Gender-based violence and discrimination in the name of religion or belief
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Gender-based violence and discrimination in the name of religion or belief
Author
UN
Date
2020Metadata
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In the present report, the Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief
addresses gender-based violence and discrimination in the name of religion or belief. In a
number of States worldwide, religious precepts underlie laws and State-sanctioned
practices that constitute violations of the right to non-discrimination of women, girls and
lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT+) persons. In other States, claims of
religious freedom are being used to roll back and seek exemptions to laws that protect
against gender-based violence and discrimination. The Special Rapporteur provides
emblematic cases of both these phenomena and their impact on gender equality and
freedom of religion or belief worldwide. He explores freedom of religion or belief and
non-discrimination as two and mutually reinforcing rights and clarifies the existing
international legal framework that governs their intersection. He concludes by
emphasizing the responsibility of States to create enabling environments to advance the
non-discrimination and freedom of religion of belief rights of women, girls and LGBT+
persons.