A/67/303 or informal pressure to convert to the religion of their prospective husbands. Although many such conversions may be undertaken on a voluntary basis, there are also cases of threats or coercion. The Special Rapporteur has received disturbing reports about the abduction and forced conversion of women, sometimes minors, especially from religious minorities. He is concerned that such incidents seem to occur in a climate of impunity, thus leading to the impression that law enforcement agencies systematically fail to provide effective protection for women and girls. There are still countries that, on the basis of custom, religious beliefs or the ethnic origins of particular groups of people, permit forced marriages or remarriages. The Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women has recommended that “States parties should resolutely discourage any notions of inequality of women and men which are affirmed by laws, or by religious or private law or by custom.” (see general recommendation No. 21, para. 44). 3. Violations of the right to try to convert others by means of non-coercive persuasion 44. A number of States restrict religious outreach activities under the heading of “proselytism”, a term that typically conjures up negative sentiments but rarely receives a clear conceptual or legal definition. Prohibitions of “proselytism” or of other vaguely defined “offences” under domestic legislation are sometimes enshrined in the constitution or in criminal law statutes. As a result, non-coercive attempts to persuade others may lead to criminal prosecution because of “proselytism”, “unethical conversion”, “disruption of public order”, “blasphemy” or related “offences”. 22 Often the mere existence of such legislation has a chilling effect on communicative outreach activities. Some States have enacted explicit anti-conversion laws, some of which supposedly are intended to provide protection only from so-called “fraudulent” conversion, a term that, again, often remains illdefined and thus opens the floodgates to restrictive practices. States that claim to protect people against exploitation in situations of particular vulnerability often fail to provide clear empirical evidence that certain missionary activities amount to coercion. Moreover, law enforcement agencies often confiscate and destroy such religious materials as prayer books, information sheets, video messages or education programmes. In some States, the mere possession of such material can trigger criminal or administrative sanctions, including long-term imprisonment. Non-citizens suspected of engaging in unwelcome missionary activities frequently risk deportation or the denial of visa-extension. 23 45. In addition to criminal and administrative sanctions imposed by States or other restrictive State measures, individuals or groups trying to persuade others are often confronted with societal prejudices that sometimes escalate into fully fledged paranoia and concomitant acts of mob violence. 24 This can even affect persons or communities who merely offer peaceful invitations. Members of religious communities that have a reputation of being generally committed to missionary work may suffer from harassment, hostility and violence, regardless of whether or not they are personally engaged in any such activities. 46. Unlike the rights to convert and not to be forced to convert, which are protected unconditionally, the right to try to convert others by means of __________________ 22 23 24 12-46130 See A/51/542/Add.1, para. 134; A/60/399, paras. 60-61 and 66. See A/63/161, paras. 25-66; A/61/340, paras. 55-61. See A/HRC/10/8/Add.1, paras. 45-49; A/HRC/10/8/Add.3, paras. 11 and 47-52. 15