E/CN.4/2000/65 page 29 mission reports. While acknowledging the danger represented by the extremism of groups claiming allegiance to Islam, the Special Rapportuer believes it is important to distinguish between such extremists using Islam for political purposes, who are in fact in a minority, and the majority of Muslims practising Islam in accordance with the principles of tolerance and non-discrimination. The Special Rapporteur had also found that non-Muslim religious minorities were victims of defamation (see his reports on missions to Pakistan and the United States). For this reason the Special Rapporteur fully endorses the Commission on Human Rights’ finding that all religions are or may be affected by defamation. It is important to indicate that defamation often stems from intolerance and/or inter-religious as well as intra-religious ignorance, often in the context of an adversarial relationship between majority and minorities. Lastly, it should be emphasized that there are growing problems between traditional majority religions and sects/new religious movements, as well as between believers and non-believers. 111. The Special Rapporteur also wishes to stress another concern relating to efforts to combat defamation: these should not be used to censure all inter-religious and intra-religious criticism. Several other communications from the Special Rapporteur illustrate the danger that efforts to combat defamation (particularly blasphemy) may be manipulated for purposes contrary to human rights. B. Initiatives of the Special Rapporteur 112. The Special Rapporteur is continuing his efforts to compile a compendium of national enactments relating to freedom of religion and belief. Such a collection would be regularly updated and made publicly available in a databank on an Internet site. A total of 49 States (see A/54/386, para. 99) have so far contributed to this initiative, with which it would be desirable for all States to cooperate. 113. The Special Rapporteur is also continuing his efforts to undertake research on the following topics: (a) status of women with regard to religion; (b) proselytism, freedom of religion and poverty; and (c) sects, new religious movements and communities of religion and belief. 114. With regard to the culture of tolerance, which is the mainstay of prevention, the Special Rapporteur is currently finalizing plans to convene an international consultative conference to discuss the content of curricula and textbooks used in primary and secondary schools relating to freedom of religion and belief in November 2001, for the anniversary of the adoption of the Declaration on the Elimination of All Forms of Intolerance and Discrimination Based on Religion or Belief, (see A/54/386, para. 102). Details of this project will be forwarded in due course. III. IN SITU VISITS AND FOLLOW-UP 115. Since he was appointed, the Special Rapporteur has carried out 10 in situ visits (to China, Pakistan, Iran (Islamic Republic of), Greece, Sudan, India, Australia, Germany, United States of America and Viet Nam). He visited Turkey in December 1999. A visit to Bangladesh is planned for the year 2000, while requests for visits to Argentina, Indonesia, Mauritius, Israel, the Russian Federation and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea have so far remained