Erosion of religious freedom rights: International and local trends

Why FOR SA exists and why our work matters

FOR SA was founded in 2014 after the South African Human Rights Commission instructed a local Cape Town church to stop teaching certain Bible scriptures and to send its pastoral staff for sensitivity training. That moment marked a clear warning that freedom of religion in South Africa could no longer be taken for granted.

Since then, we have seen a growing number of situations, both locally and internationally, where state institutions have increasingly limited the right of people to express and live out their faith openly in public. Many of these developments originate internationally and are later implemented domestically through laws, policies, or government programmes.

This often happens through the adoption of activist-driven ideologies, international agreements that South Africa has ratified, or funding accepted by government for specific purposes. Once embedded, these ideas begin to shape law, education, and public policy in ways that directly affect religious freedom.

Parental rights under pressure

One of the most significant battlegrounds is the right of parents to raise their children according to their own beliefs, values, and convictions.

A clear example is the Department of Basic Education’s promotion of Comprehensive Sexuality Education in public schools. The content developed for this programme is ideologically biased and was created in close collaboration with UNESCO. Schools were provided with Scripted Lesson Plans developed in accordance with the revised United Nations International Technical Guidance on Sexuality Education.

Notably, the International Planned Parenthood Federation, a well known abortion provider, was one of the main contributors to and influencers of this guidance. From a funding perspective, it was also revealed that USAID provided 25 million US dollars, approximately R400 million, to assist with rolling out this programme in South African public schools.

This is a clear example of how international funding and imported ideology are shaping education policy at the expense of parental authority.

Hate speech and faith-based expression

Hate speech legislation continues to dominate headlines worldwide and is another area where FOR SA is deeply engaged. We have made repeated presentations and submissions to Parliament on the Prevention of Hate Crime and Combatting of Hate Speech Bill to ensure that the public teaching, preaching, and discussion of genuine religious beliefs remain protected.

Internationally, the risks of such legislation are already evident. In Finland, a Member of Parliament and a Lutheran bishop were prosecuted simply for quoting from the Bible. In a landmark victory for religious freedom, they were ultimately acquitted.

In the United Kingdom, a 76 year old grandmother is currently facing legal consequences after being arrested for praying silently outside an abortion facility. In a nation once recognised as a stronghold of the Christian faith, criminal sanctions are now being enforced for the peaceful public expression of belief.

Sexual orientation and gender identity in schools

Another area where imported ideology is shaping policy is in laws and guidelines relating to sexual orientation and gender identity.

In Scotland, the Gender Recognition Reform Bill proposes allowing individuals as young as 16 to change their legal sex within six months based solely on self-declaration. Parents and civil society organisations have raised serious concerns that this could allow schools to impose gender-neutral facilities, exposing girls as young as twelve to increased risks of sexual coercion or assault by older male students.

Closer to home, the Western Cape Education Department has been developing guidelines on sexual orientation and gender identity in public schools. There is widespread concern that these guidelines may promote controversial, unscientific, and experimental ideologies, particularly in their endorsement of transgender ideology among children.

The dangers of conversion therapy laws

A further area of growing concern is the global trend to outlaw so-called conversion therapy. The problem lies in how broadly this term is defined.

In Australia, conversion therapy legislation includes practices such as prayer, scripture reading, fasting, spiritual retreats, and spiritual healing. In the state of Victoria, violations of these laws can result in prison sentences of up to ten years.

Even where individuals willingly seek prayer or ask what the Bible teaches about issues such as gender or sexuality, consent does not make these practices lawful under such legislation. The clear effect of these laws is to criminalise traditional faith-based teaching, pastoral care, and spiritual counsel.

In South Africa, this issue is no longer hypothetical. On 5 July 2021, a notice was published indicating the intention to introduce a private members bill addressing conversion therapy, initially focused on minors under the age of 18.

Staying alert in the fight for faith and freedom

These developments highlight the importance of remaining vigilant and well informed. The battlegrounds for faith and freedom are shifting, but the implications are far reaching and deeply personal.

FOR SA is committed to remaining on the frontlines in defence of religious freedom. However, our ability to continue this work depends on the support of those who value the right to live out their faith freely.

Your financial support enables us to act as a watchman, to stand in the gap, and to protect this precious freedom for current and future generations.

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