A/HRC/55/47 5. Understanding the need to combat denigration and negative religious stereotyping, as well as incitement to religious hatred, by strategizing and harmonizing actions at the local, national, regional and international levels, including through education and awareness-building 52. Historical stereotypes and stigmas may be embedded in the narratives of dominant cultures within and outside State institutions. Effectively redressing such stigmas demands measures across all sectors. These may include human rights-based education on religious or belief diversity, acknowledgement and apologies for historical atrocities and marginalization, awareness-raising and professional education and capacity-building. The mandate is encouraged by the development of educational projects and curricula in this regard, 95 as well as by dedicated programmes to combat particular forms of religious or belief-based intolerance. 6. Recognizing the open, constructive and respectful debate of ideas, as well as interfaith and intercultural dialogue, at the local, national and international levels 53. Interfaith dialogue and joint action can play a positive role in combating religious hatred, incitement and violence. States have also reported on the creation of interfaith spaces for dialogue and exchange on issues of common concern,96 as well as youth dialogue and exchange in areas affected by conflict.97 7. Effective measures to ensure that public functionaries in the conduct of their public duties do not discriminate against an individual on the basis of religion or belief 54. Prejudicial and discriminatory attitudes among functionaries of State were also highlighted as a key barrier to the effective enjoyment of freedom of religion or belief in the report of the Special Rapporteur to the General Assembly submitted in 2023. The mandate is encouraged by submissions detailing State and civil society initiatives to train law enforcement, justice operators and other State institutions on freedom of religion or belief and related standards.98 8. Fostering religious freedom and pluralism by promoting the ability of members of all religious communities to manifest their religion and to contribute to society openly and on an equal footing 55. In order to effectively address the root causes of hatred based on religion or belief, it is imperative that the constitutional and legislative order be brought into line with international standards, including through comprehensive anti-discrimination legislation 99 and protections of freedom of religion or belief, in accordance with articles 18 and 27 of the Covenant.100 Furthermore, effective enjoyment of the right to manifest religion or belief will benefit from structural changes, including through the provision of reasonable accommodation and, more broadly, the restructuring of institutions so that the equality of religious or belief minorities is no longer measured against a hegemonic “normalcy”. 95 96 97 98 99 100 GE.23-25950 See submissions by the National Christian Evangelical Council of Sri Lanka; World Jewish Congress; and the Coalition for Religious Equality and Inclusive Development; see also https://creid.ac/blog/2020/09/17/reforming-religious-education-curricula-in-iraq; and https://opendocs.ids.ac.uk/opendocs/handle/20.500.12413/15930. A/HRC/49/86, para. 33, and A/HRC/52/79, paras. 28–29. A/76/164, para. 25. Submissions by the European Union; Joint Initiative for Strategic Religious Action Partners, Indonesia; Ordo Iuris; and Search for Common Ground. See https://www.ohchr.org/en/publications/policy-and-methodological-publications/protectingminority-rights-practical-guide. See communications sent to Belarus (BLR 7/2023), Iran (Islamic Republic of) (IRN 15/2023), Libya (LBY 2/2023), Nicaragua (NIC 2/2023) and Viet Nam (VNM 2/2023). 15