Rabat – President of Morocco’s Human Rights Council (CNDH), Amina Bouayach, called for a comprehensive approach to protecting religious freedom, stressing that human dignity and human rights must remain at the center of efforts to address growing global challenges.
Speaking at the opening of the Global Summit on Religious Freedom in North Africa in Casablanca on Tuesday, Bouayach said religious freedom is both a fundamental right as well as a key measure of countries’ commitment to universal human rights.
She argued that the real challenge is not whether religion has a place in society, but how religious diversity and different beliefs can strengthen social peace instead of fueling division.
“The challenge is to make religious diversity and different beliefs a foundation for social peace, not a source of conflict,” she said.
Bouayach noted that discussions over the years between human rights organizations and religious actors have shown that questions surrounding religion and human rights cannot be answered through simple or absolute positions. Instead, they require continuous reflection as societies evolve.
Growing threats to freedom
She warned that several global trends are putting increasing pressure on rights and freedoms, including rising identity-based politics, violent extremism, hate speech, misinformation, and the political use of religion.
According to Bouayach, freedom of religion or belief cannot be separated from other fundamental rights such as freedom of thought, freedom of expression, freedom of association, equality before the law, and the principle of non-discrimination.
She also highlighted the growing impact of digital technologies, saying online platforms and algorithms are reshaping how religious ideas are shared while creating information “bubbles” that deepen polarization, weaken dialogue, and reinforce social divisions.
Because of these changes, Bouayach argued that legal protections alone are no longer enough. She called for a broader strategy combining legislation, education, culture, public policy, and international cooperation.
The CNDH president also distinguished between protecting religious freedom and promoting it. Protecting the right, she explained, means ensuring people can freely practice their religion or beliefs without discrimination, coercion, or persecution.
Promoting it requires building a culture of pluralism, encouraging dialogue between religions and beliefs, and ensuring religion is never used to justify hatred, exclusion, or violence.
Turning to Morocco, Bouayach said the country offers an example of religious governance based on moderation, tolerance, coexistence, and an enlightened understanding of religion.
She concluded by saying the challenge today is not reconciling religion with human rights, but ensuring that neither religion nor human rights are exploited in ways that undermine human dignity or fundamental freedoms. According to Bouayach, protecting human rights also protects religion from political or ideological misuse, as it helps build societies based on dignity, freedom, justice, and peace.
