Thank you for contacting me about Freedom of Religious Belief worldwide.
I share the government’s committed to defending freedom of religion or belief (FoRB) for all, and to promoting respect between different religious and non-religious communities. Indeed, promoting the right to FoRB is one of the UK's longstanding human rights priorities. Regrettably, however, HM Government remains deeply concerned about the increase in FoRB violations globally.
Nobody should live in fear because of their identity or beliefs. Rest assured that officials from the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) regularly raise concerns with national governments who are not meeting their obligations to this end, both publicly and in private, including at a ministerial level.
The FCDO also works via multilateral fora, such as the UN, G7, and the International Religious Freedom or Belief Alliance to promote and protect FoRB for all, and in July 2022, the UK hosted an International Ministerial Conference on FoRB to energise collective efforts on this agenda. This is just the latest step in the UK’s leadership on this matter.
In December 2020, the former Prime Minister reaffirmed the UK's commitment to FoRB by appointing Fiona Bruce MP as his Special Envoy for FoRB. She works with Ministers, officials, and others to deliver the Government's goal of seeing everyone, everywhere able to have and practice a faith, belief, or no religious belief, in accordance with their conscience. I commend Fiona's determined action on this issue as Envoy.
Most prominently, Fiona is working with FCDO Minister Lord Ahmad to drive forward the implementation of the recommendations from the Bishop of Truro's report on FCO support for persecuted Christians in a way that improves the lives of those persecuted for their faith, or belief, or for not holding a religion. I was encouraged that at the FoRB Conference in July the Prime Minister, in her role as Foreign Secretary, made clear that those 22 recommendations have been taken forward in a way that will make a real change. I am also convinced that the Truro review has set a standard that it is worth other countries following too.
The FCDO regularly engages with Open Doors UK and other Non-Governmental Organisations to build capacity and share expertise to promote human rights for all. I have no doubt that Ministers will pay heed to the recommendations made in the 2022 World Watch List Report and I am glad that the report has praised the UK Government for the many positive advances it has made.
When FoRB is respected, societies are more likely to be stable and secure, and to flourish economically. They are also less prone to extremist attacks. It is therefore not to put too fine a point on it to say that in promoting FoRB we are promoting peace, and doing so now is as critical as ever.
I hope this has provided some reassurance to you on this important matter.
Thank you again for taking the time to contact me.