Policy paper

Statement on freedom of religion or belief and education

Updated 7 July 2022

This was published under the 2019 to 2022 Johnson Conservative government

Preamble

1. We recognise the importance, at all levels of education, of promoting respect for human rights, including freedom of religion or belief, and pluralistic and peaceful societies, where all people are equally respected, regardless of religion, ethnicity, gender, disability status or other characteristics.

2. We recognise the importance of expanding both formal and informal learning opportunities in human rights, including freedom of religion or belief, to foster respect and dignity for all.

3. There are many common values shared across different religious and belief systems. Knowledge about these systems can positively reinforce the intrinsic human dignity of all persons, help combat extremism and negative stereotyping, and decrease the likelihood of violence towards ‘the other’.

4. We recognise the importance of empowering partners on the ground to develop new programmes that foster respect for inclusive societies and human rights. Teachers need to be equipped with the training and resources to guide appropriately discussions that promote understanding, dialogue, tolerance, non-violence, and human rights.

5. We note with great concern that in some parts of the world, children continue to be taught from books containing discriminatory messages. These vilify other religious or belief groups and perpetuate other harmful social norms and beliefs, including unequal gender norms. Often, marginalised children are not taught in a language they understand or by teachers that represent the students in terms of gender, ethnicity, language, and socio-economic background.

6. Foundational skills – literacy, numeracy and transferable skills, including communication, critical thinking, problem solving, and socio-emotional learning – matter. They empower children to access new knowledge, experiences, and opportunities that can help increase student awareness and foster an appreciation of pluralistic societies. Developing transferable skills can help learners champion human rights and gender equality, including by countering negative social and gender norms that reinforce inequalities and harmful practices. This helps reduce the susceptibility of youth to messages of fear and hate and contributes to the prevention of human rights abuses.

We commit to

• prioritising inclusive curricula and teaching, matched to all students’ needs, regardless of their background, that provides foundational skills for all. In addition, curricula should provide positive and accurate information about different faith and belief communities and combat negative stereotypes

• support teaching that promotes the equality of all individuals, regardless of their religion

• protecting education establishments and ensuring all students have access to education regardless of their faith or any other characteristic. This includes ensuring access to safe alternative spaces for education in emergencies and protracted crises

• promoting international efforts to support education reform, emphasising the benefits of pluralism and the importance of human rights, including freedom of religion or belief. Regular evaluation of education materials and practices should be carried out to ensure that these standards are always maintained

Co-signatories

• Albania
• Australia
• Bahrain
• Bosnia and Herzegovina
• Brazil
• Bulgaria
• Canada
• Croatia
• Cyprus
• Czech Republic
• Denmark
• Estonia
• Finland
• Georgia
• Greece
• Hungary
• Israel
• Italy
• Lithuania
• Malta
• The Netherlands
• Norway
• Poland
• The Slovak Republic
• Slovenia
• Ukraine
• United Kingdom
• United States of America