A/HRC/RES/31/16
8.
Strongly encourages government representatives and leaders in all sectors of
society and respective communities to speak out against acts of intolerance and violence
based on religion or belief;
9.
Urges States to step up their efforts to promote and protect freedom of
thought, conscience and religion or belief, and to this end:
(a)
To ensure that their constitutional and legislative systems provide adequate
and effective guarantees of freedom of thought, conscience and religion or belief to all,
without distinction, by, inter alia, the provision of access to justice and effective remedies
in cases where the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion or belief, or the
right to practise freely one’s religion, including the right to change one’s religion or belief,
is violated;
(b)
To implement all accepted universal periodic review recommendations
relating to the promotion and protection of freedom of religion or belief;
(c)
To ensure that no one within their jurisdiction is deprived of the right to life,
liberty or security of person because of religion or belief, and that no one is subjected to
torture or other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, or arbitrary arrest or
detention on that account, and to bring to justice all perpetrators of violations of these
rights;
(d)
To end violations of the human rights of women, and to devote particular
attention to abolishing practices and legislation that discriminate against women, including
in the exercise of their right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion or belief;
(e)
To ensure that no one is discriminated against on the basis of his or her
religion or belief in their access to, inter alia, education, medical care, employment,
humanitarian assistance or social benefits, and to ensure that everyone has the right and the
opportunity to have access, on general terms of equality, to public services in their country,
without any discrimination on the basis of religion or belief;
(f)
To review, whenever relevant, existing registration practices in order to
ensure that such practices do not limit the right of all individuals to manifest their religion
or belief, either alone or in community with others and in public or private;
(g)
To ensure that no official documents are withheld from the individual on the
grounds of religion or belief, and that everyone has the right to refrain from disclosing
information concerning their religious affiliation in such documents against their will;
(h)
To ensure, in particular, the right of all individuals to worship, assemble or
teach in connection with a religion or belief and their right to establish and maintain places
for these purposes, and the right of all individuals to seek, receive and impart information
and ideas in these areas;
(i)
To ensure that, in accordance with appropriate national legislation and in
conformity with international human rights law, the freedom of all individuals, including
persons belonging to religious minorities, to establish and maintain religious, charitable or
humanitarian institutions is fully respected and protected;
(j)
To ensure that all public officials and civil servants, including members of
law enforcement bodies, and personnel of detention facilities, the military and educators, in
the course of fulfilling their official duties, respect freedom of religion or belief and do not
discriminate for reasons based on religion or belief, and that all necessary and appropriate
awareness-raising, education or training is provided;
(k)
To take all necessary and appropriate action, in conformity with international
human rights obligations, to combat hatred, discrimination, intolerance and acts of violence,
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