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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 nondiscrimination 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 ground 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
belief.
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 being 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 I 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 connection 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.
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