Report - Desk Review of Freedom of Religon & Belief and the Protection of Faith-Based Minorities

In June 2022, the Office of the Special Representative for Freedom of Religion or Belief, commissioned the Nordic Consulting Group to conduct a desk review of the role of freedom of religion or belief in Danish development cooperation. The finalized report was launched at Folkemødet (The People’s Meeting) in 2022 by the previous Minister for Development Cooperation.

“The Desk Review of Freedom of Religion & Belief and the Protection of Faith-Based Minorities” investigates the Danish efforts to promote freedom of religion or belief (FoRB) and protection of religious/belief minorities in countries where Denmark is engaged in bilateral development projects.

The report provides a background on the development of freedom of religion or belief, from being a relatively unknown human right to reach attention at a political level in foreign policy, and engaging in spreading FoRB literacy. Against this backdrop, the Desk Review concentrate on the Danish development cooperation on FoRB from 2018, where FoRB became a priority in Denmark, and up until 2022.

The report provides a collection of recommendations and conclusions. There are 6 recommendations and amongst others, the desk review recommends that FoRB should be considered alongside with other human rights. Moreover, FoRB literacy should continue to be developed among Danish development stakeholders, while broader alliances of partners should be built to work on FoRB. Lastly, it is important to engage in knowledge building on intersections between FoRB and other subject matters and to keep a conceptual separation between FoRB and religion and development.

Link to the desk review is to be found here:  FoRB Report