News

BBC Radio 4 Sunday programme (16 June) included a 6-minute section on the relationship between religion and development. Listen

The Foreign Office launched its Annual Human Rights and Democracy Report 2018 today. 2018 marked the 70th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and the report examines what the government has done to promote and defend human rights globally, echoing the principles and values enshrined in these Declarations. It focuses on the situation…

The UK All-Party Parliamentary Group for International Freedom of Religion or Belief welcomes the creation of the United Nations’ International Day for Commemorating the Victims of Acts of Violence Based on Religion or Belief. On May 28th, Poland, Brazil, Canada, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Nigeria, Pakistan, and the United States of America proposed a resolution at…

A document highlighting the importance of teaching interfaith understanding and tolerance to combat violent extremism has been published following the first regional follow-up conference to the Ministerial to Advance Religious Freedom convened by the United Arab Emirates and the US State Department earlier this year. Discussions during the meeting in Abu Dhabi focused on ways…

Following an unprecedented rise of violence against religious communities and people belonging to religious minorities, on 28 May the General Assembly adopted a resolution proclaiming 22 August as International Day Commemorating the Victims of Acts of Violence Based on Religion or Belief, among other matters. By terms of the text “International Day Commemorating the Victims…

14 May: Commons Chamber, Oral Answers to Questions, Foreign and Commonwealth Office Persecution of Christians Overseas Luke Hall (Thornbury and Yate) (Con) 9. What steps his Department is taking to help tackle the persecution of Christians overseas. Sir David Evennett (Bexleyheath and Crayford) (Con) 13. What steps his Department is taking to help tackle the…

The APPG for International Freedom of Religion or Belief welcomes the Bishop of Truro’s interim report on Foreign and Commonwealth Office support for persecuted Christians, which was published on 3 May 2019. Any denial of freedom of religion or belief to Christians is a threat to freedom of religion or belief for all. As the…

Baroness Cox To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their assessment of recent developments in Nigeria, with particular reference to attacks by Fulani militia. The Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon) (Con) My Lords, we remain deeply concerned by the escalation in intercommunal violence across Nigeria, which has a devastating…

Lord Singh of Wimbledon gave the Thought for the Day on this morning’s Radio 4 Today programme. Listen here “A report commissioned by the Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt has found that the persecution of Christians in many parts of the world amounts to what some see as near genocide. Millions of Christians have been uprooted…

Snapshot of Activity • 123 APPG Members -­- (new members Mike Kane MP, Afzal Khan MP, Matt Rodda MP and the Bishop of Winchester welcomed). • 23 Written Parliamentary Questions tabled on various FORB issues including encouraging HMG to take practical steps to support FORB, such as improving data collection. • 15 Oral Questions in…