The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe and the Promotion and Assistance to Member States in the Field of Freedom of Religion and Belief

Abstract

The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) has some very specific tasks toward its Participant States. One of these tasks is to reduce the nature of disparities that may arise within nations and to cooperate in ensuring respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms, including freedom of thought, conscience, religion or belief, which is the main focus of this research article. Peace and security are closely linked to respect for human rights. Today, it is not difficult to observe that intolerance is a source of conflict that prevents peaceful coexistence. The OSCE, created at a very particular moment in our history, has once again shown that the dimension of security is unavoidably linked to respect for human rights. Thus, this chapter aims to highlight the work it carries out in favour of a basic right such as freedom of belief, a right whose protection is nowadays essential in the face of phenomena linked to intolerance, and where we find that one of the solutions is a deep knowledge of the different beliefs, education to respect the ‘other’ and the different cultures, an area in which the OSCE has done a very special job.