The very successful conference focused on the theme "Religious Freedom and Religious Pluralism in Africa: Prospects and Limitations." Participants from 17 countries attended the event.

Professor Roth elaborated on the analysis done in his book published in Swedish 2012 (”Är religion en mänsklig rättighet? (Stockholm: Norstedts).

In recent years different philosophers have stated that a right to freedom of religion can be reduced to other familiar freedoms such as freedom of thought, association and expression and hence, that a specific right to freedom of religon is not needed. Some have argued that ”freedom of ethical convictions” is a preferable position as it is more general and covers non-religious beliefts in addition to religious beliefs.

Hans Ingvar Roth's presentation was a critical analysis of this current debate and evaluated the main arguments for and against the position that freedom of religion is a distinct human right. He argued that the right to freedom of religion is a distinct human right that can not be reduced to other basic freedoms.

Read more about the African Consortium for Law and Religion Studies >>