A/HRC/7/10/Add.2 page 19 60. Children literally represent the future of each country. Almost half the population of Tajikistan is under 18 years of age; it is estimated that one fifth of the schools in Tajikistan were destroyed during the civil war of the 1990s. Providing quality education is crucial for the development of society. In general, there is an urgent need to promote, through education, the protection and respect for freedom of religion or belief in order to strengthen peace, understanding and tolerance among individuals, groups and nations, and with a view to developing respect for pluralism. 61. In this regard, the Special Rapporteur would like to draw the Government’s attention to the final document of the International Consultative Conference on School Education in relation to Freedom of Religion or Belief, Tolerance and Non-discrimination, held in Madrid from 23 to 25 November 2001 (E/CN.4/2002/73, appendix). The final document adopted by consensus, could serve as a useful guide for educational policies aimed at strengthening the promotion and protection of human rights, eradicating prejudices and conceptions incompatible with freedom of religion or belief and ensuring respect for and acceptance of pluralism and diversity in the field of religion or belief and of the right not to receive religious instruction inconsistent with one’s own conviction. Recently, there have been promising initiatives in Tajikistan to train teachers, students and civil society members on the issues of religious identity, Islam and peacebuilding. Such efforts could eventually lead to a better understanding of freedom of religion and of the role of religion in identity, conflict and conflict resolution. 62. In general, human rights are not going to flourish without overall freedom in society. As reiterated by the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action, all human rights are universal, indivisible, interdependent and interrelated. People should not be afraid of expressing ideas frankly, raising their concerns to the authorities or bringing cases to court. Self-censorship may have adverse effects on the enjoyment of all human rights and fundamental freedoms. Furthermore, sustained interfaith dialogue, possibly including members of civil society and women, might prevent misunderstandings and eliminate some forms of intolerance or discrimination based on religion or belief. In addition, human rights education could promote understanding, tolerance and peace between all religious groups and might ultimately contribute to the effective promotion of religious tolerance. Such an approach might be a promising avenue for preventing incitement to discrimination, hostility or violence. -----