A/HRC/25/66
12.
Representatives of minority communities, including associations, organizations,
traditional leadership institutions, religious bodies, and other institutions freely established
by religious minorities themselves according to their own tenets and traditions, should be
engaged in a meaningful participatory process in all aspects of the implementation of the
recommendations.
13.
The Forum welcomes the information received from stakeholders on the different
measures that have been taken to date to implement its recommendations from previous
sessions. All stakeholders are encouraged to continue such engagement and sharing of
information.
III. Recommendations
A.
General recommendations
14.
The provisions of the Declaration on the Rights of Persons Belonging to National
or Ethnic, Religious and Linguistic Minorities should be translated by States into domestic
legislation. All States should fully implement the Declaration with due regard to the
situation of religious minorities present in the country. Members of religious minorities
should be guaranteed implementation of the full range of rights under the Declaration,
recognizing that these include, but extend beyond, the right to freedom of religion or belief.
15.
States must fully comply with and implement article 18 of the Universal
Declaration of Human Rights, article 18 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political
Rights, and the Declaration on the Elimination of All Forms of Intolerance and of
Discrimination Based on Religion or Belief, and other international standards related to
freedom of religion or belief, giving specific consideration to the issues of particular
concern to religious minorities, who may experience discrimination, marginalization and
stigmatization and who may require greater and targeted attention in order to ensure their
rights.
16.
States should consider, where appropriate, special measures that address
discrimination and inequality experienced by persons belonging to religious minorities.
Institutional attention to religious minorities should be strengthened as appropriate to
facilitate such measures and improve the mainstreaming of minority issues in national-level
bodies, including government ministries or departments working on central concerns for
minorities, national human rights institutions, consultative bodies and mechanisms, and
other relevant national entities.
B.
Implementation of international standards in domestic legislation
17.
States should ensure that there is no discriminatory treatment in regard to the legal
and administrative recognition of all religious and belief groups. Any registration and
administrative procedures, including those relating to the property and the functioning of
places of worship and other religious-based institutions, should be conducted according to
non-discrimination standards. International standards do not allow non-recognition of
religious or belief groups to result in denial of their rights. Such standards require an
inclusive approach to be taken.
18.
Existing legislation should be reviewed to ensure that no provisions exist in law
that are discriminatory or have a directly or indirectly discriminatory impact on persons
belonging to religious minorities. Furthermore, requirements and official procedures
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