United Nations Historically Adopts Language Addressing Forced Religious Conversions
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Washington, D.C., Nov 20 – Statement from the IRF Roundtable on the Adoption of Language Addressing Abductions, Trafficking, and Forced Religious Conversions in the UNGA Third Committee Resolution
The International Religious Freedom (IRF) Roundtable celebrates an important milestone in the global fight to advance religious freedom for all including protecting women and girls from abduction, trafficking, and forced religious conversion. On November 18, during its 52nd meeting, the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) Third Committee adopted critical language in the resolution on Child, Early, and Forced Marriage (A/C.3/79/L.19/REV.1), marking a significant step forward in safeguarding the rights and dignity of vulnerable populations.
This achievement follows tireless joint advocacy by over 60 organizations and individuals committed to advancing religious freedom, human rights, and social justice. The adopted language explicitly highlights the need to address the impunity surrounding abductions, trafficking, and forced religious conversions of women and girls by armed groups and other non-state actors, particularly in the context of child, early, and forced marriage.
The resolution’s adoption without a vote by all 193 Member States, demonstrates the unanimous support for these protections. As Jonas Fiebrantz, Chair of the UN Working Group and representative of ADF International, noted, “Thanks to our joint advocacy efforts, our proposals were taken up by the European Union delegation, who successfully inserted this language into the revised draft. This progress is a testament to the power of collaboration.”
The resolution calls upon states to strengthen prevention and protection measures for women and children at risk of such violations, addressing violence by both non-state actors and armed groups. It also builds on similar language introduced in the UN Human Rights Council in 2023, adding operational safeguards that make the resolution actionable. This success marks not only the first time that the UN has recognized this issue in a General Assembly resolution, but also signifies a breakthrough in discourse on religious freedom issues in general, which had stagnated since 2011 due to a political deadlock on the topic.
This victory is a reflection of our collective commitment to addressing these grave injustices and advancing the principles of religious freedom and human rights globally. We commend the European Union delegation and the broader coalition of states and civil society actors who contributed to this critical development.
The IRF Roundtable remains dedicated to furthering these efforts and ensuring that the adopted language translates into tangible protections for those most vulnerable. We look forward to the formal adoption of this resolution by the UNGA in December and its implementation by member states worldwide.
VIDEO UPDATE FROM UNITED NATIONS WORKING GROUP
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Kaylee Fisher
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