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<p>Promoting and protecting the freedom of religion or belief is a priority for UK
foreign policy. We pursue it in our bilateral work and lobbying of other Governments,
and through our human rights programme funding. We have also stepped up training in
the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) on the influence of faith, in many parts
of the world, on governments, communities and individuals.</p><p>Our work is based
on the full definition of freedom of religion or belief as set out in article 18 the
Universal Declaration of Human Rights. This includes the right to manifest your faith,
either alone or in community with others and in public or private, through teaching,
practice, worship and observance.</p><p>The FCO Minister responsible for freedom of
religion or belief, the Senior Minister of State, my noble Friend the right hon. Baroness
Warsi, has convened meetings of international leaders to generate support for practical
steps to promote freedom of religion or belief and to fight religious intolerance.
At the Global Summit to End Sexual Violence in Conflict, Baroness Warsi chaired a
dialogue between political and faith leaders, and supported a separate non-governmental
organization (NGO)-led event, to explore the role faith groups play, and to enlist
their support for the objectives of the summit.</p><p>Freedoms of association and
peaceful assembly, enshrined in both the Universal Declaration and the International
Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, are fundamental for democratic societies,
where people must be able to gather (formally or informally), to express themselves,
and to have a meaningful say in issues that affect them. Though these rights are not
among the FCO's six thematic human rights priorities, they feature prominently in
our dialogue with individual countries and in international fora about governance,
the rule of law and human rights in general.</p>
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