Netherlands - Universal Periodic Review & Freedom of Religion or Belief

 

THE TANDEM PROJECT

http://www.tandemproject.com.

 

UNITED NATIONS, HUMAN RIGHTS,

FREEDOM OF RELIGION OR BELIEF

 

Separation of Religion or Belief & State

 

NETHERLANDS

 

First Session U.N. Human Rights Council Universal Periodic Review (7-18 April, 2008)

 

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The Universal Periodic Review (UPR) is a unique process launched by the UN Human Rights Council in 2008 to review the human rights obligations and responsibilities of all UN Member States by 2011. Click for an Introduction to the Universal Periodic Review, Process and News: http://www.ohchr.org/EN/HRBodies/UPR/Pages/UPRMain.aspx

 

UNIVERSAL PERIODIC REVIEW

 

The Netherlands Universal Periodic Review was held by the UN Human Rights Council on Tuesday 15 April 2008 from 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.  This link will access these reports in the Netherlands Universal Periodic Review: National Report; Compilation of UN Information; Summary of Stakeholders Information; Questions Submitted in Advance; Report of the Working Group; Related Web cast Archives.

 

Link to: Netherlands Adopted Universal Periodic Review.

 

http://www.ohchr.org/EN/HRBodies/UPR/Pages/nlsession1.aspx

 

The primary human rights instruments for this review are:

 

Article 18 International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights; and the 1981 Declaration on the Elimination of all Forms of Intolerance and of Discrimination Based on Religion or Belief.

 

General Comment 22 on Article 18 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights:

http://www.unhchr.ch/tbs/doc.nsf/(Symbol)/9a30112c27d1167cc12563ed004d8f15?Opendocument

 

The 1981 UN Declaration: http://www.tandemproject.com/program/81_dec.htm

 

THE TANDEM PROJECT FOLLOW-UP

 

The Tandem Project Follow-up builds on the 1986 Community Strategies, 27 action proposals at a local level to implement Article 18 of the ICCPR and the 1981 UN Declaration on Freedom of Religion or Belief:

http://www.tandemproject.com/tolerance.pdf 

 

(1) Develop model local-national-international integrated approaches to human rights and freedom of religion or belief, appropriate to the constitutions, legal systems and cultures of each country, (2) Use International Human Rights Standards on Freedom of Religion or Belief as a platform for inclusive and genuine dialogue, (3) Apply these standards on freedom of religion or belief in education curricula, “teaching children, from the very beginning, that their own religion is one out of many and it is a personal choice for everyone to adhere to the religion or belief by which he or she feels most inspired, or to adhere to no religion or belief at all.”  

 

Example: Universal Periodic Review & Freedom of Religion or Belief

 

The challenge to the UN Human Rights Council is to achieve consensus among world views relating to international human rights standards on freedom of religion or belief and freedom of opinion and expression. While recognizing the religious and cultural sensitivity of these issues, it is time after 40 years for the UN Human Rights Council to establish an Open-ended Working Group for a UN Convention on Freedom of Religion or Belief, deferred since 1968 by its predecessor the UN Human Rights Commission, and to strengthen the Special Procedures mandate of the UN Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion or Belief (Attachment).    

 

RECOMMENDATIONS

 

Amnesty International (AI) in their Netherlands Universal Periodic Review letter calls on the government of the Netherlands to develop, implement, monitor and evaluate policies to combat all forms of discrimination at national and local levels. This recommendation is based on research carried out by Amnesty International that fewer than 10 percent of municipal authorities have addressed discrimination and racism at a local level by adopting general policies or action plans, and fewer than 20 per cent of municipal authorities have developed policies to combat discrimination and racism in specific areas of concern, such as law enforcement, employment or education.

 

The Tandem Project Follow-up agrees with the Amnesty International recommendation for the Netherlands Universal Periodic Review. The Tandem Project recommends action steps, at local levels, to implement international human rights standards law on freedom of religion or belief. Municipal governments, non-governmental organizations and places of worship should consider drafting model national-municipal legislation, 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 (4.2 1981 UN Declaration) and action programs on integration, dialogue and education at a local level, as part of the Netherlands Universal Periodic Review.

 

In 2006 the 25 Year Commemoration of the 1981 U.N. Declaration on the Elimination of All Forms of Intolerance and Discrimination Based on Religion or Belief, was held in Prague, the Czech Republic. Plenary addresses were by the Netherlands Ambassador-at-Large for Human Rights, Mr. Piet de Klerk, and the UN Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion or Belief, Asma Jahangir (Attachment).

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EXCHANGE OF INFORMATION 

 

Links: Web sites in the public domain may be distributed unless copyright is indicated. Organizations listed here do not mean they endorse these requests for an exchange of information.

 

The Tandem Project Follow-up is seeking an exchange of information for the Indonesia Universal Periodic Review on approaches to freedom of religion or belief and freedom of opinion and expression, to bridge human rights proclaimed in treaties at the international level with the reality of implementation at a national and local level.

 

These are just a few among many religious and non-governmental organizations with expertise in Indonesia that may be asked for advice about the practicality, within the Indonesian context, of an exchange of information on issues of concern relating to international human rights and freedom of religion or belief. The Minneapolis-St. Paul Area Survey on Freedom of Religion or Belief is an example of what The Tandem Project looks for in partnership exchanges (Attachment).

 

Stakeholder Summary Information Footnote 3 Recommendation letters.  

http://www.ohchr.org/EN/HRBodies/UPR/Pages/UPRNetherlandStakeholdersInfoS1.aspx

 

Amnesty International (AI): Submission Letter for the Netherlands Universal Periodic Review.

http://lib.ohchr.org/HRBodies/UPR/Documents/Session1/NL/AI_NLD_UPR_S1_2008_AmnestyInternational_uprsubmission.pdf

 

Amnesty International is a worldwide movement of people who campaign for internationally recognized human rights for all. They have more than 2.2 million members and subscribers in more than 150 countries. AI coordinates this support to act for justice on a wide range of issues. In 1977 AI won the Nobel Peace Prize.

 

Excerpt: “Responsibility for developing and implementing policies against discrimination and racism in the Netherlands has largely been delegated by the national government to local authorities. Research carried out by Amnesty International indicates that fewer than 10 per cent of municipal authorities have addressed discrimination and racism at a local level by adopting general policies or action plans. Fewer than 20 per cent of municipal authorities have developed policies to combat discrimination and racism in specific areas of concern, such as law enforcement, employment or education.

 

The principle of non-discrimination is at the heart of the protection of human rights. Amnesty International’s research indicates a failure on the part of municipal authorities in the Netherlands to act with due diligence to prevent and combat all forms of discrimination. The national government in the Netherlands does not systematically monitor and evaluate the implementation of policies which are aimed, at a national and local level, at protecting people from all forms of discrimination.

 

The Tandem Project Follow-up will ask Amnesty International and Amnesty International/USA for suggestions on municipal and local partners that may want to exchange of information on approaches to freedom of religion or belief for the adopted Netherlands Universal Periodic Review, and USA Universal Periodic Review to be held in December 2010.

 

Protestant Church in the Netherlands: http://www.protestantchurch.nl/

 

The Protestant Church in the Netherlands was formally established in May 2004 from a merger of three churches, the Netherlands Reformed Church, Reformed Churches in the Netherlands, and Evangelical Lutheran Church in the Kingdom of the Netherlands.

 

Evangelical Lutheran Church in the Kingdom of the Netherlands: Wikipedia Encyclopedia.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Evangelical_Lutheran_Church_in_the_Kingdom_of_the_Netherlands

 

“The Evangelical Lutheran Church in the Kingdom of the Netherlands existed under that name from 1818 to 2004. In 2004, the denomination became part of the Protestant Church in the Netherlands, which is a continuation of the Dutch Reformed Church, the Reformed Churches in the Netherlands and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in the Kingdom of the Netherlands. The city of Amsterdam was and still is the center of Dutch Lutheranism. Because of the urban and internationally oriented membership of the Lutheran Church, liberal influences have always been relatively strong.”

 

The Tandem Project Follow-up will ask an urban Evangelical Lutheran Church congregation for an exchange of information on local approaches to human rights and freedom of religion or belief in the Netherlands Universal Periodic Review and partnership with an Evangelical Lutheran Church congregation in the Minneapolis-St. Paul Area Survey on Freedom of Religion or Belief,  

 

Lutheran World Federation; http://www.lutheranworld.org

 

The Lutheran World Federation (LWF) is a global communion of Christian churches in the Lutheran tradition with international headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland. Founded in 1947 in Lund, Sweden, the LWF now has 140 member churches in 79 countries all over the world representing 68.5 million Christians. Their mission includes humanitarian assistance, mission and development, theology, international affairs & human rights and ecumenical relations. Lutheran churches see the protection of human rights as a basic Christian concern and LWF monitors human rights abuses around the world and, in consultation with its member churches, makes representations in relation to crucial issues. The LWF international headquarters in Geneva will be asked for advice on whether The Tandem Project Follow-up in the Netherlands will ask LWF to support an exchange of information for an integrated international-national-local approach to human rights and freedom of religion or belief with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in the Kingdom of the Netherlands. 

 

University for Humanistics (UvH):

http://www.uvh.nl/defaultuvh.asp?oChapter=20&oId=42&hId=sub90

 

The University for Humanistics is a renowned academic center of knowledge inspired by the humanist body of thought. Founded in 1989, UvH is fully recognized and funded by the government of the Netherlands, the University distinguishes itself from other universities by the unique multi-disciplinary course that it offers and its size. Contemporary humanism continues to build on a rich tradition of ideas and values. It is especially since the Enlightenment that humanism is considered openly as a philosophy of life in which the human perspective is a defining factor in the understanding of and giving meaning to life and to the world.

 

The Tandem Project Follow-up will ask the University of Humanistics in Utrecht for advice on an academic exchange of information on local approaches to human rights and freedom of religion or belief in the Netherlands Universal Periodic Review with academic institutions in the Minneapolis-St. Paul Area Survey on Freedom of Religion or Belief,  

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FREEDOM OF RELIGION OR BELIEF 

 

Source of Report: http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/irf/2008/108463.htm

 

Excerpts from the Full Report: 

1. Netherlands - Religious Demography

The country has an area of 16,485 square miles and a population of 16.3 million. Approximately 60 percent of the population has some religious affiliation, although many do not actively practice their religion. Approximately 55 percent consider themselves Christian; 6 percent Muslim; 3 percent other (Hindu, Jewish, or Buddhist); and 36 percent atheist or agnostic.

Society has become increasingly secularized. In general, church membership continued to decline. According to a 2006 study by the Government's Social Cultural Planning Bureau, church membership declined steadily from 76 percent of the population in 1958 to 30 percent in 2006 (16 percent Catholic and 14 percent Protestant). Only 16 percent regularly go to church. Although 55 percent regard themselves as Christian, among this group only 30 percent believe in God, while 50 percent are agnostic or hold vaguely defined beliefs. The European Values Study showed that of all Europeans, the Dutch consistently have the lowest levels of appreciation for religious institutions.

Roman Catholics constitute the largest religious group in the country; however, many express alienation from their religious hierarchy and doctrine. While 78 percent view the church as an important anchor of norms and values, 68 percent dismiss the church's views on social issues such as abortion, gay marriage, and divorce.

The country's Protestantism is heterogeneous. Among the Protestant churches, the Dutch Reformed Church remains the largest. Other Protestant denominations include Baptists, Lutherans, Anglicans, and Remonstrants.

An estimated 950,000 Muslims, constituting 5.8 percent of the total population, live in the country, primarily in the larger cities, including approximately 370,000 of Turkish background and 330,000 of Moroccan background. Other Muslims include those from the country's former colony of Suriname as well as large numbers of asylum seekers from countries such as Iran, Iraq, Somalia, and Bosnia. A network of mosques and cultural centers serves the Muslim community. There are approximately 400 mosques: more than half service the Turkish community, while another 140 and 50 cater to the Moroccan and Surinamese communities, respectively. The Contact Body for Muslims and Government, representing approximately 80 percent of the Muslim community, discusses the community's interests with the Government.

2. Netherlands - Legal/Policy Framework

The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the Government generally respected this right in practice. The Government at all levels sought to protect this right in full and did not tolerate its abuse, either by governmental or private actors. The Constitution permits the Government to place restrictions on the exercise of religion only on limited grounds, such as health hazards, traffic safety, and risk of public disorder.

The Government provides state subsidies to religious organizations that maintain educational facilities. The Government provides education funding to public and religious schools, other religious educational institutions, and health care facilities, irrespective of their religious affiliation. To qualify for funding, institutions must meet strict nonreligious criteria in curriculum, minimum size, and health care.

The Government of Turkey exercises influence within the country's Turkish Muslim community through its religious affairs directorate, the Diyanet, which is permitted to appoint imams for the 140 Turkish mosques in the country. There is no such arrangement with the Moroccan Government, which maintains connections with the approximately 100 Moroccan mosques through a federation of Moroccan friendship societies but has no mechanism to exercise direct influence in the country. Authorities continued to express concern regarding Turkish and Moroccan interference with religious and political affairs, because such interference appeared to run counter to Government efforts to encourage integration of Muslims into society.

3.  Netherlands - Restrictions on Religious Freedom

Government policy and practice contributed to the generally free practice of religion.

Disputes arose when the exercise of the rights to freedom of religion and speech clashed with the strictly enforced ban on discrimination. Such disputes were addressed either in the courts or by antidiscrimination boards. Complaints were repeatedly filed against religious or political spokesmen who publicly condemned homosexuality. However, longstanding jurisprudence dictates that such statements, when made on religious grounds, do not constitute a criminal offense absent an intention to offend or discriminate against homosexuals.

The Equal Opportunities Committee and the courts repeatedly addressed the wearing of headscarves in schools and places of employment. The prevailing legal opinion holds that the wearing of headscarves may be banned only on narrow grounds, such as security considerations or inconsistency with an official government uniform. As it had done in the previous year, in 2006 Parliament adopted a resolution urging the Government to ban public wearing of burqas (a loose robe worn by some Muslim women that covers the body from head to toe). Legal experts consulted by the previous Integration Minister opined, however, that a general ban (as requested by Parliament) does not appear possible under the law. The Government stated in February 2007 that it is willing to consider banning "face-covering clothing in the interest of public order and safety."

4.  Netherlands - Societal Abuses/Discrimination

Muslims faced continuing societal resentment, attributable to growing perceptions that Islam is incompatible with Western values, that Muslim immigrants have failed to integrate, and that levels of criminal activity among Muslim youth are higher than the national average. Major incidents of violence against Muslims were rare; however, minor incidents, including intimidation, brawls, vandalism, and graffiti with abusive texts were quite common. Expanding pockets of young Muslims and youths identifying themselves as "native Dutch" were responsible for most instances of violence. A number of offenders were arrested, prosecuted, and convicted.

A number of outspoken politicians, mainly from the right, openly argued that Islam is incompatible with Dutch traditions and social values. Geert Wilders, whose Party of Freedom (PVV) won nine seats in the November 2006 general elections on an anti-immigrant and anti-Islam ticket, was the most prominent of several politicians seen as encouraging public opinion against Muslims by claiming that Islam preaches violence and hatred.

It is a crime to engage in public speech that incites religious, racial, or ethnic hatred, and the Government prosecuted several cases during the period covered by this report. Convictions are rare, however, because courts are reluctant to restrict freedom of expression, especially when it concerns expressions that "offend, shock, or disturb" made by politicians or journalists within the context of public debate or serving the public interest. For example, on June 30, 2008, the Amsterdam prosecutor's office announced that it would not prosecute politician and Islam critic Geert Wilders despite dozens of complaints about his statements in the press and his "Fitna" movie, which many considered offensive to Muslims. However, since he made them within the context of the public debate on Islam, they are not considered to constitute a criminal offense. Nor was Wilders considered guilty of inciting hatred against Muslims.

 Source: US State Department 2007 International Religious Freedom Report; Netherlands

http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/irf/2008/108463.htm

 

Source: US State Department 2008 International Religious Freedom Report; Netherlands

 

Links to State Department sites are welcomed. Unless a copyright is indicated, information on the State Department’s main website is in the public domain and may be copied and distributed without permission. Citation of the U.S. State Department as source of the information is appreciated.

 

Documents Attached:

 

Netherlands - Universal Periodic Review & Freedom of Religion or Belief

25 Year Commemoration - 1981 UN Declaration on Freedom of Religion or Belief.

Minneapolis-St. Paul Area Survey on Freedom of Religion or Belief

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United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki Moon, at the Alliance of Civilizations Madrid Forum said; “never in our lifetime has there been a more desperate need for constructive and committed dialogue, among individuals, among communities, among cultures, among and between nations.”

 

Genuine dialogue on human rights and freedom of religion or belief calls for respectful discourse, discussion of taboos and clarity by persons of diverse beliefs. Inclusive dialogue includes people of theistic, non-theistic and atheistic beliefs, as well as the right not to profess any religion or belief. The warning signs are clear, unless there is genuine dialogue ranging from religious fundamentalism to secular dogmatism; conflicts in the future will probably be even more deadly.

 

In 1968 the UN deferred work on an International Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Religious Intolerance because of its complexity and sensitivity. Violence, suffering and discrimination based on religion or belief in many parts of the world is greater than ever. It is time for a UN Working Group to draft what they deferred in 1968, a comprehensive core international human rights treaty-a United Nations Convention on Freedom of Religion or Belief. United Nations History – Freedom of Religion or Belief

 

The challenge to religions or beliefs at all levels is awareness, understanding and acceptance of international human rights standards on freedom of religion or belief. Leaders, teachers and followers of all religions or beliefs, with governments, are keys to test the viability of inclusive and genuine dialogue in response to the UN Secretary General’s urgent call for constructive and committed dialogue.  

 

The Tandem Project title, Separation of Religion or Belief and State (SOROBAS), reflects the far-reaching scope of UN General Comment 22 on Article 18, International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, Human Rights Committee (CCPR/C/21/Rev.1/Add.4). The General Comment on Article 18 is a guide to international human rights law for peaceful cooperation, respectful competition and resolution of conflicts:

  

http://www.unhchr.ch/tbs/doc.nsf/(Symbol)/9a30112c27d1167cc12563ed004d8f15?Opendocument

 

Surely one of the best hopes for humankind is to embrace a culture in which religions and other beliefs accept one another, in which wars and violence are not tolerated in the name of an exclusive right to truth, in which children are raised to solve conflicts with mediation, compassion and understanding.

 

The Tandem Project is a non-governmental organization (NGO) founded in 1986 to build understanding, tolerance and respect for diversity, and to prevent discrimination in matters relating to freedom of religion or belief. The Tandem Project has sponsored multiple conferences, curricula, reference materials and programs on Article 18 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights – Everyone shall have the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion - and 1981 United Nations Declaration on the Elimination of All Forms of Intolerance and Discrimination Based on Religion or Belief.

 

The Tandem Project is a UN NGO in Special Consultative Status with the

Economic and Social Council of the United Nations

 

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