Friday, September 09, 2011

Protect rights of Christians, say OSCE

Labour, equality and freedom of expression legislation across Europe needs to be reassessed “in view of discrimination and intolerance against Christians” in European countries, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) has said in an important new statement.

The organisation, of which Ireland is a member, also said there needs to be a, “public debate on intolerance and discrimination against Christians,” and for, “the right of Christians to participate fully in public life to be ensured” in a declaration it made in Belgrade in July.

The statement has been issued following the use of equality and other types of legislation against Christians and Christian organisations in much of Europe.

In recent years, in Britain, Ireland and other countries, anti-discrimination laws and professional codes of conduct are impinging on Christians and other religious believers.  

In Ireland, for example, the Code of Conduct for pharmacists requires them to sell the morning after pill, even though it can act as an abortifacient, or else refer a customer to a pharmacist who will sell it.

In Britain, Catholic adoption agencies have been forced to close because they will not place children with same-sex couples.  There are many other such examples.

The declaration reaffirms “the inviolable right of the individual to profess his or her faith alone or in community, in private and in public life and to live freely according to the dictate of his or her conscience.”  

It condemns the problem of intolerance and discrimination against Christians and members of other religions, “both in the eastern and western countries of the OSCE.”

The declaration also calls on the media “not to spread prejudices against Christians and to combat negative stereotyping.”

The declaration acknowledges “the positive contribution of Christians to social cohesion, cultural enrichment and value-orientated debate in our societies” and called on Christian churches, “to continue their participation in public life contributing to the defence of the dignity of all human beings and to freedom and social cohesion.”

The OSCE is the world's largest regional security organisation and it exists to offer a forum for political negotiations, conflict prevention, crisis management and post-conflict rehabilitation.

Its parliamentary assembly attempts to promote greater involvement in the OSCE by national parliaments in the participating States.  

Its main task is to encourage inter-parliamentary dialogue with a view to strengthening democracy throughout the OSCE area, which includes many countries previously dominated by the Soviet Union.

It also aims, among other things, at supporting the strengthening and consolidation of democratic institutions in OSCE participating States.  Declarations, such as the one adopted in July in Belgrade, are one of its main tools in furthering these aims.