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

1987/15. Implementation of the Declaration on the Elimination of All Forms of Intolerance and of Discrimination Based on Religion or Belief

The Commission on Human Rights, Conscious of the need to promote universal respect for, and observance of, human rights and fundamental freedoms 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 41/112 of 4 December 1986, 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-second session, Noting the submission to the Sub-Commission on Prevention of Discrimination and Protection of Minorities, at its forthcoming thirty-ninth session, of the study prepared by its Special Rapporteur in accordance with 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 (E/CN.4/Sub.2/1987/26), 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, Having carefully examined the report (E/CN.4/1987/35) of the Special Rapporteur of the Commission appointed to examine incidents and governmental actions in all parts of the world which are inconsistent with the provisions of the Declaration on the Elimination of All Forms of Intolerance and of Discrimination Based on Religion or Belief and to recommend remedial measures, as appropriate, Seriously concerned 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. Commends the report of the Special Rapporteur;

3. Urges States, in accordance with their respective constitutional system, and 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 of freedom of thought, conscience, religion and belief, including the provision of effective remedies where there is intolerance or discrimination based on religion or belief;

4. Requests the Sub-Commission to examine as a matter of priority at its thirty-ninth session the report of its Special Rapporteur, Mrs. Elizabeth Odio Benito, and to transmit it to the Commission at its forty-fourth session, together with the observations of the Sub-Commission, in particular in regard to the recommendations concerning the elaboration of a convention;

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

6. Requests the Secretary-General to prepare, on the basis of the information so provided, 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;

7. 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;

8. 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;

9. 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;

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

11. Recognizes the important contribution which a binding international instrument could make towards eliminating all forms of intolerance and of discrimination based on religion or belief, and invites the Secretary-General to submit a report to the Commission at its forty-fourth session based on the comments of Member States on the modalities by which such an undertaking could be pursued, including the possible establishment of a working group, taking into account the provisions of General Assembly resolution 41/120 of 4 December 1986, as well as the deliberations of the Commission on this subject;

12. Decides to consider, at its forty-fourth session, in the light of the report of the Secretary-General, the report of Mrs. Odio Benito and the relevant observations of the Sub-Commission, the question of the drafting of such an instrument;

13. Decides to extend for one year the mandate of the Special Rapporteur appointed to examine incidents and governmental actions in all parts of the world which are inconsistent with the provisions of the Declaration on the Elimination of All Forms of Intolerance and of Discrimination Based on Religion or Belief and to recommend remedial measures, as appropriate;

14. Invites the Special Rapporteur, in carrying out his mandate, to bear in mind the need to be able to respond effectively to credible and reliable information that comes before him and to carry out his work with discretion and independence;

15. Requests the Secretary-General to provide all necessary assistance to the Special Rapporteur to enable him to report to the Commission at its forty-fourth session;

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

17. Decides to continue its consideration of this matter at its forty-fourth 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".

46th meeting
4 March 1987
[Adopted without a vote. See chap. XXII.]