Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief: Hybrid Consultation on Thematic Report on Freedom of Religion or Belief in relation to death and the honouring of the deceased (Session 2)

The forthcoming report of the Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief, Prof. Nazila Ghanea, to the 61st Session of the United Nations Human Rights Council, will explore freedom of religion or belief in relation to death and honouring of the deceased. The report is being developed on the basis of doctrinal and social-scientific desk research, complemented by a call for inputs from States, NHRIs, and civil society organisations. In order to further enrich these sources, the Special Rapporteur wishes to invite you to a hybrid discussion, to be held on 6-7 November 2025 in Oxford, UK, and online.

Two sessions will be held to facilitate participation across distinct time zones: 1) 1400 to 1600 GMT on 6 November 2025, and 2) 0900 to 1100 GMT on 7 November 2025. 

As spaces are limited, please indicate your preferred modality (in-person/online) and your preferred session when filling out the registration form. Those wishing to attend in person, please endeavour to arrive at least 15 minutes prior to the start.

Death and mourning are marked as central themes in most, if not all, religious and belief communities and traditions. The profound human impact of death is perhaps universal human experience, which highlights the importance of the various axes along which this should be protected within human rights.

Recognition of a life, and the loss thereof, as being worthy of grief is central to their recognition as fully human. Lives not considered to be ‘grievable’ are also, by definition, not deemed worthy of rights or of protection. The mistreatment of the remains of the dead and of those who mourn them presents stark dehumanisation, disrespect, and discrimination on the basis of religion or belief.

Regrettably, the freedom of religion or belief mandate receives reports of egregious examples of violations in relation to this matter from across the world. State refusal to recognise religion or belief communities engenders the administrative denial of space and resources for funeral or mourning rites, or even its theft; State and non-State actors often violently interrupt funerals or engage in vandalism or destruction of graveyards; Indigenous Peoples often find themselves displaced from land used for burial practices and the honouring of ancestors over centuries; authorities may refuse to allow the exhumation or re-burial of victims of war or of summary execution. Respect for the universal human right to grieve is a fundamental marker of respect and common humanity within and between societies.

Death rites, funerary practices and traditions, and freedom of religion or belief offer a very interesting site for exploring the group dimensions of freedom of religion or belief. Whatever the religious, spiritual, cultural or humanist tradition, there are often clear perspectives on the meaning of death, preparation for death, traditions around death and death rites. Each of these implicates the individual, the family, the community and society at large – each requiring various State recognition, facilitation roles, and obligations.

This report will examine these questions from the perspective of freedom of thought, conscience, religion, and belief, and will highlight the various axes along which it should be protected within human rights. It will clarify relevant negative and positive State obligations, and make recommendations to State, religion or belief communities and other civil society actors at all levels, in order to improve protection of this aspect of freedom of religion or belief.

At the hybrid consultation, the Special Rapporteur will briefly present the scope of the report and the questions it seeks to answer, along with a provisional look at its structure and any preliminary findings. The floor will then be opened for a facilitated discussion at which we would greatly welcome:

• Reflections on the overall structure and scope of the report, including important aspects it does not address which should be acknowledged or remedied;
• Clarifying questions concerning the scope, structure, and content of the report as necessary;
• Examples of cases, including legal cases, which may be of relevance to the content of the report;
• Examples of challenges, in theory or practice, which the report should highlight or address, and ways in which they may be addressed;
• Suggestions of recommendations to the aforementioned bodies.

Kindly note that the Consultation will be held under the Chatham House rule. An embargoed outline of the draft of the Special Rapporteur’s report will be shared prior to the consultation.