Missionary activity and young people

Missionary activity is activity aimed at conveying one’s religion to others; proselytism is the attempt to draw members of one confession into another. In history missionaries built schools and hospitals, translated books and put languages into writing in many countries, while their activity was sometimes linked to colonial policy or to conflicts with local communities and was disputed. International instruments (Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights) recognise everyone’s freedom to change religion and to manifest belief, but this freedom may be limited by law for public safety, order and the rights of others, and coercion is prohibited. In Uzbekistan the Law on Freedom of Conscience and Religious Organisations (2021 edition) prohibits proselytism and other missionary activity, with liability provided for it; the law also prohibits drawing minors into religious organisations against their own will and that of their parents. Some international human-rights organisations criticise such bans as an excessive restriction on the freedom to express belief, whereas Uzbek legislation justifies them as protecting public order and interfaith harmony. An important rule for young people: if any group or person urges you to make a quick decision with promises of money, help or a “special opportunity”, consult family members or trusted adults; nobody has the right to push you to change your belief by force or to separate you from your family.