religion or Belief

    Alliance members are committed to opposing restrictions on the freedom to change one’s religion or belief, or to hold no belief, and to demonstrating solidarity with person or persons victimised by such restrictions.

  • Prisoners of Conscience

    Alliance members are committed to advocating on behalf of individuals who are imprisoned or in other ways persecuted on account of their religion or belief and promoting accountability against perpetrators.

  • Rejecting Discrimination

    Alliance members are committed to rejecting discrimination on account of religion or belief in access to justice, education, housing, or employment, and to promoting measures to address such discrimination.

Proactive Measures

  • Promoting Respect

    Alliance members are committed to promoting respect for diversity, tolerance and inclusion consistent with the Istanbul Process.

  • Protecting Sites of Importance

    Alliance members are committed to supporting protection for religious or belief sites from violence.

  • Engaging with Civil Society

    Alliance members are committed to supporting and engaging with civil society, including religious and belief communities, and religious leaders, and to promoting cross-boundary and multi-disciplinary networking of those groups and individuals.

  • Religious Literacy

    Alliance members are committed to promoting literacy on freedom of religion or belief and relevant human rights frameworks.

  • Freedom of Expression

    Alliance members are committed to promoting freedom of religion or belief together with other human rights, such as freedom of expression.

Potential Instruments of Action

  • Monitoring

    Regular monitoring, reporting, information-sharing and outreach to impacted individuals and faith communities.

  • Public Diplomacy

    Joint or co-ordinated bilateral demarches and public diplomacy.

  • Interfaith Dialogue

    Promotion of interfaith dialogue to solve problems and promote greater inter- and intra-religious understanding.

  • Victim Support

    Support for victims, such as through redress, resettlement, or other actions as appropriate.

  • Targeted Sanctions

    Targeted sanctions against perpetrators as appropriate.

  • International Cooperation

    Co-ordinated action using multilateral fora (e.g. joint statements, UN country resolutions, and UN mechanisms like the Universal Periodic Review) and support for the UN Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion or Belief.

  • Other FoRB Networks

    Cooperating with civil society organizations, religious communities, and parliamentary networks committed to advancing freedom of religion or belief.

  • Training

    Training of law enforcement officials, building the capacity of national human rights institutions, and cooperating with civil society.

  • Investment

    Investment in projects to protect space for civic engagement by assisting human rights defenders and victims of persecution, as well as to build societal resilience (e.g. education on the benefits of diversity and religious tolerance, as well as cross-faith development projects).