Article 18: Right to freedom of thought and religion
Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion; this right includes freedom to change his religion or belief, and freedom, either alone or in community with others and in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship and observance.
Definitions of the right to freedom of thought and religion
The right to freedom of
movement is enshrined in
Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
The right is enshrined in Articles 18 and 27 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights:
Article 18
1. Everyone shall have the right to freedom of thought, conscience and
religion. This right shall include freedom to have or to adopt a religion or
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
or to adopt a religion or belief of his choice.
3. Freedom to manifest one's religion or beliefs 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.
4. The States Parties to the present Covenant undertake to have respect for the
liberty of parents and, when applicable, legal guardians to ensure the
religious and moral education of their children in conformity with their own
convictions. respect the exclusive character of the responsibilities of the
Secretary-General and the staff and not to seek to influence them in the
discharge of their responsibilities.
Article 27
In those States in which ethnic, religious or linguistic minorities exist,
persons belonging to such minorities shall not be denied the right, in
community with the other members of their group, to enjoy their own culture, to
profess and practise their own religion, or to use their own language.
In its General Comment No 22 of 1993, the Human Rights Committee comments on the freedom of thought and religion: http://www2.ohchr.org/english/bodies/hrc/comments.htm.
Several articles in the Convention on the Rights of the Child contain this right (and thus cannot be quoted here): Articles 2, 7, 8, 9, 10, 16, 18, 20, 21, 24 and 37.
Even more articles in the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families contain this right: Articles 1, 4, 5, 7, 8, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 26, 27, 28, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 50, 53, 56, 57, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 67, 69, 70, 71, 79, 81 and 82.
The right is also contained in Article 18 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights:
1. The family shall be the
natural unit and basis of society. It shall be protected by the State which
shall take care of its physical health and moral.
2. The State shall have the duty to assist the family which is the custodian of
morals and traditional values recognized by the community.
3. The State shall ensure the elimination of every discrimination against women
and also ensure the protection of the rights of the woman and the child as
stipulated in international declarations and conventions.
4. The aged and the disabled shall also have the right to special measures of
protection in keeping with their physical or moral needs.