A/HRC/13/40 different regions of the world and that the international community is actively engaged in pursuing these issues. III. Early warning signs of discrimination and violence on the grounds or in the name of religion or belief 18. As the Special Rapporteur has noted in previous reports, it is of utmost importance that due attention be given to early warning signs associated with her mandate. In this chapter, the Special Rapporteur’s preliminary analysis of early warning signs of discrimination and violence on the grounds or in the name of religion also draws on the work which has already been undertaken by various human rights mechanisms as part of their respective mandates.22 19. According to Human Rights Council resolution 6/37, the Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief is mandated to identify existing and emerging obstacles to the enjoyment of the right to freedom of religion or belief. Consequently, the mandate is not only limited to monitoring human rights violations, but also has a role to play in the detection of early warning signs of discrimination and violence. 20. For example, the Special Rapporteur’s predecessor warned in one of his country reports about the likelihood of the recurrence of extensive killings in the event of political exploitation of a certain situation.23 Unfortunately, his warning was prophetic, because six years later related communal violence again claimed more than one thousand lives. In her follow-up mission report another six years later, the current mandate holder also expressed concerns about the degree of polarization in some pockets of different faith groups and about the danger of chain reactions that can be triggered by communal tensions.24 21. The Special Rapporteur is convinced that early action is required at the first warning signs of discrimination and violence on the grounds or in the name of religion or belief. Since assuming her mandate in July 2004, the Special Rapporteur has indeed noted a number of acts or behaviour of different stakeholders that can be regarded as early warning signs of discrimination and violence and therefore requires determined measures to counter them. 22. Early warning signs refer to action, or indeed inaction, by: (a) State actors, (b) nonState actors and (c) international or external factors. A. State actors 23. One early warning sign with regard to State actors is the lack of adequate legislation ensuring freedom of religion or belief in all its dimensions and prohibiting discrimination based on religion or belief.25 Provisions in some domestic laws, or even in constitutions, 22 23 24 25 GE.09-17648 See, for example, the early warning procedure of the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (A/62/18, annex III, and www2.ohchr.org/english/bodies/cerd/early-warning.htm) and the analysis framework by the Office of the Special Adviser of the Secretary-General on the Prevention of Genocide (www.un.org/preventgenocide/adviser/pdf/OSAPG%20AnalysisFramework ExternalVersion.pdf). E/CN.4/1997/91/Add.1, para. 46. A/HRC/10/8/Add.3, para. 64. The relevant international human rights standards pertaining to freedom of religion or belief are reproduced in the Special Rapporteur’s report to the Commission on Human Rights at its sixty-second session (E/CN.4/2006/5, annex). 9