Rabat Declaration
Global Conference, Rabat, May 11-12, 2022
We, the participants in the conference:
– held in Rabat, Kingdom of Morocco, on May 11-12, 2022, at the invitation of Moroccan civil society organizations and in coordination with BPUR International,
– held under the title “International Standards to Ban the Political Use of Religions – Comprehensive Protection of Human Rights from All Forms of Extremism”, with the participation of parliamentary, religious, civil and political figures and intellectuals from numerous countries around the world; and with the support of the National Human Rights Council of Morocco
– Aiming to reflect on ways to boost the initiative launched by BPUR calling to establish international standards to bring all political abuses of religions to a halt and to enact an International treaty in this regard, based on the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the relevant international charters and treaties, including the Rabat Action Plan on the prohibition of incitement to discrimination, hostility and violence,
We,
Thank the Moroccan organisations: Damir Movement, the Moroccan Organization of Human Rights, the Union of Women’s Action, Mountada Maroc Multiple, Morocco Future Forum, the Moroccan Network of Youth Civic Alliance and Morocco Contributions Forum, for providing the opportunity for the founders and supporters of the initiative to meet, and we value the efforts of the personalities and activists who contributed to launching the initiative or supported it,
Appreciate the support provided by the National Human Rights Council of the Kingdom of Morocco to enrich the debate and to establish constructive, open and pluralistic dialogue,
Reaffirm that respect for human rights principles and democracy values have been and remain the fundamental anchor for moderation, equality and coexistence.
Express our deep concern, in light of the economic, social and environmental crises that the world is witnessing, about the increasing recourse of states and organisations to the use of religions for political purposes that result in gross violations of human rights,
In view of all of these reasons, we:
Reiterate, in our personal and parliamentary capacities, our capacities as representatives of religious and political institutions and civic organisations from all around the world, our support for the global initiative to enact an international treaty to ban the political use of religions,
Declare our commitment to work towards the protection of human rights from the political uses of religions and our determination to establish global standards to ban all political uses of religions that violate equality, fundamental justice values and human rights,
Affirm our conviction on the necessity to prevent the political abuse of religions which invariably initiate discrimination, exclusion and human rights violations, recognising that such proposals must be grounded in the utmost respect for all religions and must consider all religious sensitivities,
Recognise that the absence of clear international standards is allowing fierce political and economic interests to manipulate religious teachings to serve harmful agendas,
Affirm that the time is now right to adopt international rules to prohibit all forms of discrimination, religious exclusion, and all political uses of religion that undermine equality and freedom of belief and worship,
Appeal to all governments to engage in the ongoing debate and in the efforts to enrich the draft treaty and advocate for it,
Express our confidence that all responsible governments will uphold those standards consistent with the international instruments and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights,
Commit, as participants, to make efforts to encourage all the States to ratify the proposed treaty; affirm our determination to work intensively to strengthen its universality; and recommend that relevant recommendations of the conference be included to the draft treaty,
Welcome the support of international organisations and influential personalities from the fields of religion, politics, business and the arts to promote this treaty,
For all these reasons, and in order to strengthen advocacy aimed at encouraging Governments to get involved in the draft treaty and endorse it, we recommend the following:
1. Forming a permanent secretariat to conduct intensive advocacy efforts in various countries in order to boost the legal and procedural process leading to the adoption of the treaty at the international level; and to submit a periodic report to all participants on its work.
2. Establishing a global monitor – after the adoption of the treaty – to expose all violations that use religions to violate human rights, by providing verified data to empower governments, organisations and individuals to apply political pressure on those who continue to commit such abuses, and we propose to establish its headquarters in Morocco,
3. Seeking to acquire an Observer status at the United Nations and other regional organisations to intensify efforts aimed at boosting the initiative.
