This empirically based research examines the current state of freedom of religion or belief in the United Kingdom. It is conducted by Mátyás Bódi, in partnership with Baroness Berridge of the Vale of Catmose, a member of the House of Lords and trustee of the Freedom Declared Foundation.

Objectives:

• Identify the challenges faced by religious and non-religious belief organisations in relation to Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
• Develop an empirically grounded theory explaining how these organisations address these challenges.

The project aims to inform policymakers, enabling the development of more effective and nuanced laws and policies. In addition, it seeks to raise public awareness about the challenges surrounding freedom of religion or belief in the United Kingdom. The findings of this research will be published in a book and formally presented at the House of Lords in November 2025.

The portraits below feature some of the individuals interviewed during the research, reflecting a diversity of perspectives and experiences.