Implementation of the Declaration on the Elimination of All Forms of Intolerance and of Discrimination Based on Religion or Belief.

1986/19. Implementation of the Declaration on the Elimination of All Forms of Intolerance and of Discrimination Based on Religion or belief[1]67

The Commission on Human Rights, Conscious of the need to promote universal respect for, and observance of, human rights and fundamental freedom for all without distinction as to race, sex, language or religion, Recalling General Assembly resolution 36/55 of 25 November 1981, in which the Assembly proclaimed the Declaration on the Elimination of All Forms of Intolerance and of Discrimination Based on Religion or Belief, Noting General Assembly resolution 40/109 of 13 December 1985, in which the Assembly requested the Commission on Human Rights to continue its consideration of measures to implement the Declaration and to report, through the Economic and Social Council, to the General Assembly at its forty-first session, Recalling also Economic and Social Council resolution 1984/39 of 24 May 1984, in which the Council authorized the Sub-Commission on Prevention of Discrimination and Protection of Minorities to entrust its Special Rapporteur with the preparation of a study, in accordance with the terms of Sub-Commission resolution 1983/31 of 6 September 1983, on the current dimensions of the problems of intolerance and of discrimination on the grounds of religion or belief, Noting the progress report thereon[2]68 submitted to the Sub-Commission at its thirty-eighth session, by its Special Rapporteur, Concerned that the Sub-Commission was unable to discuss the progress report at its thirty-eighth session, Recognizing that it is desirable to enhance the promotional and public information activities of the United Nations in matters relating to freedom of religion or belief and that both Governments and non-governmental organizations have an important role to play in this domain, Conscious of the importance of education in ensuring tolerance of religion or belief, Recognizing the valuable contribution that can be made to the encouragement of understanding, tolerance and respect in matters relating to freedom of religion or belief by activities undertaken on a regional basis, Recognizing that non-governmental organizations and religious bodies and groups at every level have an important role to play in the promotion of tolerance and the protection of freedom of religion or belief, Aware that intolerance and discrimination on the grounds of religion or belief continue to occur in many parts of the world, Believing that further efforts are therefore required in order to promote and protect the right to freedom of thought, conscience, religion and belief,

1. Reaffirms that freedom of thought, conscience, religion and belief is a right guaranteed to all without discrimination;

2. Urges States, therefore, in accordance with their respective constitutional systems, and in accordance with such internationally accepted instruments as the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the international Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, to provide, where they have not already done so, adequate constitutional and legal guarantees for freedom of thought, conscience, religion and belief;

3. Requests the Special Rapporteur of the Sub-Commission on Prevention of Discrimination and Protection of Minorities, Mrs. Odio Benito, to submit to the Sub-Commission, at its thirty-ninth session, her study prepared on the basis of information supplied by Governments, specialized agencies, intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations and other sources, including the views expressed on the subject in the General Assembly and the Commission;

4. Urges Governments, specialized agencies, intergovernmental organizations and non-governmental organizations to facilitate the completion of the report of the Special Rapporteur by supplying relevant material to her as soon as possible;

5. Requests the Secretary-General to provide the Special Rapporteur with all the assistance she requires to enable her to submit her final report to the Sub-Commission at its thirty-ninth session;

6. Requests the Sub-Commission to examine, as a matter of priority at its thirty-ninth session, the report of the Special Rapporteur and to transmit it to the Commission at its forty-third session;

7. Urges States that have not already done so to supply to the Secretary-General information on their national legislation and regulations of the question of freedom of religion or belief, with particular regard to the measures taken to combat intolerance or discrimination in this field;

8. Requests the Secretary-General to prepare, on the basis of the information so supplied, an addendum to the compendium of the national legislation and regulations of States on the question of freedom of religion or belief with particular regard to the measures taken to combat intolerance or discrimination in this field;

9. Urges all States to take all appropriate measures to combat intolerance and to encourage understanding, tolerance and respect in matters relating to freedom of religion or belief and, in this context, to examine where necessary the supervision and training of their civil servants, educators and other public officials to ensure that, in the course of their official duties, they respect different religions and beliefs and do not discriminate against persons professing other religions or beliefs;

10. Invites the United Nations University and other academic and research institutions to undertake programmes and studies on the encouragement of understanding, tolerance and respect in matters relating to freedom of religion or belief;

11. Invites the Secretary-General to continue to give high priority to the dissemination of the text of the Declaration on the Elimination of All Forms of Intolerance and of Discrimination Based on Religion or Belief, in all official languages of the United Nations and in national languages, and to take all appropriate measures to make the text available for use by United Nations information centres as well as by other interested bodies;

12. Requests the Secretary-General in this context to invite interested non-governmental organizations to consider what further role they could envisage playing regarding the dissemination of the Declaration in national and local languages;

13. Requests the Secretary-General to report to the Commission at its forty-third session on measures to implement the present resolution;

14. Decides to continue its consideration of this matter at its forty-third session under the agenda item "Implementation of the Declaration on the Elimination of All Forms of intolerance and of Discrimination Based on Religion or Belief".

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[1]67 Adopted at the 50th meeting, on 10 March 1986, without a vote. See chap. XXIII, para. 557. [2]68 E/CN.4/Sub.2/1985/28.