To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps his Department has taken to implement its revised toolkit on freedom of religion or belief by embassies overseas.
Answered on
27 April 2017
In October 2016, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) made available to staff a revised Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB) toolkit to assist all officials working on human rights both in London and at overseas posts. The revised toolkit provides posts with ideas on how to promote freedom of religion or belief in their local context. To support implementation, we provide training to staff to increase religious literacy, including courses on religion and diplomacy. Building on the FCO's conference in October 2016, posts have been encouraged to make FoRB and countering violent extremism themes of their diplomatic and project work.