Jun 11, 2021
The United Nations Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion or Belief is an independent expert appointed by the UN Human Rights Council. The Special Rapporteur identifies existing and emerging obstacles to the enjoyment of the right to freedom of religion or belief and presents recommendations to the Council on ways to overcome these obstacles.
In recent years, the Special Rapporteur has produced several thematic reports on a range of issues, including on Islamophobia and anti-Semitism globally, the intersection of religious freedom with gender equality and freedom of expression, discrimination and violence against individuals in the name of religion, as well as the nexus between security and freedom of religion or belief.
The current mandate holder, Dr. Ahmed Shaheed, joins us today to discuss what he thinks are the most pressing challenges to freedom of religion or belief globally.
Read USCIRF’s Factsheet on Shari'a and LGBTI Persons
Click here for Ahmed Shaheed’s report on Report on freedom of religion or belief and gender equality
Featuring:
Dwight Bashir, Director of Outreach and Policy, USCIRF
Ahmed Shaheed, Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion or Belief, United Nations
Jun 23
Jun 23rd 10:30am
U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom
Ten Years after the Arab Spring:
How has Religious Freedom Changed Across the Middle East?
Wednesday, June 23, 2021
10:30 am – 12:00 pm ET
Virtual Event
Please join the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) for a virtual event examining the long-term impact of the Arab Spring movement on religious freedom across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) and assessing U.S. policy options.
Following a series of social and political uprisings that swept through several countries in the MENA region in late 2010 and early 2011, much of the initial optimism for change and greater freedom was overtaken by the reality of the resulting upheavals. In addition, the last decade has seen a proliferation of extremist groups that have used violence to target religious minority communities and individuals based on their religion or belief. Alongside the political disorder and rise in extremism, the discourse has fundamentally evolved, as many governments have incrementally shifted toward more openly discussing religious freedom concerns impacting their communities. The question remains, however, whether that discourse has translated into positive, meaningful change on the ground.
This event will examine these complicated dynamics, assess religious freedom today in comparison to a decade ago, and discuss how the United States government and others can support more wide-ranging and substantive reforms in the region.
Panelists
- Nadine Maenza, Chair, USCIRF
- Anurima Bhargava, Commissioner, USCIRF
- Dwight Bashir, Director of Outreach and Policy, USCIRF
- Mai El-Sadany, Legal and Judicial Director, Tahrir Institute for Middle East Policy
- Philippe Nassif, Advocacy Director for the Middle East and North Africa, Amnesty International USA
Moderator
- Kurt Werthmuller, Supervisory Policy Analyst, USCIRF
This virtual event is open to the public and media. The video recording will be posted on the Commission website. For any additional questions, please contact [email protected].
Jun 4, 2021
For the first time in years, Bahrain was not included in the list of countries that USCIRF recommends for the State Department’s Special Watch List (SWL). The government of Bahrain has made incremental improvements to religious freedom conditions within the country over the past several years—working to enhance the rights of religious communities including Christians, Jews, Hindus, Buddhists, and Baha’is.
Nevertheless, there are some lingering concerns about how Bahrain’s government treats the Shi’a Muslim majority population. USCIRF Supervisory Policy Analyst, Scott Weiner, joins us to expound upon the religious freedom situation in Bahrain.
Click here to read more USCIRF reporting on Bahrain.
Read USCIRF’s 2021 Annual Report for more information on our recommendations for CPC and SWL designation.
Featuring:
Dwight Bashir, Director of Outreach and Policy, USCIRF
Scott Weiner, Supervisory Policy Analyst, USCIRF