A/HRC/19/60/Add.2 VI. Conclusions and recommendations 64. Moldovan society has been, and continues to be, in a process of rapid transformation which includes, inter alia, the development of a sustainable human rights culture in the country. Implementation of human rights standards ranks high on the Government’s agenda, and significant progress has been made, including in the field of freedom of religion or belief, a human right that is by and large respected in the Republic of Moldova. Members of various communities, including small minorities, may in general practice their religion or belief freely without undue interference from the State. 65. Remaining obstacles mainly derive from the predominant position of the Orthodox Church, which enjoys a privileged status at variance with the constitutional provision of a secular State.21 Moreover, important sectors of society see Orthodox Christianity, in particular the Moldovan Orthodox Church, as constituting the backbone of national identity. Extremist groups go as far as to explicitly demand, often in an aggressive manner, that followers of other denominations – such as Protestants, Jews and especially Muslims – be marginalized. Although these extremist groups seem to account only for a small minority, they apparently are not met with much criticism from within the Church, thus leading to the perception that they somehow speak on behalf of the country's Orthodox believers in general. 66. With a view to improving further the conditions for a non-discriminatory enjoyment of freedom of religion or belief by everyone, what seems to be needed is, above all, a public culture of appreciating diversity. The Special Rapporteur would like to encourage the Government to take leadership in this regard, for instance by issuing a robust anti-discrimination law, facilitating interreligious communication, investing in civic education and speaking out clearly against incitement to religious hatred. There are positive obligations under international human rights law to promote diversity. 67. The revision of the 2007 Law on Religious Denominations and their constituent parts offers a unique opportunity in this respect. The consultation process was an opportunity for interreligious communication which, according to the Special Rapporteur, still needs to be developed in the Republic of Moldova. He very much appreciates the transparency of the consultation process and the fact that civil society organizations specialized in human rights and anti-discrimination issues have also been invited to contribute their views and experiences. 68. For freedom of religion or belief and other human rights to take root within society, education plays a paramount role. The school curriculum should include information about various religions and beliefs – their history, content, requirements and structures – with the purpose of dispelling stereotypes and prejudices that still seem to exist to a large degree in society. Many interlocutors expressed their support for such an educational project. The subject could be taught, for instance, as part of civic education, but possibly also within the framework of voluntary religious instruction. In this context, the Special Rapporteur would like to reiterate the requirement that the optional status of religious instruction in any case must be ensured not only de jure but also de facto, and that effective protection mechanisms for children or parents choosing to opt out of religious instruction have yet to be developed. 21 18 See the report of the Special Rapporteur on issues related to State religion (A/HRC/19/60).