The Child’s Right to Religion. Religious Education as a Human Right?

Abstract

Although most people are quite unaware of it, religious education is indeed a human right. The United Nations’ Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948) states (Article 26) the right of parents “to choose the kind of education that shall be given to their children”, after having stated that education “shall promote understanding, tolerance and friendship among all nations, racial or religious groups” (which again implies religious education). Moreover, religious education can be understood as part of the “freedom of thought, conscience and religion” guaranteed in Article 18 as a basic human right. Since these articles refer to parents’ rights (and duties) in the first place, the question of children’s right to religion is more open. The most pertinent document, the United Nations’ Convention on the Rights of the Child (1989), includes references to this right but these references cannot be considered fully satisfactory from an educational point of view. The present paper will explain and consider the legal situation, especially from the perspective of religious education and in the light of inter-religious education. It will be shown that there is a clear need for further developing the understanding of children’s religious rights in a multi-religious context and vis-a-vis the challenges of inter-religious education.