The right to non-discrimination and freedom of religion or belief may conflict. International case law has dictated some rules to harmonize them. by PierLuigi Zoccatelli* *A paper presented at the webinar “ Tai Ji Men: 25 Years of Discrimination ,” co-organized by CESNUR and Human Rights Without Frontiers on March 1, 2022, United Nations Zero Discrimination Day. Not to be discriminated is a human right. There are several different human rights, however, and there may be conflicts between them. It is possible that some of the NGOs that originally proposed the institution of the United Nations Zero Discrimination Day had a somewhat negative view of religion, and saw it more often as a problem than as a resource. At first sight, there are discriminations promoted by religions. Feminists complain that women are discriminated in the Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox churches, as well as in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, popularly known as the Mormon Church. In all these churches, women are excluded from the priesthood. Less talked about is that there are discriminations affecting men too. As a man, I cannot become a Catholic or Eastern Orthodox or Buddhist nun, although I can become a […]
