Judd Birdsall: Many readers will be broadly familiar with the discussion of the role of religion in civil society. Your report focuses on “civic space.” How is civic space different from civil society?
Brory Harboe: Civic space is closely related to the broader subject of civil society, which is a topic that has been more widely studied. Yet, there is a difference between the two terms. Civil society often refers to the area or domain in which non-state organizations operate, in between the individual and the state. Civic space, on the other hand, focuses more on the legal guarantees and inalienable freedoms that all humans possess within their environment. The word civic comes from the Latin word civicus, from which we get the word citizen. Civic space pertains to the various rights that citizens enjoy within their community.
Birdsall: In the report you note that organizations focused on monitoring the state of civic space have not given sufficient attention to religion and to FoRB. Why is that?
Harboe: I think this is due to FoRB’s intersectionality with the other well-defined human rights that make up civic space. Consider, for example, the act of going to church, temple, or mosque. Such an act requires not only FoRB but many of the other human rights that are found within the civic space. There must be freedom of movement. To gather in a group, freedom of assembly must be respected. Freedom of speech permits the preaching of sermons. Freedom of expression allows for the wearing of religious garb. Property rights enable religious communities to own land and buildings. To have full religious freedom, you need other human rights, as they are intrinsic components of FoRB. This is where the problem occurs. These more recognizable human rights are monitored instead of FoRB because they are outward and more tangible. They overshadow FoRB, which is unique because it is a human right with a more inward, private dimension, one of great importance to an individual’s identity.
Birdsall: Is it also true that NGOs focused on FoRB have paid insufficient attention to civic space? I’m thinking of how a lot of FoRB awareness raising focuses on the cases of specific persecuted individuals or on the plight of specific groups rather than on the freedom of religious and belief communities to engage freely in public life.
Harboe: This seems correct. There appears to be a lot of attention on specific cases of persecuted individuals or the plight of minority groups. But even if FoRB advocates focus on specific individuals and groups, those cases of discrimination or persecution can be valuable indicators of the health of civic space. Since FoRB is so intersectional with all the other human rights, its violation usually means that the civic space in general is starting to be controlled or limited. The marginalization and persecution of religious minority groups based on FoRB should be viewed as an early indicator or warning sign that civic space is in peril. FoRB violations are a “canary in the coal mine.”
Myanmar is a perfect example. Prior to the recent coup, a semi-democratic government was already marginalizing non-Buddhist communities, especially Rohingya Muslims. This restriction of civic space helped pave the way for the military’s takeover of the government and its further, severe limitations on civic space for all Burmese. Thus, evaluating FoRB conditions on the ground in a given country is a vital tool for gaining a broader understanding of the general health of its civic space. Countries that are true democracies allow for religious pluralism to thrive.
Birdsall: Some readers may think that religious groups already have too much influence in civic space in many places. How does your report speak to that concern?
Harboe: That is exactly what my report is addressing. Religious groups in many places do have significant influence on their civic space. The key issue is whether they use their immense clout to monopolize public life or promote democracy, inclusion, and human rights.
Birdsall: How can we overcome the misperception that FoRB is just a concern for the religious?
Harboe: It is important to remember that it is the right to believe and not believe. It is an individual’s right to hold convictions and formulate opinions of any sort. Most FoRB violations, however, are directed at those with some form of religious conviction or affiliation. So, it is hard to overcome this misperception.
Birdsall: How have the COVID-19 pandemic and the lockdowns affected the conversation around FoRB and civic space?
Harboe: One major issue stemming from COVID-19 and the subsequent lockdowns deals with the restrictions on religious gatherings for public health reasons. Although these restrictions are permissible in principle, in a lot of the countries we work in lockdowns against certain religious groups have been abused for political gain. In Kenya, for instance, the government has held rallies at houses of worship for their supporters and refused to enforce the lockdowns. But it has also prevented the opposition parties from congregating in large numbers in religious houses of worship.
Birdsall: The case studies included in the report—Israel, Ethiopia, Zimbabwe, Sri Lanka—highlight both positive and negative uses of religion in civic space. What are some of the key lessons that can be drawn from the experiences in these countries?
Harboe: These nations show that religious actors carry immense influence in their local contexts due to religion being of great salience for individual and national identity in many places, especially in the Global South. These religious actors demonstrate how they can either promote civic space or limit it in their communities. Their voices are often heard by the most ears and respected above other voices. Their actions influence the society around them.
Birdsall: In the strategies section of the report, you highlight the EU Guidelines on the Promotion and Protection of FoRB. What makes that document so valuable, and what more can be done to realize its diplomatic value?
Harboe: The Guidelines are valuable because it is one of the few documents that give concrete direction for how to implement FoRB analysis at the country level. Foreign ministries are encouraged to use it or create their own similar forms of FoRB analysis, as doing so will help them gain a broader understanding of the civic space they operate within.