Asia Centre’s 11th Annual International Conference will examine the current state and future trajectory of religious freedom in Asia, focusing on representation, restrictions and rights. The right to freedom of religion or belief (FoRB) is fundamental to human dignity. Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) (1948) enshrines the inalienable right to adopt, change, or renounce a religion without coercion or discrimination – a principle further reinforced by the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (1966).
In this context, the conference will examine religious freedom in Asia as a human rights issue, based on legal standards, state responsibility, and institutional accountability. By convening stakeholders from a range of organisations, the event seeks to identify threats to religious freedom, foster dialogue and develop actionable frameworks. This is to ensure that religious freedom is a justiciable right that states are obligated to protect and individuals are empowered to claim.