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

1991/48. 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, Taking note of General Assembly resolution 45/136 of 14 December 1990, 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 Assembly at its forty-sixth session, Taking note also of Sub-Commission on Prevention of Discrimination and Protection of Minorities resolution 1989/23 of 31 August 1989, Recognizing that it is desirable to enhance the promotional and public information activities of the United Nat, ions 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 and 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 also that religious bodies, non-governmental organizations and groups at every level have an important role to play in the promotion of tolerance and the protection of freedom of religion and belief, Recalling that 1991 marks the tenth anniversary of the proclamation by the General Assembly of the Declaration on the Elimination of All Forms of Intolerance and of Discrimination Based on Religion or Belief and that this provides an opportunity to reinforce efforts aimed at the effective implementation of the Declaration, Recalling that, in its resolution 1990/27 of 2 March 1990, it decided to extend for two years the mandate 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, Having carefully examined the report of the Special Rapporteur, Mr. Angelo Vidal d'Almeida Ribeiro (E/CN.4/1991/56), Recalling further that, in its resolution 1990/27, it welcomed with appreciation the working paper prepared by Mr. Theo van Boven (E/CN.4/Sub.2/1989/32), member of the Sub-Commission, which contained a compilation of provisions relevant to the elimination of intolerance and discrimination based on religion or belief, as well as the issues and factors to be considered before any drafting of a further binding international instrument, Seriously concerned that intolerance and discrimination on the grounds of religion or belief continue to occur in many parts of the world, as outlined in the aforementioned report of the Special Rapporteur, Believing that further efforts are therefore required in order to promote and protect the right to freedom of thought, conscience, religion and belief and to eliminate all forms of intolerance and of discrimination based on religion or belief,

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

2. Expresses its thanks to the Special Rapporteur and takes note of his report and the various views expressed thereon during the forty-seventh session of the Commission;

3. Urges States, in accordance with their respective constitutional systems and with such internationally accepted instruments as the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the Declaration on the Elimination of All Forms of Intolerance and of Discrimination Based on Religion or Belief, 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. Calls upon 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 members of law enforcement bodies, 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;

5. Urges all States to consider, in the context of the tenth anniversary in 1991 of the proclamation by the General Assembly of the Declaration on the Elimination of All Forms of Intolerance and of Discrimination Based on Religion or Belief, what further measures might be taken at the national and regional levels to promote the effective implementation of the Declaration;

6. 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;

7. Considers it desirable to enhance the promotional and public information activities of the United Nations in matters relating to freedom of religion or belief, and to ensure, especially in the context of the tenth anniversary of the proclamation of the Declaration on the Elimination of All Forms of Intolerance and of Discrimination Based on Religion or Belief, that appropriate measures are taken to this end in the World Public Information Campaign for Human Rights;

8. Invites, therefore, the Secretary-General to continue to give high priority to the dissemination of the text of the Declaration 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 the United Nations information centres as well as by other interested bodies;

9. Welcomes the efforts of non-governmental organizations to promote the implementation of the Declaration, including at the Second International Conference on the Elimination of All Forms of Intolerance and of Discrimination Based on Religion or Belief, held in Warsaw from 14 to 18 May 1989;

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. Welcomes Economic and Social Council decision 1990/229 of 25 May 1990, based on the recommendation of the Commission at its forty-sixth session, by which the Council extended for a further two years 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 and to recommend remedial measures, as appropriate;

12. Invites the Special Rapporteur, in carrying out his mandate, to continue to bear in mind the need to be able to respond effectively to credible and reliable information that comes before him, to seek the views and comments of the Government concerned on any information which he intends to include in his report, and to carry out his work with discretion and independence;

13. Calls upon Governments which have not done so to cooperate with the Special Rapporteur, inter alia, by responding expeditiously to requests for such views and comments and, in this connection, calls especially for the cooperation of the Governments whose failure to respond has been noted in successive reports of the Special Rapporteur;

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

15. Requests also the Secretary-General to report to the Commission at its forty-eighth session on measures taken to implement the present resolution;

16. Decides to continue its consideration of the question at its forty-eighth 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".

52nd meeting
5 March 1991
[Adopted without a vote. See chap. XXII.]