A/HRC/52/38 commissioners from various sectors. 87 The European Union has a special envoy for the promotion of freedom of religion or belief outside the European Union. These representatives and bodies largely have outward-facing, foreign policy mandates, promoting the implementation of the respective States’ foreign policy on freedom of religion or belief. They pursue their responsibilities in various ways, including by using social media platforms to draw attention to violations, appealing to Governments to put an end to such violations, hosting events and dialogues to address concerns, ensuring this right is included in a State’s diplomatic engagements, visiting countries, funding freedom of religion or belief projects, engaging with affected communities, participating in joint letters of concern and seeking to build bridges and advance the rights of religious and belief minorities. States, civil society organizations and experts also gather through regular international ministerial level events dedicated to advancing freedom of religion or belief.88 72. Civil society organizations specifically dedicated to freedom of religion or belief, and civil society organizations with teams dedicated to this area of human rights, have increased in number and sophistication. Their increasing capacities, in terms of technical assistance, monitoring and reporting on the full scope of the human rights understanding of freedom of religion or belief, is impressive and of great support to the mandate. Civil society organizations have also formed coalitions and platforms to advance cooperation and promote this arena of work, sometimes with a particular regional or thematic focus. 73. National human rights institutions are the most evident and legitimate actor to reconcile tensions within a State among religious interpretations and human rights through constant dialogue and creative methodologies. 89 The principles relating to the status of national institutions for the promotion and protection of human rights (the Paris Principles) note that the composition of any national institution should be established in accordance with a procedure which affords all necessary guarantees to ensure the pluralist representation of the social forces involved in promoting and protecting human rights, including through effective cooperation with or the presence of representatives of different trends in philosophical or religious thought.90 With its representation of over 110 national human rights institutions, the Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions could play an important role in efforts to embed the enjoyment of freedom of religion or belief at the national level and to follow up on its promotion and protection effectively. The mandate holder will explore the question of advancing the enjoyment of freedom of religion or belief at the national level in her next report to the General Assembly. 74. The Special Rapporteur welcomes the many actors working in this broad freedom of religion or belief arena, however, many endemic challenges remain. Whether in terms of discrimination on grounds of religion or belief, violations of freedom of religion or belief, or violations in the name of religion or belief, the challenges remain alarming. Several things can be gleaned from the fact that the increase in actors does not seem to have equated to a reduction in the challenges for freedom of religion or belief. Firstly, the shrinking of civic space globally has had a significant impact on freedom of religion or belief. Secondly, greater awareness of freedom of religion or belief rights may have contributed to greater reporting of the violations. Thirdly, it is not possible to know the extent to which action has averted an even greater scale and severity of violations. The question remains whether these greater number of actions have increased effectiveness. 75. The mandate holder observes that, while the foreign policy approach to freedom of religion or belief by States is undoubtedly significant and helpful, it cannot be the only freedom of religion or belief tool. Support for freedom of religion or belief needs to be complemented by other interventions, to be mindful of context and to connect better to efforts 87 88 89 90 GE.23-00741 See https://www.uscirf.gov/about-uscirf/about-us. For example, https://www.state.gov/ministerial-to-advance-religious-freedom/; and https://www.gov.uk/government/topical-events/international-ministerial-conference-on-freedom-ofreligion-or-belief-london-2022. See https://www.upeace.org/files/Publications/Wiener%20and%20FernandezA%20Missing%20Piece%20for%20Peace.pdf#page=299. General Assembly resolution 48/134, annex, Composition and guarantees of independence and pluralism, para. 1 (b). 15