Abid Raja (Liberal Party), one of the group’s initiators, was joined by Marit Nybakk, First Vice President of the Storting (Labour Party), Sylvi Graham (Conservative Party), Kristian Norheim (Progress Party), Kjell Ingolf Ropstad (Christian Democratic Party), Bård Vegard Solhjell (Socialist Left Party) and Rasmus Hansson (Green Party) at the first meeting of the Storting’s group on freedom of religion or belief. The Centre Party also supported the initiative. 
 
The group’s aim is to promote freedom of religion or belief. It is open to all Members of the Storting.

Abid Raja, the group’s initiator, opened the meeting. After that, representatives from Stefanus Alliance International, the International Law and Policy Institute and Amnesty International spoke briefly on the topic of religious and life stance freedoms under pressure.

Global movement

The initiative is part of a wider international movement, with several other such groups having been set up in parliaments around the world, including those in Canada, Brazil and Pakistan.

“Our greatest hope is that the work we do could help to save lives,” said Abid Raja.
The backdrop for the formation of these groups, both in Norway and internationally, is a meeting that took place last November, where parliamentarians from 27 countries gathered at the Storting to discuss freedom of religion or belief.

Among the results of the meeting was the founding of the International Panel of Parliamentarians (IPP) and a declaration on freedom of religion and belief that was signed at the Nobel Peace Center.

A working group, called the International Panel of Parliamentarians for Freedom of Religion or Belief, was also set up with the remit to promote freedom of religion or belief. Abid Raja is one of the members of this working group.

“All Norwegian governments have worked for human rights, both in Norway and internationally, but have often been constrained by the diplomatic channels available to them. I am convinced that parliamentarians across the world can make a difference if we are able to organize ourselves,” Raja said.

“The movement was initiated in June 2014 by politicians from six countries, including myself, at a research meeting in Oxford. We then succeeded in gathering MPs from well over 20 nations in Oslo in November. There will be a new meeting in New York this coming September, supported by the CDU of Germany and the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung. We are counting on MPs from not far short of 100 parliaments being present there. This kind of international parliamentarian group can make a major impact – and this group has grown enormously quickly in the space of just a few months,” he continued.

The work ahead

The Storting’s cross-party group on freedom of religion or belief will now constitute itself with a board. The group will work to turn the spotlight on religious and life stance freedoms, both in Norway and internationally, and hopes to arrange a larger meeting or conference in the autumn. In addition, members of the group will be attending the meeting in New York in September.

“We have such a safe life in Norway, so it’s essential that we show solidarity with those of our colleagues in other countries who have to fight daily for religious freedom, often with their own lives or those of their families at stake,” concluded Raja.