Our mission
BPUR International is a UK-based non-profit organisation leading a global initiative to advance an International Treaty to Ban the Political Abuse of Religion.
Over the past six years, BPUR International has engaged with governments, lawmakers, international organisations, religious leaders and civil society representatives across more than 80 countries. This engagement has contributed to the emergence of a growing international process involving officials, diplomats and policymakers exploring practical pathways to advance this initiative.
A major milestone was reached with the adoption of the Westminster Declaration at a conference held at the UK House of Commons on 26 March 2026. The initiative has also received formal recognition in an official Council of Europe report, which described the proposed treaty as a “timely and interesting proposal” under active international consideration.
The initiative was established in response to a simple but overlooked reality: while freedom of religion or belief is firmly recognised in international law, the political abuse of religion continues to drive discrimination, exclusion, instability and conflict across the world.
For decades, international efforts have focused primarily on responding to violations after they occur. BPUR International seeks to complement these efforts by addressing one of their root causes through clear, practical and universally applicable standards that help prevent the political exploitation of religion while protecting its sanctity and safeguarding equality for all.
The proposed treaty does not seek to introduce new rights or target any religion, country or political system. Rather, it aims to strengthen the effectiveness of existing international commitments by prohibiting political abuses of religion that undermine human equality, religious discrimination in rights and duties, religious exclusion in public law and governance, and restrictions on freedom of religion or belief arising from political instrumentalisation.
Today, the initiative has moved beyond the conceptual stage and entered a phase of state-level engagement and international consideration. BPUR International is working with interested governments and international partners to explore practical pathways for advancing this initiative on the international stage and strengthening the global legal framework relating to equality, stability and freedom of religion or belief.
Our vision is simple: a world in which religion is protected from political abuse, human equality is upheld without exception, and future generations can live in societies that are more fair and more peaceful.