A/RES/67/179
Freedom of religion or belief
relevant articles of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights,1 as well
as other international instruments;
(e) Constitutional and legislative systems that fail to provide adequate and
effective guarantees of freedom of thought, conscience and religion or belief to all
without distinction;
12. Urges States to step up their efforts to protect and promote freedom of
thought, conscience and religion or belief, and to this end:
(a) To ensure that their constitutional and legislative systems provide
adequate and effective guarantees of freedom of thought, conscience and religion or
belief to all without distinction, inter alia, by providing access to justice and
effective remedies in cases where the right to freedom of thought, conscience and
religion or belief or the right to freely practise one’s religion, including the right to
change one’s religion or belief, is violated;
(b) To ensure that existing legislation is not implemented in a discriminatory
manner or does not result in discrimination based on religion or belief, that no one
within their jurisdiction is deprived of the right to life, liberty and security of person
because of religion or belief and that no one is subjected to torture or other cruel,
inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, or arbitrary arrest or detention on
that account and to bring to justice all perpetrators of violations of these rights;
(c) To end violations of the human rights of women and to devote particular
attention to abolishing practices and legislation that discriminate against women,
including in the exercise of their right to freedom of thought, conscience and
religion or belief;
(d) To ensure that no one is discriminated against on the basis of his or her
religion or belief when accessing, inter alia, education, medical care, employment,
humanitarian assistance or social benefits and to ensure that everyone has the right
and the opportunity to have access, on general terms of equality, to public services
in their country, without any discrimination on the basis of religion or belief;
(e) To review, whenever relevant, existing registration practices in order to
ensure that such practices do not limit the right of all persons to manifest their
religion or belief, either alone or in community with others and in public or private;
(f) To ensure that no official documents are withheld from the individual on
the grounds of religion or belief and that everyone has the right to refrain from
disclosing information concerning their religious affiliation in such documents
against their will;
(g) To ensure, in particular, the right of all persons to worship, assemble or
teach in connection with a religion or belief and their right to establish and maintain
places for these purposes, and the right of all persons to seek, receive and impart
information and ideas in these areas;
(h) To ensure that, in accordance with appropriate national legislation and in
conformity with international human rights law, the freedom of all persons and
members of groups to establish and maintain religious, charitable or humanitarian
institutions is fully respected and protected;
(i) To ensure that all public officials and civil servants, including members
of law enforcement bodies, and personnel of detention facilities, the military and
educators, in the course of fulfilling their official duties, respect freedom of religion
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