The United Nations Commission on Human Rights, currently in session here, was asked today by the B’nai B’rith and the Board of Deputies of British Jews to pay more urgent attention to an agenda item which calls for adoption of an international instrument banning all forms of religious discriminations. “It is by no means too soon,” stated the two organizations in a memorandum submitted to the Commission, “to establish an effective and meaningful standard of achievement” in the area of religious freedoms.
At the same time, the World Union for Progressive Judaism, which represents Jewish Reform groups in a number of countries, also nudged the Commission on this issue through a separate statement. Both memoranda were seen here as having the effect of reminding the U. N. body that it should move forward toward debating a proposed Draft Declaration and Convention calling for the elimination of all forms of religious intolerance.
The Commission, which is now in its second week of a scheduled month-long session, has been tied up so far with debate on a companion declaration, banning all forms of racial intolerance. The debate on that draft, however, has been so lengthy and minute that it was feared the body may not even reach the religious item before its four weeks are up, on March 13.
The B’nai B’rith- Board of Deputies memorandum filed here by the Coordinating Board of Jewish Organizations, which represents both, called the Commission’s attention to the fact that the item dealing with religious freedoms has been on the U. N. agenda in one form or another since 1960.
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The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
