Fiona was pleased to support a webinar today marking Freedom of Religion or Belief Day, affirming the need to protect and promote the right to freedom of religion or belief for all.
The webinar consider a crucial FoRB-related issues which continues to be particularly neglected - that of violence, including sexual violence against women and girls in conflict and the abuse of religion or belief to justify violence.
The webinar, hosted joined by the FoRB APPG, Refcemi and Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW), was addressed by a distinguished list of speakers including Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon, the Prime Minister's Special Representative on Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict; Mervyn Thomas, founder of CSW; and Baroness Cox, founder of Humanitarian Aid Relief Trust.
The speakers discussed the increase in violence against women and girls belonging to religious minority groups in some recent conflicts, including by Daesh in Syria and Iraq, and the military in Myanmar.
In order to address this issue, the UK Government has been developing the Declaration of Humanity, working with religious and faith leaders on engaging communities and speaking against such violence.
Throughout Fiona's time as a Member of Parliament she has been conscious of raising concerns about religious persecution across the globe - in Parliament and elsewhere, including through her continued engagement with the All Party Parliamentary Group on FoRB, of which she is a founding member and now Vice Chair.
Up-to-date information on the work of the APPG can be accessed via their website, including the APPG's latest Report co-authored by Fiona "Nigeria: Unfolding Genocide?"