A/72/155 complements them in the present report with some additional standards concerning the cultural rights of women. 42. Women’s equality in the enjoyment of all human rights is central to the International Bill of Human Rights, as well as to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, and to regional standards. Non-discrimination, including on the basis of sex, is guaranteed by the Ch arter of the United Nations and is a touchstone of the United Nations system. 43. Depending on the specific manifestation, fundamentalist and extremist ideologies and the actions they incite may give rise to violations of a broad range of women’s human rights. Those rights include the rights to equality and non-discrimination, life, liberty, bodily integrity, freedom from torture, privacy, freedom of opinion, peaceful assembly and association, the right to take part in cultural life, to scientific and artistic freedom, free consent in marriage, sexual and reproductive rights, the rights to health, education, political participation, freedom from slavery and slavery-like practices, work, freedom of expression, and freedom of thought, conscience and religion. 44. In the most extreme cases, the full spectrum of human rights may be violated, and specific violent practices of fundamentalist and extremist groups may constitute acts of terrorism and/or international crimes, including crimes against humanity, genocide, war crimes or other violations of international humanitarian law. It is in the context of this broader, systematic threat to so many human rights that the grave effects of fundamentalism and extremism on the cultural rights of women must be seen. 45. The Special Rapporteur stresses the State’s obligations to respect human rights and to protect them from acts by non-State actors, including fundamentalist and extremist groups. The Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women affirms that “States may also be responsible for private acts if they fail to act with due diligence to prevent violations of rights or to investigate and punish acts of violence.” 34 46. The Special Rapporteur underlines the centrality and importance of cultural rights, based in particular on article 27 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and article 15 of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. States must respect those rights and protect them from interference by fundamentalist and extremist movements. 47. Article 2, paragraph 2 of the Covenant prohibits discrimination with regard to these rights, while article 3 states that men and women are equally entitled to the enjoyment of economic, social and cultural rights. In its general comment No. 21 (2009) on the right of everyone to take part in cultural life, the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights insists that: Ensuring the equal right of men and women to the enjoyment of economic, social and cultural rights is a mandatory and immediate obligation of States parties. Implementing article 3 of the Covenant, in relation to article 15, paragraph 1(a), requires, inter alia, the elimination of institutional and legal obstacles as well as those based on negative practices, including those attributed to customs and traditions, that prevent women from participating fully in cultural life, science education and scientific research. 35 __________________ 34 35 17-12043 See Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women, general recommendation No. 19 (1992) on violence against women, para. 9. See also Committee against Torture, general comment No. 2 (2008), on the implementation of article 2, para. 18. Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, general comment No. 21 (2009) on the 11/23