Bahá’í Faith

The Bahá'í teachings affirm that there is only one human family and that all people share the same universal human rights. This commitment to human rights is based on the recognition of the fundamental dignity of the human being as a creation of God.

Bahá'ís endeavor to contribute to a just society where human rights are valued and protected. In their own community life and in collaboration with civil society, government and international partners, they work to implement freedom of conscience, the equality of men and women, the elimination of extremes of poverty and wealth, the elimination of prejudice and other key principles of Bahá'í belief.

In order to effectively foster human development, Bahá'ís support the creation of an international legal framework and effective multilateral institutions to monitor human rights violations and encourage the enforcement of global standards. Learn more about Bahá'í involvement at the United Nations.

Since 1985, The National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of the United States has been engaged in, and a leader of, nongovernmental networks and coalitions to urge U.S. ratification of the following U.N. human rights treaties:

• The Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide (ratified 1988)
• International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) (ratified 1992)
• International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (ICERD) (ratified 1994)
• United Nations Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (ratified 1994)

Current ratification efforts focus on:

• The Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW)
• The Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC)
• The Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, which establishes the International Criminal Court