PACE speaks in defense of the rights of parents to educate children in their faith

On April 27, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe adopted a resolution that protects the right of parents to educate their children in accordance with their religious beliefs, reports the Information and Education Department of the UOC.

Resolution No. 2163 (2017) and Recommendation No. 2101 (2017), entitled "Protection of the Rights of Fathers and Children Belonging to Religious Minorities," initiated by Moldovan parliamentarian Valery Giletsky, were adopted with 38 votes in favor. 5 delegates who supported the resolutions were from Ukraine.

Having adopted the documents, the PACE confirmed the rights of parents to educate their children in accordance with their own religious or philosophical views. In addition, the Assembly stressed the impermissibility of forcing parents and children to take action that runs counter to their deeply rooted moral convictions.

Also, in the text of the PACE Recommendation, the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe called for "developing guidelines on how Member States will be able to effectively adapt to the deep-seated moral or religious beliefs of some people while ensuring the rights of others".

The PACE is one of the three main bodies of the Council of Europe and the oldest international parliamentary institution. The Assembly considers issues relating to the problems of modern society and various aspects of international politics. Ukraine has been a member of the Council of Europe since 1995.