Commentary and Exegesis: The omnipotence of God is often associated with the act of creation, where God’s unlimited power is manifested in bringing the universe into existence from nothing (ex nihilo). He has also written for The Independent (UK), The Canadian Press (CP) and The Associated Press (AP), among others. Despite these drawbacks, we argue that greater action by the Council on this issue (complemented by stronger action at the Human Rights Council and the General Assembly on the full FoRB agenda) could help support the Security Council’s primary role in preventing and responding to conflict, as well as in supporting measures for accountability, human rights, and upholding the UN Charter. 2021 marks the 10th anniversary of Human Rights Council Resolution 16/18 (adopted in March 2011) and the 40th anniversary of the General Assembly Declaration on the Elimination of All Forms of Intolerance and of Discrimination Based on Religion or Belief (adopted in November 1981), and 2022 marks the 30th anniversary of the UN Declaration on the Rights of Persons Belonging to National or Ethnic, Religious and Linguistic Minorities (adopted in December 1992). These anniversaries offer an opportunity for member states to hold events, call attention to violence based on religion or belief, and advocate renewed action to advance the agenda.

This Istanbul Process follow-up meeting could be also turned into an annual informal event timed to coincide with the annual readoption of the 16/18 agenda in the Human Rights Council, as a way to generate more discussion between member states about progress made and to exchange ideas. Member states should consider integrating language on violence based on religion or belief and/or FoRB into resolutions on other relevant agendas. Member states could also consider creating a target for FoRB within the Sustainable Development Goals through the General Assembly. There are important opportunities for UN member states to strengthen the FoRB agenda through the Security Council, the Human Rights Council, and the General Assembly. In addition to reinforcing the capacity of the Special Rapporteur’s office, member states could consider requesting and funding FoRB focal points within the UNDP Crisis Response Unit, to reinforce links with broader UN priorities such as conflict prevention and the Sustainable Development Goals. Over time, this could help pave the way for more consistent action to combat violence based on religion or belief, including in situations that are not currently recognized by the Council as conflict situations. Enabling the Security Council to engage more preventively and effectively on situations that are already on the Council’s agenda.

More direct and sustained engagement by the Council could help prevent violence in a deteriorating situation, for example, and assist in providing support to stronger political strategies and longer-term accountability. While there are no easy solutions to the problem of permanent members of the Council blocking action, building up both country-specific cases and thematic language would in the longer term support greater engagement by the Security Council on this agenda. Furthermore, these trends overlap with the issue of violent extremism, and could better inform efforts of the sanctions committees and efforts to prevent financing and support to terrorist groups. By drawing on the data on violence based on religion or belief, the Council could better identify tools that could be applied across different situations on its agenda for conflict prevention and resolution. These activities could include requesting the Secretary-General to convene a High-Level Panel to perform a global study on how the UN can better protect FoRB. This language could also be tied to specific actions; for example, member states could request the Secretary-General to include a section on violence based on religion or belief in their annual report on the protection of civilians. Current reporting efforts are undermined by low member state compliance and limited opportunities for civil society groups to share their perspectives with the UN.

Any member state actions that reinforce these biases could have the effect of further marginalizing non-Abrahamic religions and beliefs. Reinforce reporting on member states’ progress on domestic action. Identifying early warning risks and taking action in country-specific conflict settings not currently on the Council’s agenda. This could offer important avenues to strengthen the Security Council’s engagement on FoRB as part of its broader conflict prevention strategy. The governments of China and Russia have both imposed high levels of FoRB restrictions on their own populations, and both hold veto power on the Council. The Council has responded to these conflicts without situating them within the broader trends in growing restrictions on FoRB and violence based on religion or belief. In Syria, Hafez al-Assad responded to the challenge of the Brotherhood by ordering the indiscriminate mass killing of hundreds of inmates at the Palmyra prison and of tens of thousands of residents in the city of Hama.