Topic: Controversial Cultural and Religious Practices
Country: Norway
Delegate Name: Olivia Carpenter
School: Forest Hills Northern High School
Topic page: background guide and all position papers All Norway position papers GLIMUN 2018 committees
A fine line currently exists between the freedom of religion and violence against women, girls, and children due to extreme religious and cultural practices. Globally, girls are selected away before they are even born, are forced to marry young, are attacked and have to endure female genital mutilation. More than 500 million women and girls could be affected by these traditional and violent practices around the world. The Kingdom of Norway, although a secular country, stands fully behind the rights of humans, and religious and cultural practices should not be a way of denying women and girls their basic human rights.
The Kingdom of Norway has implemented the Action Plan Against Forced Marriage, Female Genital Mutilation and Severe Restrictions on Young People’s Freedom plan in order to prioritize the ending of violent religious and cultural practices against women and girls. Additionally, the Kingdom of Norway believes that it is essential for more knowledge, more urgency, and more policy regarding sexual education and violence all around the world. Religious and cultural practices are no excuse for the violence inflicted upon women and girls around the world.
Norway urges a comprehensive resolution that promotes increased sexual education, increased measures against violent practices such as FGM, and increased responsibility of these religious and cultural groups who inflict violence on women and girls. The body should respect a country’s religion and sovereignty, but only until it is no longer peaceful and the fate of a woman’s body is no longer in her hands. The rights of humans are of upmost importance regarding this issue, not of violent religious and cultural traditions.
