A/71/269 and intersectional discriminations — in other words, in the intersection of religious minority status and gender — may arise (see A/HRC/31/18/Add.1). Moreover, converts, agnostics, atheists and others may face even greater difficulties to fit into the limited options provided by State-enforced religious family laws. Although reforms with the purpose of accommodating the existing and emerging pluralism in a non-discriminatory way should be a priority, many Governments seem to be reluctant to tackle these issues. 4. Violations in the context of school education 53. The school is an institution designed to fulfil human rights, in particular, the right to education, as enshrined in article 13 of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, article 28 of the Convention on the Rights of the Child and similar provisions. In order to ensure this right for every child, States have the obligation to render elementary school education mandatory. However, school is also an environment in which serious human rights problems may arise. In public schools, children regularly experience the authority of teachers, who, as public officials, may also represent the authority of the State. Furthermore, children may suffer peer pressure and bullying, a problem that disproportionately affects children from minorities. 54. Parents belonging to religious minorities, or parents wh o have converted away from the predominant religion, sometimes fear that school education may be utilized to alienate their children from them. The Special Rapporteur heard reports about the disrespectful treatment of children during religious fasting seasons, when children were exposed to expectations clearly articulated by their teachers that they should eat the food served in school, thereby breaking the fasting rules of their religion. 55. Whenever religious ceremonies, such as public prayers or acts o f collective worship, are performed in school, and in particular during regular school hours, safeguards are needed to ensure that no child feels compelled to participate in such ceremonies against his or her free will or the will of his or her parents. Th e same caveat applies to religious instruction in schools (see A/HRC/16/53). In paragraph 6 of its general comment No. 22, the Human Rights Committee noted that public education that includes instruction in a particular religion or belief is inconsistent with article 18 (4) of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights unless provision is made for non-discriminatory exemptions or alternatives that would accommodate the wishes of parents and guardians. In practice, however, such provisions, if they exist at all, are often ignored, possibly as a result of ignorance or lack of systematic monitoring or even in a deliberate attempt to convert children belonging to religious minorities to the hegemonic re ligion of the country. 56. In view of the compulsory status of school education, attempts at converting children in the school context may amount to serious violations of the absolutely protected forum internum dimension of freedom of religion or belief. At the same time, such attempts may violate the rights of parents to ensure a religious and moral upbringing of their child — who has not yet reached religious maturity — in conformity with their own convictions, as enshrined in article 18 (4) of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and article 14 (2) of the Convention on the Rights of the Child (see A/70/286). 57. Whereas religious instruction — in the understanding of familiarizing students with their own or their parents’ faith — requires safeguards to avoid any involuntary 16/22 16-13296