Australia Seeks Public Comment on Report on Religious Freedom

Christian Today carries an article about the Australian Human Rights Commission discussion paper titled Freedom of Religion and Belief in the 21st Century. The paper, issued in September, is open for comment until January 31, 2009. According to the Commission's website, the project is designed to obtain input from faith communities and others in an effort "to build a more socially cohesive and harmonious society that protects and promotes Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) and Article 18 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR)." A series of supplementary papers will also be released for comment. The first of these, titled How Does Freedom of Religion and Belief Affect Health and Wellbeing?, is already available. Additional supplementary papers will deal with religion and the arts; the law, judiciary and religion; the media, journalism and freedom of religion and belief; indigenous spiritual expression and freedom of religion and belief; education and religion; the intersection of freedom of religion and gender equality; and religion freedom and expression and radicalisation.