A/HRC/13/40 staff members assisting the mandate, who often worked under huge pressure from all sides and yet continued to respect deadlines and the quality of work entrusted to them. 4. In the present report, the Special Rapporteur first gives an overview of her mandate activities. She then discusses early warning signs of discrimination and violence on the grounds or in the name of religion or belief. In this context, she also provides an overview of some general patterns and issues of concern related to her mandate. In her conclusions and recommendations, she identifies some appropriate responses by various actors, including recommendations with regard to the role of the State, religious leaders and civil society, and the international community and human rights mechanisms. II. Overview of mandate activities 5. The Special Rapporteur wishes to provide a brief overview of her activities with regard to: (a) communications sent to States concerning individual cases; (b) her participation in recent conferences and meetings; (c) country visits undertaken; and (d) further follow-up activities of the mandate. A. Communications 6. The communications sent to States and the replies received have been indispensable tools for the Special Rapporteur in monitoring and verifying allegations of human rights violations falling within her mandate. They open up the possibility of constructively engaging with States in examining incidents and State actions as follow-up to these communications. The information received from all sides has also proven useful for the identification of existing and emerging obstacles to the enjoyment of the right to freedom of religion or belief. This information has also enabled the identification of good practices put in place by States in this regard. 7. Since the establishment of the mandate in 1986, the Special Rapporteur has sent more than 1,200 allegation letters and urgent appeals to a total of 130 States. Summaries of these communications are reflected in the various reports of the Special Rapporteur and represent important documentation of individual cases and issues of concern for the mandate. The Special Rapporteur regularly updates the online digest of her framework for communications, which illustrates the international human rights standards pertaining to freedom of religion or belief with relevant excerpts of the reports since the inception of the mandate.14 8. The communications sent by the Special Rapporteur between 1 December 2008 and 30 November 2009, as well as the replies received from States as of 30 January 2010, are summarized in an addendum to the present report (A/HRC/13/40/Add.1). She welcomes the decision taken during the sixteenth meeting of special rapporteurs, special representatives, independent experts and chairpersons of working groups to produce a joint communications report in future.15 Consequently, all mandate holders’ communications will be compiled by country in alphabetical and chronological order in common reports, to be presented at each regular session of the Human Rights Council. In comparison to the current annual cycle of separate communication reports by each individual mandate, the future practice — with a more frequent reporting cycle of joint reports — will also ensure that the content of 14 15 GE.09-17648 The Special Rapporteur’s online digest is available at the address www2.ohchr.org/english/issues/ religion/standards.htm. A/HRC/12/47, paras. 24–26. 5