The Search for Values

in an Age of Transition
A Statement of the Bahá’í International Community
on the 60th Anniversary of the United Nations
Copyright 2005 Bahá’í International Community
Bahá’í International Community
866 United Nations Plaza, Suite 120
New York, NY 10017, USA
 The Search for Values
in an Age of Transition
A Statement of the Bahá’í International Community
on the 60th Anniversary of the United Nations
 I

1 In 1945, the founding of the United Nations gave

a war-weary world a vision of what was possible
in the arena of international cooperation and set
a new standard by which to guide diverse peo- What
ples and nations towards a peaceful coexistence.
Against the backdrop of the most calamitous war
responsibilities
in human history, the creation of a world orga- do nations have
nization for the protection of the dignity, equal towards their
rights, and security of all peoples and nations was neighbors and
an extraordinary feat of statecraft. Sixty years their citizens?
later, the questions that fuelled the San Francisco
Conference assert themselves anew: Why have the
current systems of governance failed to provide
for the security, prosperity, and well-being of the
world’s people? What responsibilities do nations
have towards their neighbors and their citizens?
What fundamental values should guide relation-
ships between and within nations to secure a What fundamental
peaceful future?
values should
2 In the collective effort to find answers to these guide relationships
questions, a new paradigm is taking hold — that between and within
of the interconnected nature of our challenges
and our prosperity. Whether the issue is poverty,
nations to secure a
the proliferation of weapons, the role of women, peaceful future?
AIDS, global trade, religion, environmental sus-
tainability, the well-being of children, corruption,
or the rights of minority populations — it is clear
that none of the problems facing humanity can
be adequately addressed in isolation from one

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 The Search for Values in an Age of Transition

another. The blurring of national boundaries in

the face of global crises has shown, beyond a
doubt, that the body of humankind represents one
organic whole.1 The practical implications of this
emergent paradigm for the reform of the United
Nations are the focus of the Bahá’í International
Community’s contribution on the 60th anniver-
sary of this august body.2

3 The processes of United Nations reform must

be understood as part of a broader evolutionary
course, starting with early forms of international
cooperation such as the League of Nations and
What are leading to increasing levels of coherence in the
the limits of administration of human affairs, facilitated by
traditional the creation of the United Nations, the Universal
Declaration of Human Rights, the growing body
notions of
of international law, the emergence and integra-
sovereignty? tion of newly independent states, and mechanisms
for regional and global cooperation. The last fif-
teen years alone have seen the establishment of
the World Trade Organization, the International
Criminal Court, the African Union, the signifi-
cant expansion of the European Union, the global
coordination of civil society campaigns, and the
articulation of the Millennium Development
Goals — an unprecedented global development
framework aimed at the eradication of poverty
worldwide. In the course of these developments,
the definition of state sovereignty — a cornerstone
of the modern system of international relations
and a foundational principle of the United Nations
Charter — has itself emerged as the object of vig-
orous debate: What are the limits of traditional
notions of sovereignty? What responsibilities do

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 The Search for Values in an Age of Transition

states have towards their citizens and towards

each other? How should such responsibilities be
enforced?3 Although uneven and fraught with set- We must examine
backs, the emergent institutions, movements, and dispassionately the
discourse evidence an increasing drive towards legal standards,
unity in world affairs and constitute one of the
pervasive features of social organization at the
political and
end of the 20th century and in the first years of economic theories,
the new millennium. values and
4 Why, then, given the dramatic increase of mecha-
religious formulae,
nisms and fora for cooperation is the world so which have
deeply divided against itself? Why the universal ceased to promote
affliction, which assails relations between those of the welfare of
different cultures, creeds, religions, political affili- humankind.
ations, economic status, and gender? To answer
these questions, we must examine dispassionately
the legal standards, political and economic theo-
ries, values and religious formulae, which have
ceased to promote the welfare of humankind. The
advancement of men and boys at the expense of
women and girls has sorely limited the creative
and material capacities of communities to develop
and address their problems; the neglect of cultural
and religious minorities has intensified ancient
prejudices setting peoples and nations against one
another; an unbridled nationalism has trampled
the rights and opportunities of citizens in other
nations; weak states have erupted in conflict, law-
lessness, and massive refugee flows; narrow eco-
nomic agendas exalting material prosperity have
often suffocated the social and moral development
required for the equitable and beneficent use of
wealth. Such crises have laid bare the limits of tra-
ditional approaches to governance and put before

3
 The Search for Values in an Age of Transition

the United Nations the inescapable question of

values: which values are capable of guiding the
Our inherited nations and peoples of the world out of the chaos
notions of of competing interests and ideologies towards a
religion as an world community capable of inculcating the prin-
ciples of justice and equity at all levels of human
irrelevant and society?
obstructionist voice
in the international 5 The question of values and their inextricable link
to systems of religion and belief has emerged on
public sphere offer the world stage as a subject of consuming global
no help in resolving importance, which the United Nations cannot
the complex afford to ignore. While the General Assembly has
problems before passed a number of resolutions addressing the role
the leaders of the of religion in the promotion of peace and calling
for the elimination of religious intolerance,4 it
world’s nations. struggles to grasp fully both the constructive role
that religion can play in creating a peaceful global
order and the destructive impact that religious
fanaticism can have on the stability and progress
of the world. A growing number of leaders and
deliberative bodies acknowledge that such con-
siderations must move from the periphery to the
center of debate — recognizing that the full impact
of religion-related variables 5 on governance,
diplomacy, human rights, development, notions
of justice and collective security must be better
understood. 6 Neither political leaders nor aca-
demics foresaw such a widespread re-emergence
of religion in the public sphere, nor did the prac-
tice of international relations develop the con-
ceptual tools to address religion in a meaningful
way.7 Our inherited notions of religion as an irrel-
evant and obstructionist voice in the international

4
 The Search for Values in an Age of Transition

public sphere offer no help in resolving the com-

plex problems before the leaders of the world’s
nations. In fact, the appropriate role of religion in
the public sphere is one of the most pressing issues
of our time.

6 That religions have been manipulated and used

for the accomplishment of narrow ends can-
not be denied. Yet, a careful historical analysis
reveals that the periods of greatest advancement
in human civilization have been those where both
faith and reason were permitted to work together,
drawing on the resources of the totality of human
insight and experience. For example, during the
height of Muslim civilization, sciences, philoso-
phy, and the arts flourished; a vibrant culture
of learning propelled the human imagination to
new heights, providing, among others, the math-
ematical basis for many of today’s technological Religion has
innovations. Among humanity’s diverse civiliza- provided the
tions, religion has provided the framework for framework for new
new moral codes and legal standards, which have moral codes and
transformed vast regions of the globe from brut-
ish and often anarchical systems to more sophis-
legal standards.
ticated forms of governance. The existing debate
about religion in the public sphere, however, has
been driven by the voices and actions of extreme
proponents on both sides — those who impose
their religious ideology by force, whose most vis-
ible expression is terrorism — and those who deny
any place for expressions of faith or belief in the
public sphere. Yet neither extreme is representa-
tive of the majority of humankind and neither
promotes a sustainable peace.

5
 The Search for Values in an Age of Transition

7 At this juncture of our evolution as a global com-

munity, the search for shared values — beyond
While the the clash of extremes — is paramount for effec-
United Nations tive action. A concern with exclusively material
has repeatedly considerations will fail to appreciate the degree
emphasized the need to which religious, ideological, and cultural vari-
ables shape diplomacy and decision-making. In
for multilateralism, an effort to move beyond a community of nations
such efforts bound by primarily economic relationships to one
alone . . . will with shared responsibilities for one another’s well-
not provide a being and security, the question of values must
sufficient basis take a central place in deliberations, be articulated
and made explicit. While the United Nations has
for community repeatedly emphasized the need for multilateral-
building between ism, such efforts alone, while a step in the right
nations. direction, will not provide a sufficient basis for
community building between nations; collabora-
tion alone does not confer legitimacy or ensure
benevolent outcomes for the greater good. In order
to fulfill the promises of the United Nations Char-
ter, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights
and subsequent treaties and resolutions, we can
no longer be content with a passive tolerance of
each other’s worldviews; what is required is an
active search for those common values and moral
principles which will lift up the condition of every
woman, man, and child, regardless of race, class,
religion or political opinion.

8 We assert that the emerging global order, and the

processes of globalization that define it, must be
founded on the principle of the oneness of human-
kind. This principle, accepted and affirmed as a
common understanding, provides the practical
basis for the organization of relationships between

6
 The Search for Values in an Age of Transition

all states and nations. The increasingly apparent

interconnectedness of development, security and
human rights on a global scale confirms that peace
and prosperity are indivisible — that no sustain-
able benefit can be conferred on a nation or com-
munity if the welfare of the nations as a whole
is ignored or neglected. The principle of the one-
ness of humankind does not seek to undermine
national autonomy or suppress the cultural and
intellectual diversity of the peoples and nations of
the world. Rather, it seeks to broaden the basis of
the existing foundations of society by calling for
a wider loyalty, a greater aspiration than any that
has animated the human race. Indeed, it provides The principle
the moral impetus needed to remold the institu-
of the oneness
tions of governance in a manner consistent with
the needs of an ever-changing world. of humankind
. . . provides the
9 From the teachings of the Bahá’í Faith, we offer
moral impetus
the following vision, in the realization of which
the members of the worldwide Bahá’í community needed to remold
across 191 nations are engaged: the institutions of
governance in a
“A world community in which all economic
barriers will have been permanently demolished manner consistent
and the interdependence of capital and labour with the needs of
definitely recognized; in which the clamor of an ever-changing
religious fanaticism and strife will have been world.
forever stilled; in which the flame of racial ani-
mosity will have been finally extinguished; in
which a single code of international law — the
product of the considered judgment of the
world’s federated representatives — shall have
as its sanction the instant and coercive inter-
vention of the combined forces of the federated

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 The Search for Values in an Age of Transition

units; and finally a world community in which

the fury of a capricious and militant national-
ism will have been transmuted into an abiding
consciousness of world citizenship…”8

8
 II

10 In light of the foregoing analysis and the areas We call on the

currently under consideration by the United United Nations
Nations, we offer the following recommenda-
tions as concrete steps towards the realization of
to affirm
a more just and effective United Nations system. unequivocally an
Our recommendations address human rights and individual’s right
the rule of law, development, democracy, and col- to change his or
lective security. her religion under
international law.
Human Rights and the Rule of Law

11 No effective and peaceful international order

can be founded and sustained unless it is firmly
grounded in the principles of justice and the rule
of law. An adherence to such principles provides
the requisite stability and legitimacy required to
gain the support of peoples and nations that the
system aims to serve. We offer the following rec-
ommendations:

a The grave threats posed by religious extrem-

ism, intolerance and discrimination require the
United Nations to address this issue openly
and earnestly. We call on the United Nations
to affirm unequivocally an individual’s right to
change his or her religion under international
law. The General Assembly may request the
International Court of Justice, under Article 96
of the United Nations Charter, to issue an advi-
sory opinion on the issue of freedom of religion

9
 The Search for Values in an Age of Transition

or belief. Specifically, the Court could be asked

whether the principle of freedom of religion
or belief has attained the status of jus cogens,
customary international law, or is merely left
to the interpretation of each state. Such a clari-
fication would help to remove fallacious inter-
pretations of this right and lend moral force to
the condemnation of policies and practices that
violate the principle of non-discrimination in
matters of religion or belief.9

b Beyond the ongoing structural and functional

reforms of the United Nations human rights
machinery, the legitimacy of this machin-
ery must be restored through its consistent
adherence to the highest principles of justice,
including those elaborated in the Charter of
the United Nations and the Universal Dec-
laration of Human Rights. Only in this way,
will it secure the legitimacy and trust of Mem-
ber States and their citizens required for it to
exercise its mandate.

c The General Assembly should consider set-

ting a timeline for the universal ratification of
international human rights treaties.

d The Office of the High Commissioner of

Human Rights, bolstered by the requisite
moral, intellectual, and material resources,
must now become the standard-bearer in the
field of human rights and an effective tool in
alleviating the suffering of individuals and
groups whose rights are denied.

10
 The Search for Values in an Age of Transition

■ As one of the most effective instruments for

the protection of human rights, Special Pro-
cedures should receive adequate budgetary
and administrative support. Government
cooperation with Special Procedures should
not only be limited to access to the country Government
in question but, equally important, should cooperation with
include full consideration of subsequent rec-
ommendations. These should be reflected in
Special Procedures
the interactive dialogues between the Rap- should not only be
porteur and Member States. limited to access
■ The Public Information section of the
to the country
Office of the High Commissioner should in question but,
be developed in order to allow resolutions equally important,
of the Commission on Human Rights/ should include
Human Rights Council, recommendations full consideration
of the Special Procedures and concluding
observations of the treaty monitoring bod-
of subsequent
ies to be accorded more prominence in the recommendations.
media. This could include, for example,
the translation of documents into relevant
national languages in order to generate
more publicity.
■ The Office of the High Commissioner,
along with the Council, should continue
its productive engagement with non-gov-
ernmental organizations, which, since its
inception, has contributed positively both
to the work of the Office and to the devel-
opment of non-governmental organiza-
tions’ capacity to interact meaningfully in
this context.

11
 The Search for Values in an Age of Transition

Development

12 At the heart of human development must be

the understanding that people are irreplaceable
resources in a self-sustaining process of change.
The challenge is to find methods that allow them
to fully express this potential in all its dimensions.
Development defined in terms of certain patterns of
“modernization,” however, seems to refer exactly
to those processes, which promote the domination
of people’s material ambitions over their spiritual
goals. While the search of a scientific and tech-
The capacity
nologically modern society is a central goal of
of people to human development, it must base its educational,
participate in the economic, political, and cultural structures on the
generation and concept of the spiritual nature of the human being
application of and not only on his or her material needs. We offer
the following recommendations:
knowledge is an
essential component a The capacity of people to participate in the
of human generation and application of knowledge is an
essential component of human development.
development.
As such, priority must be given to the edu-
cation of girls and boys, women and men in
order to enable them to set the path of their
own development and to apply their knowl-
edge in the service of the greater community.
The United Nations should consider that in
terms of economic investment, the education
of girls may well yield the highest return of
all investments available in developing coun-
tries considering both private benefits, as well
as returns to family members and the greater
community.10

12
 The Search for Values in an Age of Transition

b We submit for the consideration of the United

Nations five spiritual principles, which may
serve as a basis for the creation of indicators
of human development, to be used alongside
existing measures of development. These The standard of
principles include: unity in diversity, equity
and justice, equality of the sexes, trustworthi-
deliberation and
ness and moral leadership, and the freedom truth-seeking
of conscience, thought, and religion.11 required for the
c The rich countries of the world have a moral
realization of goals
obligation to remove export and trade distort- set by the United
ing measures that bar the entry of countries Nations needs to
struggling to participate in the global market. go far beyond
The Monterrey Consensus, which recognizes the patterns of
the importance of creating a “more open, rule-
based, non-discriminatory and equitable” sys-
partisanship,
tem of trade is a step in the right direction.12 protest, and
compromise that
d Alongside reform in systems of trade, coun-
tries must facilitate the flow of labor and
tend to characterize
address the dehumanizing impact of traffick- present day
ing in persons, which leads to widespread discussions of
economic and sexual exploitation of people human affairs.
seeking a better life.

Democracy

13 We commend the international community for

its commitment to democracy and to a freely
elected government as a universal value. How-
ever, the standard of deliberation and truth-seek-
ing required for the realization of goals set by the
United Nations needs to go far beyond the pat-
terns of partisanship, protest, and compromise

13
 The Search for Values in an Age of Transition

that tend to characterize present day discussions

of human affairs. What is needed is a consultative
process — at all levels of governance — in which
individual participants strive to transcend their
respective points of view, in order to function as
members of one body with its own interests and
goals. Through participation and unity of purpose,
consultation becomes the operating expression of
justice in human affairs. Without this principled
anchor, democracy falls prey to the excesses of
individualism and nationalism, which tear at the
fabric of the community — both nationally and
Beyond the globally.
administration of 14 Beyond the administration of material affairs, gov-
human affairs, ernance is a moral exercise. It is the expression of
governance is a a trusteeship — a responsibility to protect and to
moral exercise. serve the members of the social polity. Indeed, the
exercise of democracy will succeed to the extent
that it is governed by the moral principles that are
in harmony with the evolving interests of a rapidly
maturing human race. These include: trustworthi-
ness and integrity needed to win the respect and
support of the governed; transparency; consulta-
tion with those affected by decisions being arrived
at; objective assessment of needs and aspirations
of communities being served; and the appropriate
use of scientific and moral resources.13 We offer
the following recommendations:

a To secure the legitimacy, confidence, and sup-

port needed for the realization of its goals,
the United Nations needs to address the dem-
ocratic deficits in its own agencies and delib-
erations.

14
 The Search for Values in an Age of Transition

b Thorough deliberation of the pressing issues

of the day requires the United Nations to
develop modes for constructive and systematic
engagement with organizations of civil soci-
ety (including businesses and religious orga-
nizations) as well as members of national
parliaments. The relationship between civil
society organizations, parliamentarians and
the traditional diplomatic processes of the
United Nations need not be one of competi-
tion but rather complementarity, rooted in the
recognition that the relative strengths of all
three constituencies are necessary for effective
decision-making and subsequent implemen-
tation.14 We urge the United Nations to give
serious consideration to the proposals put
forth in the Report of the Panel of Eminent
Persons on UN-Civil Society Relationships.15 The meaningful
c A healthy democracy must be founded on the
integration of
principle of the equality of men and women minority groups
and equal recognition of their contribution to in democratic
the establishment of a just society. In its efforts processes is of
to promote democracy, the Member States of critical importance.
the United Nations must vigilantly work for
the inclusion of women in all facets of gov-
ernance in their respective countries. This is
not a privilege but a practical necessity for the
achievement of the high-minded and complex
goals before the Organization today.

d The meaningful integration of minority

groups in democratic processes is of critical
importance — both to shield minorities from
the abuses of the past and to encourage their

15
 The Search for Values in an Age of Transition

participation and responsibility for the well-

being of society. We urge Member States, in
their work to promote democracy, to strive
for the full inclusion of minorities — belonging
to any faith, race, or class — in the processes
of goal-setting and deliberation. As the cul-
tural make-up of states becomes increasingly
Member States fluid and diverse, no one cultural or religious
group can lay claim to an adequate definition
must recognize that of the national interest.
. . . as signatories
to the Charter Collective Security
of the United
Nations, they 15 We welcome the United Nations’ efforts to artic-
have a solemn ulate a more comprehensive vision of collective
security, based on the understanding that in our
moral and legal interconnected world, a threat to one is a threat to
obligation to act all. The Bahá’í Faith envisions a system of collec-
as trustees for the tive security within a framework of a global feder-
entire community ation, a federation in which national borders have
of nations. been conclusively defined, and in whose favor all
the nations of the world will have willingly ceded
all rights to maintain armaments except for pur-
poses of maintaining internal order.16 While cog-
nizant of the grave shortfalls of the current system
of collective security, we commend the Security
Council for its landmark Resolution on “Women,
Peace, and Security,” 17 recognizing for the first
time in its history the needs of women and girls
in conflict and post-conflict situations18 and their
enduring role in the promotion of peace. We offer
the following recommendations:

16
 The Search for Values in an Age of Transition

a To address the democracy deficit and relent-

less politicization of the Security Council,
the United Nations must in due course move
towards adopting a procedure for eventually
eliminating permanent membership and veto
power.19 Alongside procedural reforms, a crit-
ical change in the attitude and conduct are
needed. Member States must recognize that
in holding seats on the Security Council and
as signatories to the Charter of the United
Nations, they have a solemn moral and legal
obligation to act as trustees for the entire
community of nations, not as advocates of
their national interests.20

b A definition of terrorism must be adopted. We

agree with the Secretary-General’s character-
ization of terrorism as any action “intended
to cause death or serious bodily harm to civil-
ians or non-combatants with the purpose of
intimidating a population or compelling a
Government or an international organization
to do or abstain from doing any act.” More-
over, it is imperative that problems such as
terrorism be consistently addressed within the
context of other issues that disrupt and desta-
bilize society.21

c We urge the United Nations to take the nec-

essary steps to increase the participation of
women at all levels of decision-making in con-
flict resolution and peace processes, locally,
nationally and internationally, including the
Department of Peacekeeping Operations.22

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 The Search for Values in an Age of Transition

16 We believe the task of establishing a peaceful

world is now in the hands of the leaders of the
nations of the world, by virtue of the tremen-
dous responsibilities with which they have been
entrusted. Their challenge now is to restore the
trust and confidence of their citizens in them-
selves, their government, and the institutions of
the international order through a record of per-
sonal integrity, sincerity of purpose, and unwav-
ering commitment to the highest principles of
justice and the imperatives of a world hungering
for unity. The great peace long envisioned by the
peoples and nations of the world is well within
our grasp.

18
 Footnotes

1 While the United Nations has begun to formally recognize

the interdependence of human rights, development, and col-
lective security, such a holistic perspective has been echoed
throughout the contributions of civil society organizations
to the work of the United Nations, as, for example at the
global United Nations conferences including the Confer-
ence on Environment and Development (1992), the World
Conference on Human Rights (1993), World Conference
on Population and Development (1994), the Fourth World
Conference on Women (1995), the World Summit for Social
Development (1995), and the United Nations Conference on
Human Settlements (1996).
2 The Bahá’í International Community, in its capacity as
an international nongovernmental organization, has been
actively involved with the United Nations since its founding
conference in 1945. On the occasion of the United Nations’
10th anniversary, the Bahá’í International Community sub-
mitted its proposals for Charter Revision to the Secretary-
General based on the recognition “that real sovereignty is no
longer vested in the institutions of the national state because
the nations have become interdependent; that the existing
crisis is moral and spiritual as well as political; and that the
existing crisis can only be surmounted by the achievement
of a world order representative of the peoples as well as
the nations of mankind.” (Bahá’í International Community,
“Proposals for Charter Revision Submitted to the United
Nations by the Bahá’í International Community [1955],”
The Bahá’í World 1954–1963, Vail-Ballou Press, Inc., Bing-
hamton, New York, 1970). In 1995, the Bahá’í International
Community released a statement on the 50th anniversary
of the United Nations, which highlighted the trend toward
the ever-increasing interdependence of humanity and pre-
sented proposals for the resuscitation of the General Assem-
bly, development of the executive function, strengthening
the world court, promoting economic and moral develop-
ment, human rights and the advancement of women (Bahá’í
International Community, Turning Point for All Nations,

19
 The Search for Values in an Age of Transition

Bahá’í International Community’s United Nations Office,

New York, 1995.) Throughout its history of association with
the United Nations, the Bahá’í International Community has
contributed its vision and experience through submissions
dealing with the advancement of women, human rights, the
environment, global prosperity, and economic development,
among others.
3 In 2000, in response to the alarming failure of the interna-
tional community to intervene, or to intervene effectively,
in massive crises such as Somalia, Bosnia, Kosovo, and
Rwanda, the Canadian Government established a commis-
sion to address questions about the legal, moral, operational,
and political dimensions of humanitarian intervention. The
resulting International Commission on Intervention and
State Sovereignty released its findings and central principles
in a 2001 report titled, Responsibility to Protect. Repeated
failure to intervene effectively in the crisis in Darfur, Sudan
has lent even greater urgency to the definition of legal stan-
dards and operational norms for intervention.
4 For example, “Promotion of interreligious dialogue” ( A/
RES/59/ 23), “Promotion of religious and cultural understand-
ing, harmony and cooperation” ( A/RES/ 59/ 142), “Global
Agenda for Dialogue Among Civilizations” ( A/RES/ 56/ 6),
“Elimination of all forms of religious intolerance” ( A/
RES/ 59/ 199), and the UNESCO Director-General’s report to
the 59th Session of the UN General Assembly “Promotion of
religious and cultural understanding, harmony and coopera-
tion” (A/59/ 201).
5 These include, among others, religious teachings and inter-
pretation, followers of religions, religious leaders and insti-
tutions.
6 While a detailed description is beyond the scope of this state-
ment, examples of the resurgence of religion as a matter of
urgent political importance include: widespread violence in
the name of religion; spread of religious fundamentalism and
its impact on political regimes; increasing tension between
religion and States’ policies; challenges in the design of
national and regional governing structures capable of sat-
isfying demands for fair representation from different reli-
gious groups; social, political and economic integration of
religious minorities; clashes between religious and civil law;

20
 The Search for Values in an Age of Transition

impact of religion in international policy forums (i.e. Inter-

national Conference on Population and Development, Cairo,
1994; Fourth World Conference on Women, Beijing, 1995);
violation of human rights in the name of religion including
the right to change one’s religion. Such developments are set
against the increased efforts at inter-faith dialogue and coop-
eration between religious leaders and their communities; the
impressive global networks of religiously inspired charitable
and humanitarian organizations and movements calling
attention to the ethical dimensions of global economic inte-
gration; the intellectual and moral legacy of religions in the
articulation of moral principles (e.g. just war ethic); and the
capacity of religions to move individuals and groups towards
selflessness, non-violence, and reconciliation.
7 Several factors have contributed to the near complete rejec-
tion of religion in concepts of international relations. First,
the social sciences were based upon the work of those who
believed that religion was giving way to rational and scien-
tific modes of thought which would crush what they saw as
the ignorance and superstition caused by religion, thereby
ushering in a period of modernity. Second, “not only was
international relations theory (like other social sciences)
founded upon the belief that religion was receding from the
world as an important factor, it can be argued that the mod-
ern context for the relations between states was founded on
intentionally secular principles. The modern concept for the
territorial state, the basis for modern international relations,
was articulated by the Treaty of Westphalia in 1648,” which,
“was designed to end the Thirty Years’ War between Protes-
tant and Catholic States. In doing so, it developed a format
for relations between states which did not include religion.”
(Jonathan Fox and Shmuel Sandler (2005), “The Question
of Religion and World Politics,” Terrorism and Political Vio-
lence, 17: 296-298)
8 Shoghi Effendi, “The Goal of a New World Order” [1931],
The World Order of Bahá’u’lláh (Wilmette, Ill.: Bahá’í Pub-
lishing Trust, 1991).
9 Bahá’í International Community, Freedom to Believe (Bahá’í
International Community’s United Nations Office, New
York, 2005).

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 The Search for Values in an Age of Transition

10 According to the World Bank, in addition to being more

productive in market work, educated women have smaller
families, fewer of their children die in infancy and the chil-
dren who survive are healthier and better educated. Edu-
cated women are also better equipped to enter the paid labor
force, which is critical to the survival of the many female-
headed households in developing countries. Nations with
higher levels of female school enrollment show higher levels
of economic productivity, lower fertility, lower infant and
maternal mortality, and longer life expectancy than coun-
tries that have not achieved as high enrollment levels for
girls. (World Bank, “The Benefits of Education for Women”
(1993), URL: www.worldbank.org/html/extdr/hnp/hddflash/
hcnote/hrn002.html)
11 For a detailed discussion see: Bahá’í International Commu-
nity, Valuing Spirituality in Development: Initial Consider-
ations Regarding the Creation of Spiritually Based Indica-
tors for Development, a concept paper written for the World
Faiths Development Dialogue, Lambeth Palace, London (The
Bahá’í Publishing Trust: London, 1998).
12 The Monterrey Consensus, (A/CONF.198/11)
13 In the 1980s and 1990s the world made dramatic progress
in opening up political systems and expanding political free-
doms. Over eighty countries took significant steps towards
democracy, and today 140 of the world’s nearly 200 coun-
tries hold multiparty elections — more than ever before.
Despite these positive developments, Gallup International’s
Millennium Survey (1999) found that of the 50,000 people
surveyed in 60 countries, less than a third felt that their
country was governed by the will of the people. Only 1 in
10 respondents said that their government responded to the
people’s will.
14 Over the last five years, the United Nations has generated
numerous examples of innovative governance: In 2000, the
United Nations Economic and Social Council established
a Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues to serve as an
advisory body to the Council on indigenous issues relating
to economic and social development, culture, the environ-
ment, education, and health and human rights, culminat-
ing a decades-long struggle of indigenous peoples to regain
standing within the global community; in June 2005, the

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 The Search for Values in an Age of Transition

General Assembly — for the first time — held interactive hear-

ings with civil society and the private sector, in which some
200 non-governmental organizations presented their views
on United Nations reform for consideration by Member
States in preparation for the 2005 United Nations World
Summit; also in June, 2005, a tripartite convening group
composed of a core group of Member States (Argentina,
Bangladesh, Ecuador, Gambia, Germany, Indonesia, Iran,
Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Morocco, Pakistan, Philippines, Sen-
egal, Spain, Thailand, and Tunisia), civil society, the United
Nations Educational, Social and Cultural Organization and
the Department of Economic and Social Affairs organized
a conference titled, Interfaith Cooperation for Peace, which
aimed to provide input to the 2005 World Summit regarding
strategies to promote interfaith cooperation for peace. It was
the first time that a Member State-initiated conference had
been co-organized and led by Member States, civil society
and United Nations agencies working alongside. Given the
challenging nature of the subject matter, the organizational
approach provided a useful template for similar endeavors in
the future. Also worthy of note is that in 2002, the Interna-
tional Parliamentary Union was granted permanent observer
status in the General Assembly of the United Nations, setting
in motion new forms of cooperation.
15 Panel of Eminent Persons on UN-Civil Society Relationships,
We the Peoples: Civil Society, the UN and Global Gover-
nance (United Nations: New York, 2004).
16 For the system to be successful, unity, strength, elasticity and
public opinion are essential: unity of thought and purpose
among the permanent members, strength involving the use
of adequate force to ensure the efficacy of the system, elastic-
ity to enable the system to meet the legitimate needs of its
afflicted upholders, and universal public opinion — that of
women and men — to secure collective action.
17 Security Council Resolution 1325 (S/RES/1325 (2000))
18 Typically wars and conflicts have drawn little distinction
between militants and civilians, and between adults and chil-
dren. Yet armed conflicts affect women and girls differently
from men and boys. For example, rape and sexual violence
perpetrated by the armed forces, whether governmental or
other actors, including peacekeeping personnel, increase the

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spread of HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases.

Most of the HIV/AIDS victims in developing countries are
women and girls. That disease leaves millions of orphans
who, in most cases, are cared for by older women.
19 While the veto has often served as an important safeguard
against the oppressive majoritarianism, it has also obstructed
effective action against countries that pose a threat to their
neighbors. An interim measure may include not using veto
power when voting on questions of genocide or other gross
threats to international peace and security.
20 The United Nations Charter states that, “In order to ensure
prompt and effective action by the United Nations, its Mem-
bers confer on the Security Council primary responsibility
for the maintenance of peace and security, and agree that in
carrying out its duties under this responsibility the Security
Council acts on their behalf.” (Article 24).
21 Such disruptive and destabilizing factors include, among
others: governments’ failure to meaningfully integrate reli-
gious and ethnic minorities; increased access to weapons; the
destabilization and collapse of governments; and a general
sense of social, political, economic, cultural crisis — all of
which combine to create an environment that could invite
violent radical ideologies to take hold and flourish.
22 This requires the implementation of the Secretary-General’s
strategic plan of action (A/49/587), which calls for an increase
in the participation of women at decision-making levels in
conflict resolution and peace processes. Member States need
to follow through with their commitments under interna-
tional law including the United Nations Security Council
Resolution 1325 (2000).

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