Council of Europe Motion on rights of parents and children in religious minorities published
A Motion resolving to “study and identify cases where member States do not respect the rights of parents to educate children according to their own religious and philosophical convictions, especially with regard to minorities” has been published in the Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly. The Motion, signed by 21 representatives, states that: “Derogatory labeling of…
A Motion resolving to “study and identify cases where member States do not respect the rights of parents to educate children according to their own religious and philosophical convictions, especially with regard to minorities” has been published in the Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly.
The Motion, signed by 21 representatives, states that: “Derogatory labeling of religious minorities as ‘sects’, ‘sectarian’, ‘cults’ or any other term generates bias and stigmatization and lead to undue restrictions to a parent’s right to raise and educate their children in conformity with their own beliefs”.
The Motion cites Council of Europe commitment to a policy for the protection of rights mentioned in Article 2 of the additional protocol of the European Court of Human Rights – ‘to respect the rights of parents to ensure that their children are raised and educated in conformity with their own religious and philosophical convictions’.
It continues: “The Assembly finds that new religious movements and religious minorities are especially at risk regarding the infringement of these rights by some member States”.
Read the Motion in full here
