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Danish Forum for Freedom of Religion or Belief

In 2018, the Danish Forum for Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB) was established in connection with the Danish Government’s initiative for Freedom of Religion or Belief. The aim of the Forum for FoRB is to gather relevant Danish actors from all faith-based and secular civil society backgrounds in Denmark, including academia, religious institutions, and others who wish to engage in and discuss the Danish efforts on freedom of religion or belief abroad.


Summary of the previous meeting in the danish forum for freedom of religion or belief  Danish forum for freedom of religion or belief, 21 november 2023 

The latest meeting of the Forum for Freedom of Religion and Belief took place at 21 November 2023. At the meeting there was a broad participation from Danish actors that work within the field of freedom of religion and belief. Participants included a number of representatives from human rights organisations, research institutions and civil society organisations who are working, among other things, on freedom of religion or belief and persecution of religious minorities. Participants from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs counted the State Secretary for Development Policy, Lotte Machon, acting Special Representative for Freedom of Religion or Belief, Karen Grønlund Rogne, as well as staff from the Office for the Special Representative for Freedom of Religion or Belief and the Office for Humanitarian Action, Civil Society and Engagement.

 

Acting Special Representative for Freedom of Religion or Belief, Karen Grønlund Rogne, welcomed the 9th meeting of the Forum.

 

State Secretary for Development Policy, Lotte Machon, presented the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ work on freedom of religion and belief as a Danish development policy priority. The State Secretary for Development Policy additionally presented the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ follow-up to the desk review, that was prepared by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs about the Ministry’s work on freedom of religion or belief (you can find the desk review here). The work included an update of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' implementation note on human rights and democracy, which is used in the preparation and implementation of development projects, in order to create increased awareness on freedom of religion or belief and the cooperation with faith-based actors. The State Secretary for Development Policy informed that the budget proposal for 2024 had foreseen to double the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ special fund targeted freedom of religion and belief to DKK 10 million for 2024, and that she hoped that the members of the forum would apply for funding to initiate related projects around the world. She also invited participants to provide inputs to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ work on upcoming major projects, including the Government’s strategy for Africa and the next steps in the development policy strategy.

 

Subsequently there was a Q&A session. The questions asked concerned the work on freedom of religion and belief in South Asia and Vietnam, the situation of Rohingyas, considerations about freedom of religion or belief as a part of future projects, including Danish development cooperation for countries that violates freedom of religion or belief.

 

The United Nations Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion or Belief, Nazila Ghanea, presented the UN’s work on freedom of religion or belief and the mandate of the Special Rapporteur. The Special Rapporteur’s work includes various forms of communication, along with press releases and interventions on behalf of victims to governments, as well as country visits and thematic reports. The thematic reports were presented to UN member states at the Human Rights Council in Geneva and the Third Committee of the General Assembly in New York (read more about the work of the Special Rapporteur here).

 

Subsequently, there were questions about, among other things, the Special Rapporteur’s communication with governments about violations of the freedom of religion or belief of individuals, the financing of the UN mandate, the Special Rapporteur’s visit to Sweden and desecration of the Quran in Denmark and Sweden, and the situation for Christian minorities in Pakistan.

 

The meeting also provided an opportunity for discussion and networking among the members of the Forum.