A/HRC/52/38 peace,55 promoting commitments to stand up for the rights of Indigenous Peoples 56 and all persons belonging to minorities, their freedoms and right to participate in cultural, religious, social, economic and public life,57 which may also contribute to political and social stability.58 51. As can be noted from the very brief snapshot above, the call on freedom of religion or belief in advocacy, research, activism and practice has expanded substantially over time. Such expertise, energy and attention can certainly help to address the many freedom of religion or belief challenges around us and support fulfilment of the mandate. However, the depth and breadth of this field now requires of us to be more discerning. 52. The role of religion or belief in international affairs, the engagement of religious or belief leaders and communities at the international and national levels and efforts to advance freedom of religion or belief for all may overlap, but they are not interchangeable. The first two can be pursued without regard to freedom of religion or belief – and even in a manner that undermines freedom of religion or belief. However, they can also proceed in ways that are supportive of human rights, either fully or only in relation to those belonging to a particular religion or belief. 53. This is not to discourage the welcome efforts to apply freedom of religion or belief broadly by a wide range of actors in innovative ways. The success of every human right lies in its mainstreaming, internalization and operationalization into everyday life across sectors and actors. However, we are called upon to ensure that the human rights framing of freedom of religion or belief standards is well understood, not least because such standards have been “dearly won over the centuries”59 by the international community. 54. In recent years, there has also been a proliferation of references to “persecution” and “genocide” in the freedom of religion or belief arena. This certainly speaks to the gravity of crimes and violations that draw from identity politics and the horrendous societal fissures around matters related to religion or belief. Religion or belief prejudices can certainly result in international crimes, which demand strong action by the international community. For their part, those calling out genocide and persecution would do well to take care to calibrate their language, lest overuse of such terms become counterproductive and unhelpful to the victims themselves. Where words have a clear legal meaning, those in the human rights advocacy field need to be aware of the parameters of those words in human rights terms and to use them accordingly. 55. What is particularly concerning is where freedom of religion or belief advocacy itself has undertones of divisiveness. The gravity of one situation should always be called out on its own merits and, in the human rights arena, in the light of international standards. It is neither necessary nor helpful for comparisons to be drawn with other targets (persons or communities) of religion or belief violations in order to make one’s case. What is more, it creates division and distrust, where collaboration would ultimately prove far more effective for the advancement of the rights of one and all, everywhere. In short, efforts to call for advancing human rights should themselves be respectful of human rights standards and principles. The ends do not justify the means. D. Methods of diplomacy for advancing freedom of religion or belief 56. The methods available to the mandate holder and other actors are not identical and can be deliberated on more, with a view to greater understanding of where efforts can be harmonized and where unique opportunities can be adopted, calibrated and sequenced 55 56 57 58 59 GE.23-00741 See https://www.upeace.org/files/Publications/Wiener%20and%20FernandezA%20Missing%20Piece%20for%20Peace.pdf#page=268. See https://d3lwycy8zkggea.cloudfront.net/1672906209/2022-10-indigenous-rights-final-singlepages.pdf. A/HRC/40/58, annex II, commitment VI. Declaration on the Rights of Persons Belonging to National or Ethnic, Religious and Linguistic Minorities (General Assembly resolution 47/135, annex), fifth and sixth preambular paragraphs. European Court of Human Rights, Kokkinakis v. Greece, Application No. 14307/8, Judgment, 25 May 1993, para. 31. 11