A/HRC/RES/16/13
United Nations
General Assembly
Distr.: General
12 April 2011
Original: English
Human Rights Council
Sixteenth session
Agenda item 3
Promotion and protection of all human rights, civil,
political, economic, social and cultural rights,
including the right to development
Resolution adopted by the Human Rights Council*
16/13
Freedom of religion or belief
The Human Rights Council,
Recalling General Assembly resolution 36/55 of 25 November 1981, by which the
General Assembly proclaimed the Declaration on the Elimination of All Forms of
Intolerance and of Discrimination Based on Religion or Belief,
Recalling also article 18 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights,
article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and other relevant human rights
provisions,
Recalling further Human Rights Council resolution 14/11 of 18 June 2010, and
other resolutions adopted by the General Assembly and the Commission on Human Rights
on the elimination of all forms of intolerance and of discrimination based on religion or
belief,
Reaffirming that all human rights are universal, indivisible, interdependent and
interrelated,
Stressing that everyone should be able to live safely, regardless of his or her religion
or belief,
Recalling that States have the primary responsibility for promoting and protecting
human rights, including the human rights of persons belonging to religious minorities,
including their right to exercise their religion or belief freely,
Noting with regret that no part of the world is exempt from religious intolerance,
discrimination and violence,
* The resolutions and decisions adopted by the Human Rights Council will be contained in the report of
the Council on its sixteenth session (A/HRC/16/2), chap. I.
GE.11- 12699