Freedom of religion facts for kids

Freedom of Worship, a painting of Norman Rockwell of 1943

Freedom of religion, also called freedom of/to worship is one of the classical fundamental human rights. When people have the freedom of religion, they can either belong to any religion they choose, or belong to no religion; leave any religious group as well as join any religious group; take any peaceful religious actions their faith requires; and join with other people for religious purposes.

Many Muslim states such as Indonesia are cited by Human Rights Watch as 'failing to protect' religious minorities from growing intolerance and violence.

Communist countries such as Cuba, North Korea and China are also known to punish people for religious activities.

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Images for kids

Minerva as a symbol of enlightened wisdom protects the believers of all religions (Daniel Chodowiecki, 1791)
The Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen (1789) guarantees freedom of religion, as long as religious activities do not infringe on public order in ways detrimental to society.
Nineteenth century allegorical statue on the Congress Column in Belgium depicting religious freedom
A U.S. Postage stamp commemorating religious freedom and the Flushing Remonstrance.
The cross of the war memorial and a menorah coexist in Oxford, Oxfordshire, England.
Declaration, by Ferenc Dávid of Religious and Conscience Freedom in the Diet of Torda in 1568, painting by Körösfői-Kriesch Aladár
Original act of the Warsaw Confederation 1573. The beginning of religious freedom in the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth
Adam Smith argued in favour of freedom of religion.
Women detained at Western Wall for wearing prayer shawls; photo from Women of the Wall
Freedom of religion by country (Pew Research Center study, 2009). Light yellow: low restriction; red: very high restriction on freedom of religion.